Ryan Shaffer is an independent scholar and has a PhD in history with expertise in extremism and security. His books include The Handbook of Asian Intelligence Cultures, The Handbook of African Intelligence Cultures and African Intelligence Services: Early Postcolonial and Contemporary Challenges.

ASM Ali Ashraf is a Professor and Chair of the Department of International Relations at the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. He holds a PhD in international security policy from the University of Pittsburgh. He specializes in counterterrorism, intelligence, security and public policy.