Ryan Cummings-Director of Signal Risk, security analyst.

Ryan Cummings is a security and risk analyst, and Director of the Cape Town based risk management consultancy Signal Risk. A graduate in International Relations from the University of Cape Town, Ryan has established a reputation as an international expert on Islamic Groups operating across northern Africa.

We spoke about his growing up in a single-parent home, his path to security studies, the damaging combination of oppressive democracies and violent non-state players across the region, and the state of the South African intelligence services, among other things

"South African security services do seem to be complacent and one gets the impression that during this transition period our intelligence resources have been absorbed in domestic politics which makes me wonder how many resources are given to following outside threats."