Formerly an Unconventional Weapons & Technology (UWT) Researcher and Project Manager at the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START), where she specializes in the study of terrorist organizations and networks and terrorist/violent non-state actor (VNSA) strategies for the acquisition and use of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) weapons and technology. Her research interests include assessing both current and emerging terrorist/VNSA threats to the United States and its interests abroad, terrorist organizational behavior, the Middle East (specializing in Iran), domestic radicalization, the role of gender in radicalization, and smuggling networks –both human and illicit RN materials- that target the United States and Pakistan.
In the lead-up to the 2020 US presidential election, adherents to QAnon conspiracy theories parla... more In the lead-up to the 2020 US presidential election, adherents to QAnon conspiracy theories parlayed the “Save the Children” slogan from a well-known charity into a vector for exposure and political mobilization. This paper introduces three factors that potentially contributed space for appropriating the slogan into the QAnon-backed #SaveTheChildren campaign and, in this context, examines images of children shown alongside QAnon #SaveTheChildren messages. For these factors, we examine the use of race, age, gender, and graphic depictions in this exploitative imagery. Results show QAnon-related images massively over-represent preteen, white children compared to child-trafficking statistics and include a substantial proportion of graphic imagery. Building on studies of child-advocacy campaigns, we contend that QAnon imagery uses the familiar motif of distressed children while presenting a narrative distinct from both these child-advocacy groups and the realities of child trafficking. E...
Law and justice; Law and justice/International law; Politics and government/International relatio... more Law and justice; Law and justice/International law; Politics and government/International relations; Terrorism and threats; Military; Intelligence; Borders and immigration/Border security
The FBI has identified Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev as the prime suspects in the April 15 bombi... more The FBI has identified Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev as the prime suspects in the April 15 bombing of the Boston Marathon.
Tamerlan was killed in an armed confrontation with police on April 19 and Dzhokhar was arrested later that day following a
massive manhunt. The two brothers are ethnic Chechens but resided in the United States for approximately nine years;
Dzhokhar is a naturalized U.S. citizen but his brother’s request for citizenship had not yet been granted at the time of his death.
The Russian government alleged that the older brother had ties to militant groups in the Caucasus, and authorities are currently
examining Tamerlan’s six month trip to Russia in 2012.
In this background report, START reviews the modern history of terrorism by groups and individuals operating in and around the
North Caucasus as investigators and analysts work to confirm or deny possible ties to Tamerlan Tsarnaev.
Overview of the historical use of diplomatic pouches in transnational smuggling operations and an... more Overview of the historical use of diplomatic pouches in transnational smuggling operations and an assessment of the potential for such pouches to be utilized for the illicit transport of RN materials.
Cited in U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, "Zachary Chesser: A... more Cited in U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, "Zachary Chesser: A Case Study in Online Islamist Radicalization and Its Meaning for the Threat of Homegrown Terrorism." (February 2012).
Letters addressed to President Barack Obama and Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) preliminarily test... more Letters addressed to President Barack Obama and Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) preliminarily tested positive for ricin, authorities said April 17. To help provide context to these incidents, START has compiled background information on the history of terrorism involving biological agents and toxins, particularly ricin. The ricin mailings echo a similar 2004 incident that targeted then-Senator Bill Frist (R-Tenn.). While the 2004 letter made it to a Senate mailroom before the substance was detected, the letters to Obama and Wicker were intercepted at off-site screening facilities. The use of such facilities became common after the 2001 Amerithrax attacks that utilized anthrax. Ricin has long been an attractive option to violent extremists because it requires little technical skill to create from the castor bean plant and large quantities can be produced inexpensively. Castor bean plants can be grown throughout the world and online recipes provide instructions on how to derive the toxin using easy-to-obtain items. The toxin’s most notable use by a nation state was the infamous 1978 London assassination of Bulgarian dissident Georgi Markov, who died after being injected with a ricin pellet via modified umbrella.
In the lead-up to the 2020 US presidential election, adherents to QAnon conspiracy theories parla... more In the lead-up to the 2020 US presidential election, adherents to QAnon conspiracy theories parlayed the “Save the Children” slogan from a well-known charity into a vector for exposure and political mobilization. This paper introduces three factors that potentially contributed space for appropriating the slogan into the QAnon-backed #SaveTheChildren campaign and, in this context, examines images of children shown alongside QAnon #SaveTheChildren messages. For these factors, we examine the use of race, age, gender, and graphic depictions in this exploitative imagery. Results show QAnon-related images massively over-represent preteen, white children compared to child-trafficking statistics and include a substantial proportion of graphic imagery. Building on studies of child-advocacy campaigns, we contend that QAnon imagery uses the familiar motif of distressed children while presenting a narrative distinct from both these child-advocacy groups and the realities of child trafficking. E...
Law and justice; Law and justice/International law; Politics and government/International relatio... more Law and justice; Law and justice/International law; Politics and government/International relations; Terrorism and threats; Military; Intelligence; Borders and immigration/Border security
The FBI has identified Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev as the prime suspects in the April 15 bombi... more The FBI has identified Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev as the prime suspects in the April 15 bombing of the Boston Marathon.
Tamerlan was killed in an armed confrontation with police on April 19 and Dzhokhar was arrested later that day following a
massive manhunt. The two brothers are ethnic Chechens but resided in the United States for approximately nine years;
Dzhokhar is a naturalized U.S. citizen but his brother’s request for citizenship had not yet been granted at the time of his death.
The Russian government alleged that the older brother had ties to militant groups in the Caucasus, and authorities are currently
examining Tamerlan’s six month trip to Russia in 2012.
In this background report, START reviews the modern history of terrorism by groups and individuals operating in and around the
North Caucasus as investigators and analysts work to confirm or deny possible ties to Tamerlan Tsarnaev.
Overview of the historical use of diplomatic pouches in transnational smuggling operations and an... more Overview of the historical use of diplomatic pouches in transnational smuggling operations and an assessment of the potential for such pouches to be utilized for the illicit transport of RN materials.
Cited in U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, "Zachary Chesser: A... more Cited in U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, "Zachary Chesser: A Case Study in Online Islamist Radicalization and Its Meaning for the Threat of Homegrown Terrorism." (February 2012).
Letters addressed to President Barack Obama and Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) preliminarily test... more Letters addressed to President Barack Obama and Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) preliminarily tested positive for ricin, authorities said April 17. To help provide context to these incidents, START has compiled background information on the history of terrorism involving biological agents and toxins, particularly ricin. The ricin mailings echo a similar 2004 incident that targeted then-Senator Bill Frist (R-Tenn.). While the 2004 letter made it to a Senate mailroom before the substance was detected, the letters to Obama and Wicker were intercepted at off-site screening facilities. The use of such facilities became common after the 2001 Amerithrax attacks that utilized anthrax. Ricin has long been an attractive option to violent extremists because it requires little technical skill to create from the castor bean plant and large quantities can be produced inexpensively. Castor bean plants can be grown throughout the world and online recipes provide instructions on how to derive the toxin using easy-to-obtain items. The toxin’s most notable use by a nation state was the infamous 1978 London assassination of Bulgarian dissident Georgi Markov, who died after being injected with a ricin pellet via modified umbrella.
Uploads
Papers by Mila A . Johns
Tamerlan was killed in an armed confrontation with police on April 19 and Dzhokhar was arrested later that day following a
massive manhunt. The two brothers are ethnic Chechens but resided in the United States for approximately nine years;
Dzhokhar is a naturalized U.S. citizen but his brother’s request for citizenship had not yet been granted at the time of his death.
The Russian government alleged that the older brother had ties to militant groups in the Caucasus, and authorities are currently
examining Tamerlan’s six month trip to Russia in 2012.
In this background report, START reviews the modern history of terrorism by groups and individuals operating in and around the
North Caucasus as investigators and analysts work to confirm or deny possible ties to Tamerlan Tsarnaev.
authorities said April 17. To help provide context to these incidents, START has compiled background information on the history
of terrorism involving biological agents and toxins, particularly ricin.
The ricin mailings echo a similar 2004 incident that targeted then-Senator Bill Frist (R-Tenn.). While the 2004 letter made it to a
Senate mailroom before the substance was detected, the letters to Obama and Wicker were intercepted at off-site screening
facilities. The use of such facilities became common after the 2001 Amerithrax attacks that utilized anthrax.
Ricin has long been an attractive option to violent extremists because it requires little technical skill to create from the castor
bean plant and large quantities can be produced inexpensively. Castor bean plants can be grown throughout the world and
online recipes provide instructions on how to derive the toxin using easy-to-obtain items. The toxin’s most notable use by a
nation state was the infamous 1978 London assassination of Bulgarian dissident Georgi Markov, who died after being injected
with a ricin pellet via modified umbrella.
Tamerlan was killed in an armed confrontation with police on April 19 and Dzhokhar was arrested later that day following a
massive manhunt. The two brothers are ethnic Chechens but resided in the United States for approximately nine years;
Dzhokhar is a naturalized U.S. citizen but his brother’s request for citizenship had not yet been granted at the time of his death.
The Russian government alleged that the older brother had ties to militant groups in the Caucasus, and authorities are currently
examining Tamerlan’s six month trip to Russia in 2012.
In this background report, START reviews the modern history of terrorism by groups and individuals operating in and around the
North Caucasus as investigators and analysts work to confirm or deny possible ties to Tamerlan Tsarnaev.
authorities said April 17. To help provide context to these incidents, START has compiled background information on the history
of terrorism involving biological agents and toxins, particularly ricin.
The ricin mailings echo a similar 2004 incident that targeted then-Senator Bill Frist (R-Tenn.). While the 2004 letter made it to a
Senate mailroom before the substance was detected, the letters to Obama and Wicker were intercepted at off-site screening
facilities. The use of such facilities became common after the 2001 Amerithrax attacks that utilized anthrax.
Ricin has long been an attractive option to violent extremists because it requires little technical skill to create from the castor
bean plant and large quantities can be produced inexpensively. Castor bean plants can be grown throughout the world and
online recipes provide instructions on how to derive the toxin using easy-to-obtain items. The toxin’s most notable use by a
nation state was the infamous 1978 London assassination of Bulgarian dissident Georgi Markov, who died after being injected
with a ricin pellet via modified umbrella.