Essay On Homegrown Terrorism

Domestic terrorism is a real threat to this country. This type of attack is nothing new to this country but until the threat of international terrorism became prominent, there was not a large focus on domestic terrorism. With a look at history, domestic terrorists are a greater threat to security than international terrorists. Some of these threats are easily preventable and others are more difficult to see coming. The Department of Homeland Security needs to focus on domestic terrorist threats with the same effort as they do for

Today, domestic terrorism is one of the major threats to the national security of the US. Since 9/11, the US intelligence services and law enforcement agencies viewed international terrorism as the major threat to the public security of the US but the threat of domestic terrorism has been underestimated. At any rate, American law enforcement agencies conduct active campaigns to prevent international terrorism but domestic terrorism become a serious threat to the national security of the US. In such a way, the US needs to develop effective strategies to prevent the rise of domestic terrorism. Otherwise, the US may face a threat of the consistent growth of domestic terrorism as do some European countries, such as the UK, for instance. Therefore, law enforcement agencies should focus their attention on the prevention of domestic terrorism because, even though domestic terrorism is unseen, it may be even more dangerous than international terrorism. Domestic terrorists undermine the country from within, while international terrorists attack the US from the outside and the US can raise barriers to protect Americans from the foreign threat, while domestic terrorism needs effective work of law enforcement agencies nationwide. Therefore, domestic terrorism is a serious threat to the national security of the US and American law enforcement agencies along legislators and the public have to unite their efforts in the struggle against domestic terrorism.

We are all individuals. As individuals, we do not all live the same lives and share the same interests. It is greatly because of this, there are many psychological and behavioral factors that can impact the radicalization of an individual. Not everyone is going to be as receptive to certain things as other people may be. We must understand what the factors are that can increase the likelihood of someone turning to a life of terror in order to have a more significant chance at countering them. It is important to know why someone joins an organization such as al Qaeda or a white supremacist group in order to know which

This paper will seek to understand what really motivates terrorists to commit the acts that make them so infamous. We are assuming that the chief motivating factor behind the decisions of terrorist organizations is the political outcome of their acts balanced against the risk and collateral damage inflicted to achieve this end. We will also weigh in the appeal of terrorism on potential recruits in weak states and determine how the motivations of the group become the motivation of the individual and how this benefits the decentralized organization of terrorist organizations like al Qaeda.

Counter-terrorism expert Steve Emerson, senior advisor to the RAND Corporation Brian Jenkins, Ryan Mauro and the Clarion Project have documented and exposed the reality of radical Islam in the United States. “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1, English Standard Version). Since the attacks on 9/11, the American public has settled into a false sense of security while the internet has enabled homegrown radicalization and enlarged the footprint of radical Islam inside the United States. “Many law enforcement officials fear that a new style of jihadist group is appearing, a hybrid of foreign and homegrown terrorists” (White,

In the years prior to the attack, Hasan had on multiple occasions, expressed sympathy for Islamic suicide bombers. In fact, “a third classmate says he witnessed at least three oral presentations by Hasan over the course of a year that focused on the morality of Muslims, war and justification for suicide bombers” (Thompson, 2009). Justifying the horrendous act of suicide bombing may signify an individual is heading down a path of radicalization. Another troubling warning sign can in the form of admiration and communication via

The U.S. government takes any attack or threat very seriously. In cases such as this one the government would develop a plan of action to deal with the attacks and find the source to take down any further plans of attack. The government would investigate the background of the decreased perpetrators along with their involvement of homegrown terrorists inspired by al-Qaeda. The background will extend to others members they have been in communication with in the last few years. The government would want to investigate who gave the order for the attacks was it foreign influence or not. Furthermore, governments can “starve” terrorists out by making it extremely difficult to plan, plot, and carry out their attacks, and also by finding ways to gain

Terrorism is a difficult issue to understand and grasp for many people. What is even more difficult to understand is what drives an individual to become radicalized to the point of joining a terrorist organization and committing terrorist acts. While there is not specific criteria or a “cookie cutter” approach to understanding what motivates and radicalizes an individual to participate in such atrocities, there are however, several psychological and behavioral factors that have been common among these individuals. The following paper will outline some of the psychological and behavioral factors that attribute to an individual’s radicalization and eventual willingness and even perhaps

The recruiting of an American jihad radical begins by focusing on a certain person with either a socio, economic or political dissatisfaction that is typically shared with a personal problem of some sort. Just as most young people are searching for the answer to life, successful recruitment occurs because of ignorance or minimum exposure to mainstream religions. “Most of the terrorists have some occupational skills. Three-fourths are either professional (physicians, lawyers, architects, engineers, or teachers) or semi-professionals (businessmen, craftsmen, or computer specialists). They are solidly anchored in family responsibilities. Three-fourths are married and the majorities have children” (Sageman). It seems that the ties to terrorism

In addressing the behavioral and psychological factors, I will identify what vulnerable people are and how they are influenced into recruitment of terrorist organizations. The comparisons provided will be associated to radical Islam and referenced with Mubin Shaikh own experience, as he was radicalized, then recruited for, and then de-radicalized from Radical Islam throughout. On completion of the reasons of how and why individuals join terrorist organizations, I will provide examples of programs of disengagement that are used for de-radicalizing imprisoned or individuals wanting to leave terrorist organizations. Nevertheless, the discussion will then turn to possible deterrents or methods to counter terrorist recruitment efforts.

Contrary to Islamic teachings against suicide and killing people, terrorist groups such as “ISIS”, Islamic State, and AL Qaeda has used a political platform of Islam known as “Islamism” as an excuse for a war of terrorism. 1988 was the year that Al Qaeda was from by its founder Osama Bin Laden. Following Bin Laden’s death in 2011, Al Qaeda continues, the most recently formed group ISIS has aimed to start a war with the West and United States.

born, engaged in society,” focused on one hundred and four people including eight who died from a homeland attack or fighting in Syria, stated, “ ISIS propaganda videos played a central role in the radicalization of indictees, with 83 percent having watched them, including execution videos and lectures by terrorist leaders.” Moreover they stated, “ The vast majority of the 112 individuals are U.S. citizens. Nearly two-thirds were born in the United States, and nearly 20 percent were naturalized citizens. This is in sharp contrast to individuals who had been indicted for al Qaeda-related offenses between 1997 and 2011; only 55 percent of those were U.S. citizens.” With these findings it shows the value of social media, in the increase mass of people converting to the organization. There is an estimate of about thirty thousand foreign fighters who joined ISIS to fight in Iraq and Syria since

In addressing the behavioral and psychological factors, I will identify what vulnerable people are and how they are influenced into recruitment of terrorist organizations. The comparisons provided will be associated to radical Islam and referenced with Mubin Shaikh own experience, as he was radicalized, then recruited for, and then de-radicalized from Radical Islam throughout. On completion of the reasons of how and why individuals join terrorist organizations, I will provide examples of programs of disengagement that are used for de-radicalizing imprisoned or individuals wanting to leave terrorist organizations. Nevertheless, the discussion will then turn to possible deterrents or methods to counter terrorist recruitment efforts.

Since the establishment of the ISIS, by their online propaganda and recruitment, it has attracted many people who are volunteers from all over the world from more than 50 countries in which there are many Al Qaeda veterans whose conflict motivated by ISIS’s online propaganda. One of the most significant and successful way ISIS used to call Muslim to fighting against Western countries is to tap into the belief of Sunni Muslim, especially young people. By the end of 2015, they received about 25,000 foreigners from Arab countries and about 5,000 people from Western countries. (Daniel Byman. P.80).

The quest for peace, happiness, and tranquility are the ultimate desires of all humans. A placid emotional state that is individually subjective. Individuals have a right to pursue the happiness they desire. And yet strife, injustice, want, and oppression are what most individuals on earth experience, to varying degrees. These iniquities spawn increasing acts of terrorism and are characteristic of a variety of despondent groups. Will terrorism be a world-wide scourge in the 21st century? What interaction is there between terrorists and the television media? What is the responsibility of each person on this planet to minimize the negative consequences of terrorism?