Hudson Rex. The sociology and psychology of terrorism: Who becomes a terrorist and why?

Ed. by Marilyn Majeska. — Washington, D.C.: Federal Research Division, Library of Congress, 1999. — 186 p.A Report Prepared under an Interagency Agreement by the Federal Research Division, Library of Congress.The purpose of this study is to focus attention on the types of individuals and groups that are prone to terrorism (see Glossary) in an effort to help improve U.S. counterterrorist methods and policies. The emergence of amorphous and largely unknown terrorist individuals and groups operating independently (freelancers) and the new recruitment patterns of some groups, such as recruiting suicide commandos, female and child terrorists, and scientists capable of developing weapons of mass destruction, provide a measure of urgency to increasing our understanding of the psychological and sociological dynamics of terrorist groups and individuals. The approach used in this study is twofold. First, the study examines the relevant literature and assesses the current knowledge of the subject. Second, the study seeks to develop psychological and sociological profiles of foreign terrorist individuals and selected groups to use as case studies in assessing trends, motivations, likely behavior, and actions that might deter such behavior, as well as reveal vulnerabilities that would aid in combating terrorist groups and individuals. Because this survey is concerned not only with assessing the extensive literature on sociopsychological aspects of terrorism but also providing case studies of about a dozen terrorist groups, it is limited by time constraints and data availability in the amount of attention that it can give to the individual groups, let alone individual leaders or other members. Thus, analysis of the groups and leaders will necessarily be incomplete. A longer study, for example, would allow for the collection and study of the literature produced by each group in the form of autobiographies of former members, group communiqués and manifestos, news media interviews, and other resources. Much information about the terrorist mindset (see Glossary) and decision-making process can be gleaned from such sources. Moreover, there is a language barrier to an examination of the untranslated literature of most of the groups included as case studies herein. Terrorism databases that profile groups and leaders quickly become outdated, and this report is no exception to that rule. In order to remain current, a terrorism database ideally should be updated periodically. New groups or terrorist leaders may suddenly emerge, and if an established group perpetrates a major terrorist incident, new information on the group is likely to be reported in news media. Even if a group appears to be quiescent, new information may become available about the group from scholarly publications.Executive Summary: Mindsets Of Mass DestructionNew Types of Post-Cold War Terrorists
New Forms of Terrorist-Threat ScenariosTerms of analysisDefining Terrorism and Terrorists
Terrorist Group TypologiesApproaches To Terrorism AnalysisThe Multicausal Approach
The Political Approach
The Organizational Approach
The Physiological Approach
The Psychological ApproachGeneral Hypotheses Of TerrorismFrustration-Aggression Hypothesis
Negative Identity Hypothesis
Negative Identity Hypothesis
Narcissistic Rage Hypothesis[/i][/b]The Psychology Of The Terrorist[/b][/i]Terrorist Motivation
The Process of Joining a Terrorist Group
The Terrorist as Mentally IIIThe Terrorist as Suicidal FanaticFanatics.
Suicide TerroristsTerrorist Group DynamicsPressures to Conform
Pressures to Commit Acts of Violence
Terrorist Rationalization of ViolenceThe Terrorist's Ideological or Religious PerceptionTerrorist ProfilingHazards of Terrorist Profiling.
Sociological Characteristics of Terrorists in the Cold War PeriodA Basic ProfileAge
Educational, Occupational, and Socioeconomic Background
General Traits
Marital Status
Physical Appearance.
Origin: Rural or Urban
GenderCharacteristics of Female TerroristsPracticality, Coolness.
Dedication, Inner Strength, Ruthlessness.
Single-MindednessFemale Motivation for Terrorism.Terrorist Profiling
Terrorist Group Mindset Profiling
Promoting Terrorist Group Schisms
How Guerrilla and Terrorist Groups EndSociopsychological Profiles: Case StudiesExemplars of International Terrorism in the Early 1970sRen a to Curcio
Leila Khaled
Kozo OkamotoExemplars of International Terrorism in the Early 1990sMahmud Abouhalima
Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman
Mohammed A. Salameh
Ahmed Ramzi YousefEthnic Separatist GroupsIrish Terrorists
Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and Abdullah Ocalan
Group/Leader Profile
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)Social Revolutionary GroupsAbu Nidal Organization (ANO)
Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command (PFLP-GC)
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC)
Revolutionary Organization 17 November (17N)Religious Fundamentalist GroupsAl-Qaida
Hizballah (Party of God)
Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas)
Al-Jihad GroupNew Religious GroupsAum ShinrikyoTablesEducational Level and Occupational Background of Right-Wing Terrorists in West Germany, 1980
Ideological Profile of Italian Female Terrorists, January 1970 - June 1984
Prior Occupational Profile of Italian Female Terrorists, January 1970 - June 1984
Geographical Profile of Italian Female Terrorists, January 1970 - June 1984
Age and Relationships Profile of Italian Female Terrorists, January 1970-June 1984
Patterns of Weapons Use by the Revolutionary Organization 17 November, 1975-97