London
54 Doughty Street
London
WC1N 2LS
020 7404 1313
Mindless material? Dealing with ‘mindset material’ in terrorism and national security cases
Thursday 11 September 2025 | 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Chaired by Edward Fitzgerald KC, Doughty Street Chambers welcomes you to part one of a two-part seminar on terrorism and national security cases.
The UK has seen a sharp increase in the use of terrorism and national security powers, whether espionage related, membership or support for proscribed organisations related to Palestine, or far right radicalisation on Telegram. In all of these cases, mindset material is invariably the legal battleground. Whilst the State is resourced to deal with these issues with dedicated teams, practitioners can face an uphill struggle when faced with increasing reliance on ‘mindset material.’
Counter-terrorism police, security services, and prosecutors are increasingly reliant on “mindset material” – reading lists, private messages, browsing history, even comic memes in social media posts – as a core part of terrorism and national security cases.
This seminar brings together leading lawyers and academics with a track record of success in these cases to address how to challenge mindset material. Is this reliable evidence of mindset, or is it a mindless approach to serious and sensitive cases?
Our speakers include:
On appeal courts, Edward Fitzgerald KC
Specialist counsel in terrorism and national security cases at Doughty Street Chambers, Kate O’Raghallaigh, Rabah Kherbane, Maryam Mir
Dr Robert Gleave, a mindset evidence expert and academic on Islam at the University of Exeter
Akhtar Ahmad, Director at ABV Solicitors, on dealing with mindset material early in police interviews and case studies
Register your place here.
