Fragile states have a notorious link to terrorist group activities due, in part, to the ability of terrorist groups to capitalize on the anomic nature of society that pervades many fragile states. However, terrorist groups have continued to evolve and new groups have emerged. Additionally, the activities and tactics of some groups has changed. This is evidenced by the newest" terrorist group The Islamic State (IS). In this presentation we examine the development of IS along with its relevance to state failure and the difficulties involved in developing a comprehensive international approach to suppress terrorist activities. "