At the invitation of the New America Foundation and the New York University Center for Law and Security, a group of individuals regarded as authorities on international terrorism and Al Qaeda were brought together at a meeting held in the United States Senate office building. This volume contains the presentations that were made at this meeting. They constitute a valuable synopsis of current knowledge on Al Qaeda and the policies in place to counter threats of future terrorist attacks. The papers in this book will contribute to understanding how Al Qaeda has evolved from a movement to an ideology, what influence it has on Middle East stability and what continued threat it is to the United States, Europe, and other areas of the world. The contributors are from academia, research centers, government agencies and the media. They represent a cross section of recognized experts on Al Qaeda and international terrorism.