The Making of A Terrorist : Recruitment, Training and Root Causes Volume 2, Training
James J. F. Forest
- London Praeger Security International 2006
- 411p.
THE MAKING OF A TERRORIST
VOLUME TWO: TRAINING
EDITED BY JAMES J. F. FOREST
Global terrori has become a frightening reality From New York City and Whington DC, to B, Mosco
Madrid, and London, ordinary clues throughout the cilled world live with increasing fear of a deadly
attack from unknown individuals for reasons many of us camet fathom National and international security
forces are on constant alert, desperate to prevent the next catastrophe, yet many observers agree that our
milltary and intelligence services are spread too him and face insurmountable hurdles in the global
terrorism. The situation calls for greater engagement with the public, as the necessary eyes and e s of the
global anti-terrorism coalition. However, to be effective the public must be equipped with the knowledge
of how, why, and where an individual becomes a terrorist. This is the primary goal of this set, which seels
to answer one central question: What do we currently know about the transformation through which an
individual becomes a terrorist?
Overall, we have learned that this transformation involves a variety of complex and interconnected issues A single contributing factor-such as personal religious conviction, widespread poverty, or an oppressive govemment-may not necessarily lead to the formation of terrorist organizations. However, the current body of research on terrorism suggests that a combination of factors will in mot cases, result in some form of terrorism. This combination differs widely by region, and at minim involves motivations, opportunities, contexts processes, personal disposition, and preparation. Volume deals with recruitment means and meth ods, and includes discussions of psychological, social, ideological, and religious dimensions of recruitment Volume II addresses the training of terrorists, including teaching tools and training manuals, and it includes fascinating case studies from Al Qaeda, Hezbollah, Aum Shinrikys, Christian miltion, and other groups Volume II is devoted to root causes, including their political, religious, and socioeconomic dimensions Appendices to these volumes feature profiles of terrorist organizations, samples of terrorist training manuals and recommended resources for the study of terrorism
JAMES J. F. FOREST is Director of Terrorism Studies and Assistant Professor of Political Science at the
US Military Academy at West Point, where he teaches a range of subjects and directs research initiatives for the Combating Terrorism Center. His recent publications include Homeland Security and Terrorism: Readings and Interpretations (2005, with Russell Howard and Joanne Moore), and a 200-page annotated bibliography of terrorism and counterterrorism (2004), available at the Center's Web site http://cima.edu).