The description of Nemmouche is instructive.
In many cases, radicalised individuals are simply those who are maladapted, usually due to problems experienced during childhood, as was the case with the Kouachis.
There are millions of children in developed countries who have witnessed domestic abuse or suffered, for example, physical or sexual abuse. In many cases their psychological development is impeded by this and results in the kind of damaged personality described in the case of Nemmouche.
In the past, such individuals typically turned to drugs, prostitution, and pety crime, and suffered from social problems associated with mental illness or borderline personality disorders.
Nowadays, some of them are lured into extremist groups via the internet, by promises of righteousness and inclusion in family-substitute collectives.
This describes the "disaffected & deracinated" kind of Islamist terrorist quite nicely, but there are also well-educated and socially successful individuals who join extremist groups, as well as ordinary young men from stable families of indigenous and non-indigenous stock. Many of Daesh's and Al Qaeda's recruits come from quite normal backgrounds in Turkey and Saudi Arabia where they are neither disaffected nor deracinated.
The article remains confused as to whether religion is motivating or used as a post hoc justification.
The process of indoctrination seems to be similar across cult organisations, such as Scientology, The Moonies, and Christian Fundamentalism. Self-radicalisation is another area that requires greater study, as do evidence-based approaches to de-radicalisation.
The description of Nemmouche is instructive.
In many cases, radicalised individuals are simply those who are maladapted, usually due to problems experienced during childhood, as was the case with the Kouachis.
There are millions of children in developed countries who have witnessed domestic abuse or suffered, for example, physical or sexual abuse. In many cases their psychological development is impeded by this and results in the kind of damaged personality described in the case of Nemmouche.
In the past, such individuals typically turned to drugs, prostitution, and pety crime, and suffered from social problems associated with mental illness or borderline personality disorders.
Nowadays, some of them are lured into extremist groups via the internet, by promises of righteousness and inclusion in family-substitute collectives.
This describes the "disaffected & deracinated" kind of Islamist terrorist quite nicely, but there are also well-educated and socially successful individuals who join extremist groups, as well as ordinary young men from stable families of indigenous and non-indigenous stock. Many of Daesh's and Al Qaeda's recruits come from quite normal backgrounds in Turkey and Saudi Arabia where they are neither disaffected nor deracinated.
The article remains confused as to whether religion is motivating or used as a post hoc justification.
The process of indoctrination seems to be similar across cult organisations, such as Scientology, The Moonies, and Christian Fundamentalism. Self-radicalisation is another area that requires greater study, as do evidence-based approaches to de-radicalisation.