Do human rights violations hinder counterterrorism cooperation? Evidence from the FBI’s deployment abroad

The impact of human rights on counterterrorism cooperation has been the subject of speculation, but not of systematic analysis. This study offers such an analysis by examining an important channel of cooperation against terrorism: international police liaisons, such as the FBI agents deployed worldwide. It is hypothesized that police liaisons are less likely to be sent to countries where human rights violations are widespread, since repressive governments see threat in foreign agents stationed on their territory. Survival analysis finds support for this hypothesis. An FBI presence does not require democratic government or a strong rule of law in the host country; but human rights abuse reduces the likelihood of an FBI deployment. These findings substantiate a link between human rights and counterterrorism cooperation, offering insights for the study of cross-border law enforcement and transgovernmental networks.