Is The Lone Wolf Terrorists? Essay

According to most analysis of the lone-wolf terrorist, the lone-wolf terrorist is identifiable by a few characteristics. However, Bartol and Bartol list seven main characteristics in textbook. The lone-wolf terrorist may identify or sympathize with extremist movements, but they operate individually. Since they operate alone, they act with the influence of a leader or hierarchy. They may often strive for notoriety on the behalf of an interest group. Because their plans are well throughout in advance, it is consider to be premeditated. Unlike other terrorist, the lone-wolf appears to have suffered from some form of mental illness. Lastly they may prefer solitude instead of the companionship of friends because they lack interpersonal and social skills (Bartol & Bartol, 2014, p337).

The U.S. law enforcement and counterterrorism professionals have been cautioning for years that the right-wing extremist threat in the United States is on the rise, from September 12, 2001 to December 31, 2016, the right-wing terrorists were responsible for 47% of all deaths from violent extremism in the United States. Nonetheless, Far-right menace violence that includes racist sentiments of hate crimes can and will manifest to great domestic terrorism. Their acts of terrorism as well as the other attacks are a form of psychological warfare; they use their violence as propaganda to shape perceptions of political and social issues in their favor, which in turn sends a message to a broader target audience. Far-right individuals have become bolder on their acts, some individuals who preformed these violent attacks, would plan their attacks ahead of time, but now there is not a blueprint, attacks are now merely based on chance encounters that enrage the perpetrators which triggers these random attacks. Furthermore, with individuals who have this mindset that they have nothing to gain or lose in society, are the

It is nearly impossible to go an entire day in the United States without hearing of some act of terrorism. Whether it be a shooting in a public place or threats against a group of people, this violent form of conflict is prevalent in every American’s life. These ruthless acts of cold-blooded murder demonstrate evil in its purest form, and leave death and mourning in their wake. The article “Homegrown Terrorism: Is There an Islamic Wave?” gives an overview of the rise of domestic terrorism since the tragedy of 9/11. Though it was written in 2011, the core message is the same today: terrorism in the United States still continues to grow at a sickening pace, with each new attack seeming more barbaric than the last.

Although the threat posed by foreign terrorist organizations is often foremost in the public consciousness as a result of al-Qaeda's attack on September 11th, 2001, the threat from domestic terror groups remains a central concern of those responsible for homeland security. In fact, while the United States has not suffered from another foreign attack in the decade since 9/11, research by the Federal Bureau of Investigations, along with non-governmental organizations, has found that the number of domestic terror groups has increased, a trend only exacerbated by the economic recession (U.S. Department of Justice, 2009, Domestic Terrorism). While there are a wide variety of individual groups and ideologies, most domestic terror groups falls into one of three broad categories: religious extremism, white supremacy, and anti-government and separatists movements, including the militia movement. Examining these domestic terror groups in greater detail will aid in better understanding the full spectrum of threats considered by homeland security personnel.

Before 2001, al-Qaeda, an Islamist militant organization founded by Osama bin Laden, had proven itself a security menace to both the West and the Muslim world. Achieving its height of power in 2001, the group and its Taliban allies were on the verge of taking over Afghanistan (Longest, 7). Then the group made a central mistake: It choose to wage an offensive jihad attack against the United States on American soil. For a time after 9/11, al-Qaeda appeared largely victorious from the devastation left behind of their ruthless exploit; but instead, the craven act would prove to be the beginning of the terrorist organization’s demise.

This paper will talk about the largest terror group called Al Qaeda. Stating the facts on when this terror group formed, their motives, and graphs on numerous innocent lives. The most notorious Islamic terrorist group is Al Qaeda. Its pioneer, Osama Bin Laden, issued a fatwa (a religious decision) in February 1998 requiring an overall Islamic sacred war to slaughter Christians and Jews. Laden's key targets seem to be U.S. property. Al-Qaeda is a terrorist group that was established by Osama Bin Laden in the late 1980s. It started as a strategic system to help Muslims in Afghanistan battling against what was then the Soviet Union amid the Afghan War. Individuals were enrolled all through the Islamic world standing Al-Qaeda's roots and connections.

Living the United State when one thinks of a terrorist attacks often their mind will first go to a larger scale attack such as the events of September 11th 2001. “September 11, 2001 changed the United States forever, the terrorist attack that day marked a dramatic escalation in a trend toward more destructive terrorist attacks which began in the 1980s. It also reflected a trend toward more indiscriminate targeting among international terrorists. The vast majority of the more than 3,000 victims of the attack were civilians. In addition, the attack represented the first known case of suicide attacks carried out by international terrorists in the United States.” (Waston, 2002) However as the years have gone by we have come to learn that terrorist attacks are not always on a large scale and that even one person who is inspired by the ideologies of a terrorist group without being directly connected to them can carry out attacks. Those that engage in this type of terrorism are referred to as lone wolf terrorist. A recent example of such an even was the mass shooting at the San Bernardino Inland Regional Center in December of 2015.

Domestic terrorist groups have a unique use of lone wolf attacks as a method of delivery which limits the amount of intelligence law enforcement can intercept making it one of the hardest methods of terror to combat. Within the Threat/Opportunity Spiral, if state actions are defined as new opportunities (or threats) by challenging groups, responsive episodes of insurgent collective action are likely to follow (Wright 35). The election of an African American president for two terms, the high focus on immigration law, the militarization of police forces, and the call for tighter gun laws, are threats towards to right winged extremist rhetoric. These political movements mimic the events that occurred prior the McVeigh bombing in 1993, such as the civil rights movement and the military styled assault on Waco.

For a long time before the events of September 11th, typically foreign terrorist acts were committed in some relation to military acts like the Irish Republican Army (IRA) or disputes along Middle Eastern borders like Israel and Palestine both are long standing political issues that continue to tug on the hearts of those involved to this day. But more so today we see an influx of independent terrorist attacks which we call these lone wolf attacks. These people are unassociated or are un-sponsored by with any particular group and act of their own accord. These lone wolf attacks are a particular challenge to intelligence communities because the investigation comes down to their personal mindset and to what radicalized

As lone wolf terrorism is infrequent, and the offenders often become casualties of their own campaigns, the present study will employ a correlational research design to analyze the potential relationship between schizotypal personality disorder and lone wolf terrorism. Utilizing a similar method from the Security Studies Program National Security Critical Issue Task Force, the present study will administer a multivariate statistical test upon a dataset, produced by previous research from Hamm & Spaaij, to analyze current trends and isolate potential mental disorders. The dataset consists of 98 confirmed lone wolf terrorists between 1940 and 2013 who were either convicted or died during their offense - representing the most comprehensive dataset

The ever evolving subject of terrorism and terrorists is the subject of significant study worldwide. The psychological and behavioral factors involved in terrorism are one of the most studied issues. It has implications across the board for both the detection and deterrence of terrorism. How terrorists communicate and the influence that it plays in growing terroristic ideology, mission, and goals are also of significant importance, as well.

Living in America, we are given the freedom to practice the faith of our choice, but at the same time it does not give us the right to violate our laws or to organize, finance or develop a group whose motives are to attack and destroy the country they claim to be a citizen of, while practicing that faith or religion. We are now in the midst of a movement where homegrown American jihad will be the destruction of the United States.

When the September 11, 2001 attacks occurred the United States responded in a manner which was seen as a traditional reaction to such an attack; it used its overwhelming superior military to invade the nation of Afghanistan. As Afghanistan was the operating base of the terrorist group responsible for the attacks, Al Qaeda, the invasion all but destroyed the group's operating capacity. But in response to the United States' apparent victory the terrorists have re-organized themselves into a looser confederation and turned to alternative methods of finance and operation. One could say that the success of the American military's answer to the September 11th attacks have created a new environment in which terrorists currently operate. This includes the use of the internet, unconventional alliances with international criminal organizations, as well the inception of the "lone wolf" terrorist. Faced with these new type of threats, the United States and its allies must find a way to identify and deal with them.

There has also been long time assumption among professionals and average citizens that terrorists are ‘mentally ill’ individuals. However, there is yet again no evidence that supports that theory. As a matter of fact, there is countless examples in history that counters that said theory of being ‘mentally ill’ and this article provides those examples; as well as, providing the avenue in which an individual can and has been radicalized. Moreover, this article articulates and lays out a method in which could be used to counter the radicalization

Differing accounts on either pole focus on al-Qaeda’s continued relevance as the premier terrorist network, whether it is any longer effective or not. From there, the natural conclusion comes around to asking how effective al-Qaeda is, and by which mechanisms does it project that effectiveness. Aside from this, both parties agree that al-Qaeda has an uncanny habit of surviving in the turbulent international dialectic that spawned radical Muslim distress, vicariously.