Christopher Swift

Georgetown University

University of Virginia Law School

A fearless researcher, Swift has field experience in many conflict zones and in places where Al Qaeda thrives (e.g., Yemen) and is thus able to give personal insights into the state of Al Qaeda.  Notably, he has served as guest analyst on the BBC, CBS News, CNN, National Public Radio, ABC News, and other leading broadcast media.

Swift served in the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, where he investigated international transactions involving terrorist syndicates, weapons proliferators, rogue states, and other sanctioned entities.

He is an Adjunct Professor of National Security Studies at Georgetown University and a Fellow of the Center for National Security Law at the University of Virginia Law School.   He has been affiliated with Freedom House and with the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He hold a J.D. from Georgetown University and a Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge.

Swift is the author of the forthcoming book The Fighting Vanguard: Local Insurgencies in the Global Jihad.

In addition to his academic pursuits, Swift is a practicing attorney, and counsels clients on matters involving counter-proliferation, counterterrorism, economic sanctions, and international trade agreements.