The Theme Group ‘Terrorists on Trial’ started work at the Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study in the Humanities and Social Sciences (NIAS) in September 2010. The goal of this group of six senior researchers is to explore how acts of terrorism are currently judged in various Courts. The project, supported by the Netherlands Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, involves, inter alia, a dozen in-depth case studies of terrorist trials held in various countries (including Germany, Netherlands, UK, Ireland, Russia and the USA).

We feel the project would benefit from the addition of first-hand knowledge of such Court cases. To do this we would like to incorporate the personal experiences of prosecutors, defence lawyers, judges and others who were present at terrorist trials. It is for this reason that we are approaching you to ask if you would be willing to participate and share your personal experiences and views.

A special Questionnaire was designed with twelve questions on key issues associated with terrorist trials. We realize that completing the questionnaire will take about half an hour of your precious time but we would like to emphasize that your observations will be invaluable to us. As a token of our appreciation we will send you a report of our findings by mid-2011 and, if you agree, we will acknowledge your contribution in the volume.

If you would prefer to send your answers as an electronic document (not online), please contact the coordinator by email, so we can provide you with an electronic version of the questionnaire. You have the option to respond under your full name and professional or occupational title or, if you prefer, anonymously.

 We hope you will be able to find the time to complete our questionnaire before 1 February 2011. Thanking you, on behalf of our research group, for your cooperation,