Intelligent, Wealthy, and Well Composed ...

The Ideal Terrorist

An analysis of the justification utilized for terrorism among young and successful individuals in the Muslim world.

By Kyle R. Snyder

Over the last fifty years terrorist organizations have seemingly formed overnight and have begun playing an even more significant role on the world stage. Although these organizations are not isolated to one particular area or cause, many media outlets have placed Muslims and the Middle East as the epicenter for this activity. The justification for this may stem from the decade long war on terrorism started by the United States following the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York City or from the ostensibly endless violence which occurs within the region on a daily basis. The amount of violence has taken the lives of numerous heads of state, political figures, and minority groups that a better understanding of the rational for such violence needed to be understood. If the violence were tied to political change, or other causes, it could be justified that the violence would end when the objective was obtained. This has not been the case in recent times, for instance in Libya, Egypt, and Iraq, as violence continues to escalate even after the desired objective is obtained. To combat this many countries have engaged terrorist, their groups, and their facilities in an effort to quell the violence before these groups are able to successfully carry out an attack. Although the exact figures remain unknown, it has been estimated that between 100,000 to 300,000 people have been killed as a result of counterterrorism operations since September 11, 2001. These numbers are astonishing because the number of terrorist groups continues to rise meaning the number of individuals willing to risk their life is increasing as well. Surely the individuals who are joining the ranks of their fellow man to partake in terrorism cannot all be extremists. But if they are not extremists then who are they and why are they there? Surprisingly, the individuals being recruited are not the crazy pathological killer often portrayed in the media. Those who are enlisting to support terrorism are often some of the best members of society ranging from children to the elderly and the wealthy to the well-educated. These individuals are motivated by a mixture of personal and political grievances according to Jessica Stern. (Stern, 3369-3370) The rational for why young, intelligent, and wealthy people join a terrorist organization is nearly impossible to fully comprehend. The insight that has been provided through studies of these individuals have made significant leaps forward in understanding why and how some of the best members of a society would be willing to risk their life in pursuit of terrorism.

Child Terrorists
The style and techniques utilized by modern terrorists has changed dramatically since many of the organizations were founded. In Afghanistan in the 1980s when Afghani fighters were combating the Soviet invasion Afghan fighters of all factions rejected suicide attacks as cowardly and unIslamic [sic]. (Farmer) Since 2001 however, the technique has become highly effective and
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utilized by almost every terrorist group around the world. While the United States was conducting operations in Iraq, and currently in Afghanistan, the tactics utilized to employ these weapons has even changed. The United States and NATO have both documented the utilization of children to conduct suicide operations. This technique was adopted because the public backlash that could occur from a soldier firing on a child could be devastating to the moral backing they are receiving. Another reason this practice was so successful was because security forces were paying less attention to children, due to their perceived innocence, and would leave them vulnerable at checkpoints and other areas. Although the tactic has been stated as being unacceptable and not practiced by the Taliban, the use of children continues and can be directly correlated to groups associated with the Taliban. In 2009, the Pakistani government invaded a terrorist training camp and captured numerous terrorist. Shockingly the terrorist they arrested were not what anyone would expect. Inside the terrorist training camp over 200 children were being trained to become terrorist and suicide bombers. Some of these children were as young as six years old. (Times News) Images began to surface with little children dressed in suicide vests and carrying rocket propelled grenades. If there ever was doubt about the utilization of children as part of a terrorist organization the evidence captured by the Pakistani government showed just how volatile and desperate some of these organizations can be. Although it is easy to understand how a child can be influenced into conducting a terrorist act many questions must be raised about how they got placed into that position in the first place. Unfortunately, it is the pursuit of a better life that places the children in a vulnerable position. Families who send their young boys to attend schools where they can obtain a free education may knowingly, or unknowingly, be sending their children to one of the largest recruiting stations for future terrorists. One child who managed to escape stated that Each day they were preaching that we would tie bombs on to our bodies and attack foreigners in Afghanistan" and that the bombs would not kill us, only the Americans would die (Farmer) Children are easily influenced and are some of the most vulnerable individuals being coerced into joining a terrorist organization. Even though the fact that children are being recruited into these organizations is alarming they do not make up a significant enough population of any terrorist organization to claim that the answer to why terrorism is growing is found there. Another group of individuals has an even more peculiar role within terrorist cells: the educated and wealthy.

Educated Terrorists
Contrary to popular opinion many terrorists are not crazy lunatics with a desire for total chaos. James Jones, the author of Blood That Cries Out From
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the Earth, stated that They [terrorist groups] wont recruit psychotic peopleCrazy people are unstable. Thats exactly what you dont want. (Blake) The practice of recruiting educated individuals for their cause can be linked to the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood in the late 20th century. They felt that recruiting these individuals could help sway the political environment and future direction of the country. Today it is common to find doctors, lawyers, journalists, and scholars standing for the right to die as a martyr. Knowing that these individuals are actively recruited as part of a long tradition to influence change still does not explain why so many educated and wealthy individuals are willing to die in the name of terrorism. Individuals who were willing to participate in different research efforts have provided some insight into this dilemma. Although there will never be a cut and dry answer into why some of the most affluent members of a society would be willing to die and kill others, understanding what some indicators may be is crucial.

Understanding the Why

Many studies have been conducted in an effort to develop a rational upon which young, educated, and wealthy individuals would resort to terrorist acts. The rational can be divided into five different categories: Brainwashing, Sense of a lack of upward mobility, Sense of belonging, Economic conditions, and Humiliation. As each of these scenarios is addressed it is important to remember that much research still must be conducted but the initial results do provide some insights into the growth of terrorist organizations. Rationalizing that an educated individual is able to be brainwashed may seem like a far-fetched idea but ironically it serves as one of the leading reasons people turn to terrorism. As demonstrated in the children being recruited scenario, mentioned earlier, brainwashing can start young or be conducted through a variety of other means. The Muslim religion is one of the easiest routes to find a path to terrorism. Many different sects exist that interpret the Muslim religion and the Quran in different manners. As these individuals associate more and more with a certain religious sect they begin to become brainwashed. While doing her research, Jessica Stern stated I could not understand why the killers I met seemed spiritually intoxicated. Now, I think I understand. They seem that way because they are. (Stern, 5323-5324) The Muslim religion does not have certified preachers like Christianity. Instead each individual is free to preach the religion as they feel necessary. With the exception of a few scholars many of the Islamic preachers are preaching their interpretation of the Quran. This is why there is so much disparity between what the Quran actually states and what it means. Academic institutions, even at the collegiate level, do not offer any assistance. Often the educational system is driven with competition and desire for perfection. This can incite an individual to continually pursue that competition and resort to terrorist organizations to continue that drive. Also,
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as in the United States, the academic instruction can be influential in driving an individual towards or away from certain political or moral beliefs. If those conducting the lessons are swaying the bias towards anti-western sentiments, or support for violence, as part of their religion and duty then an individual can easily graduate with a desire to serve a terrorist group. The potential for brainwashing to occur in an academic setting is very high and can easily be understood why young and educated individuals would feel they are being called to become a martyr. In some second and third world countries the potential for class progression is nearly impossible even for the most educated of individuals. If the individual does not have connections or a specialized trait then the potential for movement diminishes exponentially. When compared to their counterparts in other countries they may begin to resent that they (the west) can have that mobility while they are stuck where they are. Suddenly, blame begins to be put on the west for restricting the resources that they have access to. Although the west may have nothing to do with their country or their inability to progress within their society it is easy to blame them. Political inactivity can also hinder any potential upward mobility for the society. If the political structure does not allow for the advancement of the government in a manner to stay competitive with the global progressions then turmoil may ensue. When this occurs the original objective of the Muslim Brotherhood, to alter the political path and the future of the country, fulfills its prophecy. Educated individuals frustrated with their government will turn to groups with similar interest to create a change. Often terrorist groups get involved in these conflicts and can cause confusion and corruption in how the process works so that they can gain even more political advantage. Many Muslims have a desire to belong to something that is beneficial to the society as a whole. This trait is not that different from most modern countries where the social structure of the country plays a vital role in its economic, political, and social welfare programs. The key difference between terrorists and most other people in the world lies not in individual pathologies, personality, education, income, or in any other demographic factor, but in small-group dynamics where the relevant trait just happens to be jihad rather than, say, obesity. (Atran, 3304) In basic conditioning techniques, learned in most biology classes and taken from Pavlov, the individual can be trained to adapt to their environment. As Atran stated, if the central focus of the group is terrorism then the group is bound to be terrorists. It will not matter if they are educated if the group dynamic forces that to be the social norm. The desire to be a part of a group also stems from stagnation within a society. In more isolated sects of a region, interactions among different individuals are often limited. When an opportunity arises to be a part of something touted as being best for the country and the religion people will naturally become involved. While obtaining an education, the collective thought was allowed to generate but if that social aspect was lost following their graduation it can quickly pull intellectuals back into any social gathering despite what the cause is for.
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If someone is to obtain an education to acquire a job in a specialized field it can be assumed that the job market is in need of those individuals. When the economic conditions are doing well then the job market will have ample opening and ample pay for those positions. This will do two things: one it will provide financial security to where an individual will not be searching for alternative income and two it will occupy an individuals time to where they are unable to actively participate within a terrorist organization. If the job market is lacking in supplying jobs then the individuals will seek other ways to combat the poor conditions. Statistics have shown that when the economy was bad the terrorist activity expanded. This may be because of the sentiment that the West is to blame or out of boredom. Organizations such as Al Qaeda have the funding to provide assistance to those who help it out as well as providing certain spoils of war to those involved in certain activities. It is even more important in the Muslim tradition to obtain that wealth and glory for ones family though becoming a martyr. Often, if an individual conducts an act which will classify them as a martyr then Al Qaeda provides assistance to their family after their death. The amount of support is not set or guaranteed but it may simply be enough to convince an individual to commit an act for their family. Feeding off of the family concept is the sense of pride within the Muslim faith. Family is considered to be very important and maintaining a good name for the family is even more important. If something were to occur which would detract from that it is not uncommon for violence to follow. Outside of the direct family is also the sentiment of the Muslim family. A plethora of data has come out over the last several years where the prophet Mohammad was mocked or portrayed through a paltry depiction. The responses to these incidents were well documented and involved riots, murders, and increased violence against western countries. Atran states that the newer cohort tends to be less ideologically sophisticated and especially motivated by desire to avenge perceived injustices against Muslims. (Atran, 1743) This mentality can easily regress into the brainwashing realm because one injustice that happened may escalate into something out of proportion which will continue to grow until justice is perceived to be done. Often the rhetoric states that only through the collapse of governments and institution of a Muslim world can there be justice. This type of saber rattling does not help calm the tensions between the world parties and can often lead to increased conflict thrust unjustly upon innocent civilians.

Dispelling the Myths

The image of suicide bombers being extremists Muslims acting on obscure religious texts is a westernized image based on misunderstandings. In fact the largest group of terrorists who utilized suicide bombers as a primary weapon was not even Muslim until 2001. Until then the largest groups was
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the Tamil Tigers of Sri Lanka, an avowedly secular movement of national liberation whose supporters are nominally Hindu. (Atran, 6116) This means that these types of situations are capable of affecting the best and brightest individuals no matter where they are, what their cause is, or their religious practice.

Conclusion
The young and educated individuals who chose to become members of terrorist organizations have varying reasons for doing so. Additional research must be conducted to further analyze and understand the many different social, political, morale, economic, and religious aspect that drive these individuals to perform acts that would equate to suicide. Although many cultures see the act differently, often as a heinous and cowardly act, the benefits that an individual perceives to obtain from conducting these acts far outweighs the value they place on their life. Starting at a young age, certain cultures, such as Hamas, begin to condition their youth that being a martyr and fighting the enemies of the Muslim faith is vital to their survival. The influence is flooded through the media and even portrayed on cartoons in an effort to begin the work for a life as a suicide bomber. This trend will continue as the children enter school and again are influenced by anti-western rhetoric and being taught about the glories of being a martyr. When they finish school then the political environment combined with the economic situation of the country may once again force the individual into a life of terrorism. Then through everyday life, the potential for emotional responses to situations that are deemed unjust will continually grow. The social network that the individual has will begin to influence their mindset. Their religion may become a factor for fighting for the afterlife and fulfilling the prophets objectives. All of these factors will constantly be pressuring the individual to enter terrorism rather than remain out of it. Even being vocal about not supporting terrorism may have them cast as an infidel and someone against Muslims. The pressures that surround an educated person in the Muslim world force them to make a decision. If they wish to stay they will have to support the terrorist or fear being targeted by them. If they do speak out against them they will have to leave and forever know the potential for violence will remain. As an educated person the resources they can provide to a society are too valuable to be mixed up in an organization which desires suicide bombers.

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Work Cited
Atran, Scott. Talking to the Enemy: Faith, Brotherhood, and the (Un) Making of Terrorists. Ecco. Kindle Edition. Blake, John. "Experts: Many Young Muslim Terrorists Spurred by Humiliation." CNN. Cable News Network, n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. "The Educated Muslim Terrorist." Winds Of Jihad By SheikYerMami. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. "Educated Professionals and Jihadism in South Asia." Center for Islamic Pluralism. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. Engineer, Asghar A. "Terrorism and Educated Youth." Indian Muslims. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. "Experts: Many Young Muslim Terrorists Spurred by Humiliation." HomeLand1. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. FAIR, C. CHRISTINE, and HUSAIN HAQQANI. "Think Again: Islamist Terrorism." Foreign Policy. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. Farmer, Ben. "Afghan Boy Suicide Bombers Tell How They Are Brainwashed into Believing They Will Survive." The Telegraph. 13 Jan. 2012. Web. 20 Dec. 2012. "Focus Turns to Educated, Trained Adults." New York Daily News. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. Krueger, Alan B. What Makes a Terrorist?: Economics and the Roots of Terrorism: Lionel Robbins Lectures. Princeton: Princeton UP, 2007. Print. Levine, Joanne. "Suicide Bombers." ABC News. ABC News Network, 06 Jan. 2006. Web. 21 Dec. 2012. Marisol. "Child Suicide Bombers: "They Told Us the Bombs Would Not Kill Us, Only the Americans Would Die and You Can Come Back to Us"" Jihad Watch. FrontPageMag.com, 14 Jan. 2012. Web. 21 Dec. 2012. Rosen, David M. Armies of the Young: Child Soldiers in War and Terrorism. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers UP, 2005. Print. Stern, Jessica. Terror in the Name of God. Harper Perennial. Kindle Edition. "Teen Suicide Bomber Kills 6 in Afghan Capital." New York Post. Associated Press, 08 Sept. 2012. Web. 21 Dec. 2012.

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