Zainab Al-Attar

Professor Zainab Al-Attar is a distinguished Forensic Psychologist with over 26 years of academic experience and 24 years of clinical practice specializing in terrorism and forensic mental health. She is a leading expert in neurodiversity, particularly autism spectrum disorder and ADHD, and their relationship to extremism engagement and risk assessment.

Her academic background includes doctoral and post-doctoral work in neuropsychology before transitioning to her current specialization. She has developed influential assessment frameworks including FARAS (Framework to Aid Risk Assessment with Offenders on the Autistic Spectrum) and FARAH (Framework for the Assessment of Risk & Protection in Offenders with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), which have been adopted internationally by forensic practitioners.

Professor Al-Attar's research focuses on how neurodivergent traits contextualize vulnerability to extremism while also identifying protective factors and resilience mechanisms. Her work has identified eight key themes: restricted interests that may draw individuals toward harmful subjects; vivid extremism-related fantasies; obsessionality and collecting behaviors; social communication difficulties; need for order and predictability; distinctive cognitive styles; sensory needs; and complex needs with comorbidities.

Her publication record demonstrates a strong emphasis on practical applications, with numerous handbooks, case studies, and systematic reviews that translate complex research findings into actionable guidance for counterterrorism professionals. She authored the RAN Handbook of Extremism, Radicalisation and Mental Health published by the European Commission in three languages.

• Member of the terrorism and extremism expert group of the British Psychological Society
• Author of internationally recognized guidelines for forensic practitioners working with neurodivergent populations
• Developer of evidence-based risk assessment frameworks used globally

Professor Al-Attar maintains an active dual clinical role, working part-time as a consultant psychologist in an autism and psychiatric diagnostic service while providing full-time clinical services in terrorism cases. She has delivered training on autism and neurodiversity to thousands of practitioners over two decades, significantly shaping professional practice in forensic and counterterrorism fields worldwide.