Epilogue: comprehensive regulation in the twenty-first-century security landscape

This chapter addresses the normative claim I introduced at the outset of the book: compliance with international law in their intelligence activities serves states’ national security. I first summarise the main findings and contributions of the book, namely the theorisation of the comprehensive model of regulation of intelligence activities that emerged in the aftermath of 9/11 as a result of non-compliance. Then, integrating my model of regulation within the twenty-first-century security landscape, I draw the lessons from the past twenty years of counterterrorism intelligence and assess the consequences for the effective protection of national security. I conclude that the effective protection of national security requires state compliance with international law in their intelligence activities. The effective regulation of intelligence activities under international law therefore serves states’ national security.