Shadi Alkasim

                                                                                              Biography

I am a geopolitical risk analyst, advisor, researcher, and communications expert. I am also a Certified Terrorism and Anti-Terrorism Expert, as well as an Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) Investigator and Cyber Threat Intelligence Analyst. My previous roles include Reporting Officer and Information Analyst at the United Nations Joint Operations Centre (UNJOC) in peacekeeping missions, as well as War Correspondent in multiple global conflict zones.

With over 25 years of international experience, I have worked across journalism, political analysis, intelligence reporting, and strategic communications. My assignments have taken me to conflict and post-conflict areas in countries including Sudan, South Sudan, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Liberia, Yemen, China, and others.

My areas of expertise include:

• Geopolitics and political risk

• Terrorism and counter-terrorism

• Intelligence and counter-intelligence

• Civil wars and armed conflicts

• United Nations peacekeeping operations

Read more: 

 Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baghdad_Bulletin

 Blog: https://shadialkasim.wordpress.com

 Travel: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Profile/Shadi_Alkasim

              https://www.flickr.com/photos/11658030@N06/  

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shadi-alkasim-6068a04/

• The Italian magazine "The Terrasanta" published an interview with me regarding my views on the kidnapping of journalists in Syria 

http://www.terrasanta.net/tsx/showPage.jsp?wi_number=5776

Books

• Contributed to the writing of the book by Garthwaite, Rosie. How to Avoid Being Killed in a War Zone. London: Bloomsbury, 2011, through sharing my professional experience as a journalist covering war zones.

https://www.bloomsbury.com/in/how-to-avoid-being-killed-in-a-war-zone-9781408816820/

• Increasing Number of Journalists Kidnapped in Syria

McLaughlin, Greg. The War Correspondent (2nd Edition). London: Pluto Press, 2016. The author is a senior lecturer in Media and Journalism at the University of Ulster, Northern Ireland, the second-largest university in Ireland. He used my published article as a source in his book.

https://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/32791

https://library.oapen.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.12657/32791/605051.pdf?sequence=1

Articles & Research

• The media wings and the media propaganda of the Islamic State terrorist organization From 2014 To the end of 2018

https://shadialkasim.wordpress.com/2020/09/26/the-media-wings-and-the-media-propaganda-of-the-islamic-state-terrorist-organization-around-the-world-the-games-applications-and-social-networking-sites-that-the-organization-has-created-from-2/

• “Global Chinese Espionage & Surveillance Operations – July 2025 Intelligence Report”

https://shadialkasim.wordpress.com/2025/07/29/global-chinese-espionage-surveillance-operations-july-2025-intelligence-report/

• Turkistan Islamic Party (TIP)

https://shadialkasim.wordpress.com/2019/08/02/turkistan-islamic-party-tip-part-1/

• Comprehensive Report on Some of the Communication Technology & Weapons Used by Turkistan Islamic Party (TIP) in Syria

https://shadialkasim.wordpress.com/2020/10/19/364/

• Islamic Terrorist Group: Katibat Al-Imam Al-Bukhari (IBJ- KIB) (Al-Qaeda & THE TALIBAN -Affiliated Group) كتيبة الإمام البخاري

https://shadialkasim.wordpress.com/2019/03/10/islamic-terrorist-group-katibat-al-imam-al-bukhari-ibj-kib-al-qaeda-the-taliban-affiliated-group-%d9%83%d8%aa%d9%8a%d8%a8%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a5%d9%85%d8%a7%d9%85-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a8

Islamic Terrorist Group: Katibat Al Tawhid Wal Jihad (KTJ)

https://shadialkasim.wordpress.com/2018/07/19/islamic-terrorist-group-katibat-al-tawhid-wal-jihad-ktj/

• IPI World Press Freedom Review 2012–2013

https://www.academia.edu/7800829/IPI_World_Press_Freedom_Review_2012_2013

• Analysis: South Sudan’s Draft Media Law

https://ifex.org/south-sudans-draft-media-laws-must-ensure-independence-from-political-influence/

https://allafrica.com/stories/201311011197.html

          https://ipi.media/analysis-south-sudans-draft-media-law/

• Libyan journalists face freer but more perilous environment

https://ifex.org/libyan-journalists-face-freer-but-more-perilous-environment/

• Conducted an exclusive interview with His Excellency the Ambassador of France to Liberia, Gerard Larome for UNMIL Radio and the UN Radio in New York; France supports the rule of law in Liberia 

https://reliefweb.int/report/liberia/france-supports-rule-law-liberia

• Jordan Reduces Crimes Eligible for Execution (2006)

http://www.ipsnews.net/2006/09/death-penalty-jordan-reduces-crimes-eligible-for-execution/

• Amman’s Optimism Demonstrates Potential of a New Iraq (2005)

https://towardfreedom.org/story/archives/middle-east/ammans-optimism-demonstrates-potential-of-a-new-iraq/

• Iraq Election Despair Spreads to Expatriates 

http://www.albionmonitor.com/0601a/copyright/iraqexpatelection.html

                 https://www.ipsnews.net/2006/01/iraq-election-despair-spreads-to-expatriates/

•  From Lebanon Under Assault (2006)

https://web.archive.org/web/20130702181237/http://aliveinbaghdad.org/2006/07/29/node234/

           Certificates & Certification

I hold many certificates from the most prestigious international universities and institutes, as well as well-known International organizations, such as the United Nations and others 

• Diploma in Journalism & News Writing, London School of Journalism, United Kingdom – Earned with Distinction 

• How to use ChatGPT and other generative AI tools in your newsrooms, Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas, University of Texas, Texas, USA

• Aviation Security Awareness Training, Australian Government - Department of Home Affairs

• Advanced Diploma in Political Ideologies, ALISON, Galway, Ireland 

• Airport Management, Global Courses, Gosforth, Newcastle, United Kingdom 

• Infoshield. Resilience to Disinformation Course, Debunk.org, Vilnius, Lithuania

• FIELD Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion, Save the Children, London, United Kingdom 

• Safeguarding Essentials, the Humanitarian Leadership Academy, in association with the Open University 

• Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA), This course which was developed jointly by UNFPA, UN WOMEN, UNICEF, UNDP, and UNHCR 

• BSAFE:  Online security awareness training. It replaces both Basic Security in the Field (BSITF) and Advanced Security in the Field (ASITF). United Nations Department for Safety and Security 

• Elements of AI, The University of Helsinki, Yliopistonkatu, Helsinki, Finland 

• Safe Pilot Course, The Gleim, Gainesville, FL, United States

• DisasterReady (a signature program of the Cornerstone OnDemand Foundation), California, United States 

-Reporting Security Incidents

-Risk Management

- Security Risk Management Toolkit: People Management

-Security Risk Management Toolkit: Assessments

      -Security Risk Management: Strategies

     - Security Risk Management Handbook: The Security Plan

-Security Risk Management Handbook: Hibernation, Transition, Evacuation

-Risk management mechanism related to counter-terrorism measures

-Security Risk Management Tools: Digital Security

-Kidnapping and Hostage Survival

• The Basel Institute on Governance (an Associated Institute of the University of Basel), Basel, Switzerland 

Open-Source Intelligence

• The Basel Institute on Governance (an Associated Institute of the University of Basel), Basel, Switzerland 

      Operational Analysis of Suspicious Transaction Reports

• International Cyber Threat Task Force (ICTTF), Dublin, Ireland

Ransomware Uncovered - Specialist Certificate

• The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency ( a federal security agency of the United States Department of Defense) Quantico, Virginia, U.S.   

Cybersecurity for Security Personnel

• InforMEA ( The United Nations Information Portal on Multilateral Environmental Agreements)  & University of Eastern Finland)   

Diploma on International Environmental Law and Governance                          

• Al Jazeera Media Institute -Doha, Qatar

TV News Programs Production

• McAfee Institute-Miami, Florida, USA

Counterintelligence Methods

• The Open University- Walton Hall, Kents Hill, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom

-Information security

-Introduction to cyber security: stay safe online

• Charles Sturt University-Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia

Cyber Warfare and Terrorism

• University of Maryland, College Park- Maryland, USA

New Approaches to Countering Terror: Countering Violent Extremism

• Leiden University-Leiden, The Netherlands                                                                              

Terrorism and Counter-terrorism: Comparing Theory and Practice

• Council of Europe -Strasbourg, France

Radicalisation Prevention                

A specialist training on how to better counter-radicalization for judges and prosecutors/prison and probation officers

• SIA Global Security on Udemy 

Intelligence, Counterintelligence, and OSINT: A Quick Guide

• National Counter Terrorism Security Office, Government of The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK)  

Action Counter Terrorism (ACT) Awareness

• Erasmus University Rotterdam-Rotterdam, The Netherlands

International Security Management

•   United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime-Vienna, Austria

-Introduction to Anti-Corruption

-Advanced Anti-Corruption: Prevention of Corruption

-International Legal Framework against Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Terrorism

-Countering the Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) by non-State actors

• The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (The OSCE)-Helsinki, Finland

Counter-Terrorism: PCUITP (Preventing and Countering the Use of the Internet for Terrorist Purposes)

• The World Health Organization-  Geneva, Switzerland                                  

-COVID-19 and work: Staying healthy and safe at work during the COVID-19 pandemic

-Health emergency and disaster risk management for resilient cities

-Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) for COVID-19 Virus

-WHO Clinical Care Severe Acute Respiratory Infection Training (severe-acute-respiratory-infection)

-Introduction to COVID-19: methods for detection, prevention, response and control

-Infodemic Management 101

• Council of Europe - Strasbourg, France

Radicalisation Prevention ; Judicial Response to Terrorism and International Cooperation in Criminal Matters (RP-TERR-ICCM)

• European University Institute (EUI) and GREASE Project Consortium - Florence in Fiesole, Italy  

       Religion, Radicalisation, Resilience   

• Murdoch University -  Perth, Western Australia

SECURITY, TERRORISM, AND COUNTERTERRORISM                                       

• International Business Management Institute - Berlin, Germany

International Politics

• United Nations Department  of Safety & Security - New York, USA

Preparing and Responding to Active Shooter

• Academy of Security Intelligence and Risk Studies in collaboration with Netrika Consulting India Pvt. Ltd. ( risk mitigation & Integrity Management company) -Singapore/India

Certified Crime Prevention Specialist (CCPS)            

• Chartered International Institute of Security and Crisis Management - Singapore

• Certified Anti-Terrorism Specialist (CATS)

• Université Catholique de Louvain - Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium

International Law

• Purdue University - West Lafayette, Indiana, USA

Communicating Strategically

• Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government Cambridge, Massacheusetts, USA

Central Challenges of American National Security, Strategy, and the Press

• Georgetown University, School of Foreign Service , Center for Security Studies - Washington DC, USA

Terrorism & Counterterrorism

• Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas, University of Texas - Austin, Texas, USA

Social Media for Journalists

• ALISON (Advance Learning Interactive Systems Online)- Galway, Ireland

Diploma in Social Media Marketing

• United Nations Department of Safety and Security -  New York, NY, USA                                                    

Advanced Security in the Field, Basic Security in the Field

• New York Times & United Nations Alliance of Civilizations- New York, NY, USA

Reporting on elections

• Red Cross International Federation & Red Crescent Societies- Geneva, Switzerland

       - Security Management                                   

- Introduction to International Disaster Response Laws, Rules and Principles (IDRL)

• The African University College of Communications (AUCC) & The United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) Public Information Office (PIO)    Monrovia, Liberia

Advanced Public Information Practice

• The United States Institute of Peace - Washington DC, USA

-Conflict Analysis 

-Interfaith Conflict Resolution

• UNESCO Bangkok E-learning Series - Bangkok, Thailand

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Education

• International Center for Journalists - Washington DC, USA

Introduction to Investigative Journalism

• United Nations - Office of Human Resources Training Services - New York, NY, USA

UN Prevention of Harassment, Sexual Harassment and Abuse of Authority in the Workplace

• The United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) Public Information Office (PIO) , Center for Development Communication (CDC) Washington DC, USA / Monrovia, Liberia

Strategic Communications Skills Workshop

• United Nations Institute for Training and Research Correspondence Program Instruction in Peacekeeping Operations - New York, NY, USA

-  Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR): Principles of Intervention and Management in Peacekeeping Operations

-  Gender Perspectives in United Nations Peacekeeping Operations

-  History of UN Peacekeeping: 1997 thru 2006, 1988 thru 1996 and 1945 thru 1987

-  Introduction to the UN System

-  The Conduct of Humanitarian Relief Operations

-  Peacekeeping and International Conflict Resolution

-  International Humanitarian Law and the Law of Armed Conflict

-  Mine Action - Humanitarian Impact, Technical Aspects, and Global Initiatives

-  Global Terrorism

• Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) - Amman, Jordan 

Flight training (Glider Pilot training): Completed one year of training and study toward a Glider Pilot's Licence/Private Pilot's Licence (fixed-wing aircraft)

• International Young Christian Students (IYCS) - Khartoum, Sudan

Peace & Conflict Resolution Training

• United Nations Mission in Sudan - Khartoum, Sudan

Applying Tools for Gender Mainstreaming

• United Nations Civilian Training Section     

-Stress Management Training

-Diversity Training

-Standards of Conduct

-Conflict Resolution

-Client Focus