Michel Moutot

It may sound like science fiction, but the prospect that suicide bombers and hijackers could be made redundant by flying robots is a real one, according to experts. The technology for remote-controlled light aircraft is now highly advanced, widely available — and, experts say, virtually unstoppable.

The far-flung jihadist movement, much like the United States-led world economy it seeks to disrupt, is undergoing a rapid globalisation, evolving into a nebulous and loosely knit network more dangerous than what remains of al-Qaeda, international security experts say.