A Terrorist's Psychology

What is the Psychology of a Terrorist?

Terrorists' Mindsets

Before we examine the thought processes of terrorists, let us look at the reasons behind their choices to be terrorists...

 

 i) Why do people become terrorists?

Causes:

1. Resentment against a certain group of people (usually from childhood environment) which translate into intense hatred

2. To combat the discrimination faced since youth

3. Influenced by radicals spreading messages all over the world via technological means such as the Internet/ Disillusioned by terrorist leaders

Now, let's go on to the motives of terrorists...

 ii) Why do terrorists take certain actions?

Terrorists are divided into 2 groups. Traditional types of terrorism are classified under Old Terrorism, while modern terrorism is classified under New Terrorism. Terrorists from both groups have different motives behind their actions because of the fundamental differences in their goals and mindsets.

Old Terrorism

Traits:

Terrorism is meant to be normative (aimed at gaining support from the public/ normalizing their ideologies). Terrorists had an incentive to gain public support rather than lose it. Hence, they would averse using  WMDs (Weapons of Mass Destruction) and avoid acts of gross human rights abuse as they would go against their intended outcome and instead, isolate support, alienate themselves from the public and provoke harsh retaliation from civilians. Funding from external organizations may also be easily removed if they commit such acts. These terrorists usually terrorize with political agendas, including the separation of states or formation of new nations.

Example:

Basque Homeland and freedom (Euzkadi Ta Askatasuna - ETA) in France

A separatist movement aimed at gaining independence and propelling formation of the greater Basque country (a region in the western pyrenees spanning France and Spain to the Atlantic coast) for the Basque people (an ethnic group).

They avoid using WMDs to prevent losing support from the Basques as they did not want to be involved or associated with the movement.

New Terrorism

Traits:

Terrorists are usually involved in religious sects with a messianic or apocalyptic mindset. They are extranormative and seek to maximise violence against the enemy as they see violence and chaos as a end, not as a means. Furthermore, they are not conscientious about the consequences of their actions on their image to the media and public (sometimes even seek to enforce the image of violence and destruction in association to themselves). These terrorists usually have a "them" and "us" mentality, in which their allies and themselves ("us") have to destroy a common enemy ("them").

Extra:  According to B.J. Berkowitz (1972), six psychological groups of terrorists are more inclined towards the use of WMDs.

These include: paranoids, paranoid schizophrenzics, borderline mental defectives, schizophrenic type, passive-agressive personality types and sociopath personalities.

Example:

Aum Shrikyo

A terrorist organization known for an attack on the Tokyo subway in 1995. The name of the doomsday cult loosely means "religion of truth", as can be inferred, their actions are based on a doomsday prophecy that humanity would end with a nuclear armageddon instigated by the United States and only Aum believers would survive.

In the Tokyo subway 1995 attack, the members used Sarin Gas (a colourless chemical nerve agent classified as a WMD), resulting in 13 deaths and up to 5,000 injuries.

Fortunately, the dissemination process did not work out and the problem did not exacerbate.

The police found explosives, athrax and ebola cultures and chemical weapons when they raided the Aum hideout.