The 2026 FIFA World Cup will bring teams and fans from around the globe to North America - and with them, a range of potential security challenges. In episode 57 of NATO DEEP Dive, Dr. Sajjan Gohel speaks with Sasha Larkin, Director of Intelligence and C4 Operations for the tournament, to explore how security planning is unfolding for the world's largest sporting event. They also discuss her experience as Assistant Sheriff in Las Vegas, tackling terrorism, organised crime, and active shooter incidents, and how her community-first approach strengthens resilience at every level.
Full transcripts for each episode can be found at: https://deepportal.hq.nato.int/eacademy/deep-dive-podcasts/
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The fate of Ukraine has global ramifications. In episode 56 of NATO DEEP Dive, Dr. Sajjan Gohel is joined by Lieutenant Colonel (R) Alexander Vindman to assess Ukraine’s war effort and why it needs to be supported and sustained. They also discuss the Kremlin’s surprise reshuffle and Russia’s expanding agenda across Europe and Asia.
Full transcripts for each episode can be found at: https://deepportal.hq.nato.int/eacademy/deep-dive-podcasts/
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In addition to the events unfolding in the Middle East, global security challenges continues to proliferate elsewhere. In episode 55 of NATO DEEP Dive, Dr. Sajjan Gohel is joined by Prof. Mahmut Cengiz to discuss the state of global terrorism from Iran to the Sahel and Somalia to Syria.
Full transcripts for each episode can be found at: https://deepportal.hq.nato.int/eacademy/deep-dive-podcasts/
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Iran's activities have been at the forefront of global events in recent months. Tehran's proxies have launched multiple missile strikes into neighbouring countries and have targeted the U.S. military, whilst the Houthis in Yemen have brought global maritime trade to a standstill. Join Dr. Sajjan Gohel and former CENTCOM Commander Joseph Votel in episode 54 of NATO DEEP Dive to unpack these issues and more.
Full transcripts for each episode can be found at: https://deepportal.hq.nato.int/eacademy/deep-dive-podcasts/
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Now more than ever, it is becoming increasingly easier to find extremist content on the internet. We find ourselves in an era characterized by flashy and digestible sound bites that quickly circulate online. This also leads to the proliferation of disinformation. To unpack this, Dr. Sajjan Gohel is joined by two senior members of the NYPD's counterterrorism division, Meghann Teubner and Kelli Foy, in episode 53 of NATO DEEP Dive. Full transcripts for each episode can be found at: https://deepportal.hq.nato.int/eacademy/deep-dive-podcasts/ Follow DEEP Dive to stay up to date with each new upload.
Even after his death, al-Qaeda's last leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri, continues to influence global terrorism. Through his 'Safe Bases' strategy, al-Qaeda and its affiliates are seeking to restore capabilities in Afghanistan, the Middle East, North Africa, and Pakistan. Join the producers, Marcus and Victoria, for the final part of this NATO DEEP Dive special with Dr. Sajjan Gohel, as they discuss his new book, Doctor, Teacher, Terrorist: The Life and Legacy of Al-Qaeda Leader Ayman al-Zawahiri.
Full transcripts for each episode can be found at: https://deepportal.hq.nato.int/eacademy/deep-dive-podcasts/
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How does a person of privilege and status become the world's most wanted terrorist? In the first of a two-part special, Dr. Sajjan Gohel discusses his new book, Doctor, Teacher, Terrorist: The Life and Legacy of al-Qaeda Leader Ayman al-Zawahiri. Often forgotten in the shadow of bin Landen, the Egyptian ideologue was his closest ally and a pivotal figure in his own right, significantly influencing transnational terrorism across five decades.
Full transcripts for each episode can be found at: https://deepportal.hq.nato.int/eacademy/deep-dive-podcasts/
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Journalist, author, and Russian dissident, Andrei Soldatov joins Dr. Sajjan Gohel in the latest instalment of NATO DEEP Dive. In episode 50, Andrei details the brutal methods employed by Vladimir Putin, dating back to the Second Chechen War, to ensure his grasp on power remains firm.
Full transcripts for each episode can be found at: https://deepportal.hq.nato.int/eacademy/deep-dive-podcasts/
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Over 2 years after the Taliban takeover, friend of the show David Loyn returns to discuss recent developments in Afghanistan. Alongside Dr. Sajjan Gohel, David discusses how the regime is more extreme now than it was during the 1990s and details its continuous engagement with al-Qaeda and its assault on the rights of women.
Full transcripts for each episode can be found at: https://deepportal.hq.nato.int/eacademy/deep-dive-podcasts/
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As the only law enforcement agency under the U.S. legislative branch, the DC Capitol Police is responsible for protecting members of Congress both domestically and overseas. In recent years, the Capitol Police have played a crucial role in defending members of the U.S. government, from the storming of the Capitol building on January 6 2021, to protecting Congressmen and women from increasingly emboldened hostile state actors. In episode 48 of NATO DEEP Dive, Dr. Sajjan Gohel is joined by Ravi Satkalmi, the Director of Intelligence for the United States Capitol Police, to discuss the importance of the agency, the changing nature of extremist ideologies, and the importance of greater representation in all aspects of law enforcement.
Full transcripts for each episode can be found at: https://deepportal.hq.nato.int/eacademy/deep-dive-podcasts/ Follow DEEP Dive to stay up to date with each new upload.
A new and dangerous problem is emanating from Syria. This time, it’s not in the form of civil war chaos, but a highly addictive amphetamine known as Captagon. In episode 47 of NATO DEEP Dive, Dr Sajjan Gohel and Caroline Rose, the Director of the Strategic Blind Spots Portfolio at the New Lines Institute, attempt to get to the bottom of this new epidemic, tracing narcotics routes from the Balkans to the Middle East and beyond. Full transcripts for each episode can be found at: https://deepportal.hq.nato.int/eacademy/deep-dive-podcasts/ Follow DEEP Dive to stay up to date with each new upload.
For many years, the internet has become a crucial theatre for terrorist activity. From live streaming attacks to disseminating propaganda, sharing memes and even running their own websites, the threat posed by these groups and individuals on the online space is diverse. This is where Tech Against Terrorism steps in, working to counter the presence of terrorists and violent extremists from the internet. In episode 46 of NATO DEEP Dive, Dr. Sajjan Gohel is joined by Anne Craanen, Research Manager at Tech Against Terrorism and host of its podcast to discuss the work she and her colleagues do to monitor the digital sphere.
Full transcripts for each episode can be found at: https://deepportal.hq.nato.int/eacademy/deep-dive-podcasts/
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On 26 July 2023, Niger fell victim to its fifth coup since independence - plunging the country into uncertainty. To help explain why Niger and its fellow Sahel countries have experienced such political turmoil in recent years, Dr. Sajjan Gohel is joined by Guillaume Soto-Mayor, a Non-Resident Scholar at the Middle East Institute, who is based in Senegal. Episode 45 of NATO DEEP Dive explores Africa's relationship with external forces, including the Wagner Group, ISIS, and al-Qaeda.
Full transcripts for each episode can be found at: https://deepportal.hq.nato.int/eacademy/deep-dive-podcasts/
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From Russia to the Sahel and Syria to Afghanistan, Episode 44 covers everything you need to understand about the current geopolitical climate. Join Dr. Sajjan Gohel and Dr. Karl Kaltenthaler as they dissect a variety of subjects, including the future of the Wagner Group, the nature of the new Iraqi government, and Pakistan's attempts to handle the extremist groups it once cultivated.
Full transcripts for each episode can be found at: https://deepportal.hq.nato.int/eacademy/deep-dive-podcasts/
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Examining 2,000 pages of court records per day, Seamus Hughes has earned his tag as ‘The Document Digger.’ From discovering indictments of the FBI's Most Wanted characters in misfiled cases to uncovering DEA seizures of fentanyl shipped to the US from China, Hughes’ job is never short of drama. Join Dr. Sajjan Gohel as he discusses these cases and more with Seamus Hughes in the latest episode of NATO DEEP Dive.
Full transcripts for each episode can be found at: https://deepportal.hq.nato.int/eacademy/deep-dive-podcasts/
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Since its founding 100 years ago, Interpol has stood at the forefront against transnational crime and terrorism. Interpol remains crucial to international security and capacity building, enhancing cooperation and capabilities among its 195 members. In episode 42 of NATO DEEP Dive, Dr. Sajjan Gohel is joined by Greg Hinds, the Director for Counter-Terrorism at Interpol, to discuss how the organisation works across the globe in an ever-changing and evolving threat landscape.
Full transcripts for each episode can be found at: https://deepportal.hq.nato.int/eacademy/deep-dive-podcasts/
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Meta sits at the forefront of the online world, connecting people all over the globe through its social media applications. This also makes Meta proactive to counter bad-faith actors, including terrorists. On episode 41 of NATO DEEP Dive, Dr. Sajjan Gohel is joined by Hadelin Feront, a member of Meta's Global Counter-Terrorism Policy team, for a discussion into how the company ensures that extremists are countered in the online space, whilst also respecting the privacy and end-to-end encryption of its other users.
Full transcripts for each episode can be found at: https://deepportal.hq.nato.int/eacademy/deep-dive-podcasts/
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In war, psychology is just as important as sheer strength and troop numbers, and Ukraine has maintained its psychological advantage over Russia since the very start of the latter’s invasion. In episode 40 of NATO DEEP Dive, Dr. Sajjan Gohel sits down with Mike Martin to discuss the lessons we can learn from not only the war in Ukraine, but also from other conflicts including the war in Afghanistan.
Full transcripts for each episode can be found at: https://deepportal.hq.nato.int/eacademy/deep-dive-podcasts/
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The 2019 Christchurch terrorist attack was a game changer for law enforcement in New Zealand and beyond. The live stream and subsequent reuploads of the attack garnered millions of views, posing a real risk of encouraging copycat attacks. The Christchurch Call was established in this context, as a collaboration between governments, tech companies, and civil society to ensure that terrorists and violent extremists can never use social media to amplify their attacks again. In this episode of NATO DEEP Dive, Dr. Sajjan Gohel is joined by Paul Ash, the Christchurch Call and Cyber Coordinator in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet in New Zealand to discuss his crucial role in the formation of this initiative.
Full transcripts for each episode can be found at: https://deepportal.hq.nato.int/eacademy/deep-dive-podcasts/
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Ahead of the release of his new book The Future of Geography: How Power and Politics in Space Will Change Our World, author and journalist Tim Marshall sits down with Dr. Sajjan Gohel for part two of their discussion. In episode 38 of NATO DEEP Dive, Tim and Sajjan ponder the growing importance of space to international relations and whether we are in the midst of a Space Race 2.0. One thing is certain: what happens in space will shape human history the same way the geography of mountains, rivers, and seas has on Earth.
Full transcripts for each episode can be found at: https://deepportal.hq.nato.int/eacademy/deep-dive-podcasts/ Follow DEEP Dive to stay up to date with each new upload.