Lone wolves : an assessment of the ideology behind homegrown Islamist individual terrorists.

Abstract

Lone wolf terrorism is an increasing threat in the United States. However, there is little information available that examines the nature of lone wolf terrorism. This thesis interprets the available literature regarding militant Islamist lone wolf terrorists in the United States. I define lone wolf terrorism as terrorism committed by individuals who operate independently from formal terror networks. Individuals who engage in lone wolf terrorism typically `` combine personal motivations with a particular radical ideology to justify their attacks. I examine one particular radical ideology, that is militant Islamism, and the role it plays in motivating individuals to carry out terrorist attacks. I conclude that, despite efforts from formal terrorist organizations such as al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, the majority of militant Islamist lone wolf terrorist operations are ineffective due to these individual’s inexperience in planning and executing attacks.

Lone wolf terrorism is an increasing threat in the United States. However, there is little information available that examines the nature of lone wolf terrorism. This thesis interprets the available literature regarding militant Islamist lone wolf terrorists in the United States. I define lone wolf terrorism as terrorism committed by individuals who operate independently from formal terror networks. Individuals who engage in lone wolf terrorism typically combine personal motivations with a particular radical ideology to justify their attacks. I examine one particular radical ideology, that is militant Islamism, and the role it plays in motivating individuals to carry out terrorist attacks. I conclude that, despite efforts from formal terrorist organizations such as al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, the majority of militant Islamist lone wolf terrorist operations are ineffective due to these individual’s inexperience in planning and executing attacks.