Munira Mustaffa, Executive Director
Munira Mustaffa is the founder and Executive Director of Chasseur Group, as well as its principal consultant. An accomplished security practitioner and researcher, she specialises in political violence, irregular warfare, and subversive statecraft. Her extensive analytical work includes in-depth research on the insurgency in the Caucasus and comprehensive analysis of Islamic State operations in Central Asia and Maritime Southeast Asia, and critical examinations of paramilitary groups like the Kadyrovites and private military companies such as the Wagner Group.
After completing her Master's degree in Countering Organised Crime & Terrorism at University College London (UCL), Ms. Mustaffa has built a distinguished career across private, public, and military sectors. Her professional experience includes roles as a counter-terrorism analyst for the Southeast Asia Regional Centre for Counter-terrorism (SEARCCT) and as a civilian analyst for the Counterterrorism Division at the Malaysian Defence Intelligence Organisation (MDIO, formerly Defense Intelligence Staff Division).
Throughout her career, Ms. Mustaffa has achieved notable operational successes, including:
Successfully identifying and exposing an active spy network through meticulous intelligence analysis
Developing analytical frameworks that accurately assessed terrorist attacks, their operational patterns, and motivational factors
Pioneering techniques to identify sophisticated financial scam tactics targeting both institutions and individuals
Producing high-impact threat assessments that directly informed operational and policy decisions
Ms. Mustaffa is a sought-after expert who has been invited as a guest lecturer at prestigious security and defence institutions, including the Malaysian Armed Forces Defence College (PERTAHANAS) in Putrajaya, Military College Port Dickson, and the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. She has provided professional briefings to senior officials and decision-makers from both domestic and international security and defence communities on emerging threats and strategic concerns.
Her analytical work has been commended for its precision, actionable insights, and strategic value to national security objectives. Ms. Mustaffa brings this wealth of practical experience to her consulting and training services, providing clients with real-world expertise that extends beyond theoretical frameworks.
Current Affiliations
Fellow at Verve Research, an independent research collective focused on military-society relations in Southeast Asia
Visiting Fellow (2023), International Centre for Counter-Terrorism (ICCT), The Hague
Non-resident Fellow, New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy, Washington D.C.
Affiliate Member, Addressing Violent Extremism and Radicalisation to Terrorism (AVERT) Research Network
Publications and Media
Ms. Mustaffa's analyses on political violence, irregular warfare, subversive statecraft and organised crime have been published by prestigious institutions including:
Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI)
Combating Terrorism Center at West Point
Global Network on Extremism and Technology (GNET) Insights
International Centre for Counter-Terrorism (ICCT)
Lowy Institute
NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence (STRATCOMCOE)
New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy
She regularly provides expert commentary to international media outlets including Reuters, The Wall Street Journal, Al Jazeera, South China Morning Post, TRT World, iNews UK, and Channel News Asia. Additionally, Ms. Mustaffa serves as a peer reviewer for academic journals including Criminology & Criminal Justice, Perspectives on Terrorism, and Alternatives: Global, Local, Political.