Westerners tend to be shocked that any women would willingly play an active role in jihadist organizations such as ISIS and Boko Haram, since subjugating women appears to be a primary tactic of these groups. But the fierce debate over gender and terrorism has missed key points regarding the role of women and, instead, resulted in the proliferation of stereotypes, misinformation, and profound misunderstandings.

Looking behind the scenes at the women of ISIS and Boko Haram, Veiled Threats is the first book to explore, in depth, the evolving role women play in the global jihad, with a special emphasis on ISIS and Boko Haram. Written by a prominent scholar in the field, Veiled Threats is based on both primary and secondary sources, including published interviews, official ISIS statements and propaganda, social media posts by ISIS women, police files, and court transcripts. Among the unique contributions of the book is the author's ability to contrast what ISIS women say in English to a global audience and what they say in Arabic to fellow Muslims.