‘It is not a priority’ an analysis of terrorism prevention in Portugal

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to understand the mechanisms behind counter-terrorism operations in Portugal, focusing particularly on its prevention framework. The choice of this case study was motivated by the fact that despite having escaped major terrorist attacks in the period following 9/11, Portugal has, nonetheless, to uphold its own counter-terrorism strategy due to its placement within the European Union. In this sense, elite interviews have been conducted in order determine the components of the Portuguese preventative framework when it comes to terrorism, how it is aligned with European Union standards, and how it has prevented different forms of terrorism. The main findings of this study demonstrate that there are sparse efforts in Portugal in terms of preventing terrorism, which are justified by the unimportance of the terrorist threat in Portugal, but also by the excessive securitization of this issue. This study offers reflections for both research and practice.