Introduction When the United States looks at radicalization inside the country it needs to focus on the many different processes that occur that lead to this type of ideology. These ideologies can be found in many places throughout the county. Islamist extremists are not the only groups to that form inside the country. There are many homegrown organizations that have popped up throughout the country. Radicalization occurs frequently in the prisons that reside within the United States. Many of the country’s right wing extremists’ have come from the incubation inside the prison system. Former prisoners are also highly susceptible to radicalization during parole or due to ties to former inmates. There are many factors that help aid former inmates …show more content…
Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs it was found that as individuals become radicalized the use of internet will change depending on what stage of the radicalization process. The New York City Police Department came to the same conclusion and found that there are four main stages of radicalization. The four stages are the pre-radicalization, the self-identification, indoctrination, and Jihadization (Silber and Bhatt, 2007). The first stage is the pre-radicalization. This is the point of origin investigators go back to when research is conducted on the individual (Silber and Bhatt, 2007). Most individuals start out as normal and ordinary. These people live normal lives and usually lack or have little criminal backgrounds. These individuals are different than the radicals grown from the Middle East. These individuals are not created out of oppression, suffering, revenge, or desperation. The majority of individuals in the west are truly searching for an identity and that sometimes leads them to Salafi Islam. The failure of assimilation into American society leaves individuals susceptible to radicalization (Silber and Bhatt, …show more content…
This second stage is where the individuals become influenced internally and externally to explore Salafi Islam. The internet is the place where the wondering mind of individual can gain full access to the unfiltered radical, extremist, and jihadi-Salafi ideology (Silber and Bhatt, 2007). During this process it is also the perfect place to conduct anonymous virtual meetings (Musa and Bendett, 2010). These anonymous meeting places allow like-minded individuals to meet and form relationships. There these relationships can share the jihadi-Salafi message. The third stage, which is the indoctrination stage, is when the individual begins to adopt the violent ideology. The internet again is a main source of information that allows the individuals to view global conflicts through the extremist lens instead of an objective one. This lack of objective viewing begins to reinforce the individual’s previous ideologies and pushes them towards the jihadi-Salafi agenda (Silber and Bhatt,
Many people would prefer to think that the prisons are occupied by criminals who are isolated from society. However, Prisons are far less isolated from American Society than they would like to think. The Aryan Brotherhood frequently demonstrates the ability to transcend the confines of prison by running a criminal syndicate both in and outside of prison. Evidence suggests that extremists utilize prisons as avenues for recruitment and many inmates become indoctrinated with racist beliefs whilst inside. Understanding the complexities of prison gang development is imperative in order to control and limit the power they have inside and outside of prison.
What internally drives a terrorist’s motivation varies from subject to subject. While the average American citizen would likely be quick to point terrorists hate the western way of life and what it represents, the issue is far more complex. Simon Cottee’s article “What Motivates Terrorists?” (2015), looks at various levels of motivation. Prior definitions of terrorism looked at the defining cause as possibly psychological abnormalities within in the individual (Cottee, 2015). As studies have evolved, the focus has shifted to the environment in which the terrorist is surrounded. While certainly there is cases in which a person who is mentally unstable could be an ideal target for terrorist propaganda, the number of cases involving mental
Speckhard, A. (2013). The Boston Marathon Bombers: the Lethal Cocktail that Turned Troubled Youth to Terrorism. Perspectives On Terrorism, 7(3). Retrieved from http://www.terrorismanalysts.com/pt/index.php/pot/article/view/268/540
Likewise, Goodwin illustrates how the use of categorical terrorism can be seem being used by Al-Qaida during the attacks of 9/11. Nonetheless, it is evident that Al-Qaida is unusual in terms of using terrorism to influence the rise of unity rather than trying to overthrow a standing state. For the purpose of instigating a pan-Islamic revolutionary movement, Al-Qaida tries to unite all Islamic people under one state to develop umma, or Muslim community. The logic of Al-Qaida remained that if their “revolutionaries” could illicit a reaction from the powerful US state, resulting in oppression of the middle-eastern region, that Al-Qaida could, as a result, unite all Muslims to counter this suggested oppression. Although the end goal of Al-Qaida clear failed, it does suggest the organization’s attempt at implementing categorical terrorism.
Zimmermann, D & Rosenau, W. ' THE RADICALIZATION OF DIASPORAS AND TERRORISM'. Center for Security Studies, ETH Zurich. Retrieved 5 April 2011< kms1.isn.ethz.ch/.../ISN/.../ZB-80-The-Radicalization-of-Diasporas.pdf>
In the United States, we have Americans that are waiting and wanting to destroy anything that has to do with our country and our western way of life, all in the name of “jihad” or holy war. Just in the past year and almost 10 years after September 11, 2001, there has been upsurge in jihadist recruitment and incidents within the United States. This seems to be a call out to all the homegrown jihadist sympathizers that were waiting to come into action. According a RAND Corporation report, “there were 46 reported cases of radicalization and recruitment to jihadist terrorism in the United States between 9/11 and the end of 2009” (Jenkins). Young men and women are being charged with the intention to harm innocent American citizens, and destroy the United States, all of them with the proclamation of being an Islamic soldier and dying for Islam as a martyr. Faisal Shahzad, the unsuccessful Times Square bomber from Connecticut who pleaded guilty June 21, said in front of a judge, “I am part of the answer to the US terrorizing the Muslim nations and the Muslim people, and on behalf of that, I'm avenging the attacks" (Scherer).
It is therefore imperative that the fight against terrorism focuses on preventive rather than reactive strategies that involve understanding how terrorism works and what can be done to prevent terror attacks. One way of achieving this is through learning the psychology of terrorist group recruitment. Understanding this psychology is important as it will raise awareness to the general public to understand how terrorists are recruited and how they can avoid being recruited into terrorist organizations. In addition, anti-terrorist groups and policy experts may use this knowledge to develop interventions or policies that discourage and prevent terrorist group recruitment. This paper will focus on the psychology of terrorist group recruitment and the discussions will be summarized at the end.
together not only in the time of need, but at all times and in every
Rothe, D. & Muzzatti, S.L. 2004. Enemies everywhere: Terrorism, moral panic and US civil society. Critical Criminology. 1(12): 327–350.
There is a strong belief that Islam and politics are directly tied. They are tied in the sense that the building blocks of the religion dictate how they ought to behave in the political environment. Through this mandatory follow up behavior that the religion delineates, many have come to believe that its teachings are a form of terrorism. Mandaville argues that what has challenged the Islamic link between politics and religion was the emergence of secularism, which went against the belief that politics and religion could go together. Islam has been a religion that has been accused of supporting terrorist activities in the world. Different assumptions have been brought up to understand better the linkages between what really lies behind the Islam religion and politics. Peter Mandaville argues that Islam is dynamic and that it has changed over time; situated within time and politics.
Many terrorists believe that their religion is the only true religion, and they use it to justify violence (“Islamic Terrorism”). Most Muslim terrorists follow Jihad. Jihad is an Islamic perception that the way to integrate their religion is by massive force (“Of True Muslims and Terrorists”). Jihad is considered the “sixth pillar” of faith in Islam because it is the constant fight towards good. It is the idea of focusing on God and turning away from those that oppose God (David E. Long, 91). The terrorists believe that their religion is what everyone should follow, so they would naturally require personnel in power in Muslim states to either convert to their religion or resign from their terms. They will first threaten a leader that if they do not change, the terrorists will use violence. Sometimes, violent acts come about without any warning or previous threats (“Of True Muslims and Terrorists”). Islam is a proselytizing religion, which means it uses violence to convert people to its faith. This is because, in the ...
Thomas W. Lippman gives an introduction to the Muslim world in the book Understanding Islam. He has traveled throughout the Islamic world as Washington Post bureau chief for the Middle East, and as a correspondent in Indochina. This gave him, in his own words, "sharp insight into the complexities of that turbulent region." However, the purpose of the book is not to produce a critical or controversial interpretation of Islamic scripture. It is instead to give the American layman an broad understanding of a religion that is highly misunderstood by many Americans. In this way he dispels many myths about "Muslim militants," and the otherwise untrue perception of Islamic violence. In this way the American reader will become more knowledgeable about an otherwise unfamiliar topic. However, the most significant element of Lippman’s book is that it presents Islam in a simple way that makes the reader feels his awareness rise after each chapter. This encourages him to continue learning about the world’s youngest major religion. Understanding Islam dispels many misconceptions about the Muslim world, and presents the subject in a way that urges his reader to further his understanding of Islam through continued study.
In the Muslim community, a strange phenomenon has been occurring within the last couple of years due to religious ignorance. Scores of Muslim men and women around the world have become apostate due to many problems and faults within the global Muslim community. One of the most prominent faults and problems within the global Muslim community is the up rise of deviant groups who have caused despicable amount of damage to the world under the name of a religion, which does not tolerate such actions. Never the less, the unique part of this global situation is that many Muslim youth are being attracted to this deviant propaganda that they believe is apart of Islam.
The Internet along with other technologies has opened channels of communication. Not only has the Internet played a great role in forming international public opinions regarding the United States throughout the Middle East, Asia, and Western Europe, but it has also helped to democratize the rest of the world by allowing them to voice their own opinions. However, sometimes the incited cyber public opinions would lead to some extremely negative behaviors and cause serious problems like cyber bullying, real life crimes, and even a long time social unrest.