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2004-12-20 Terror Networks & Islam
Understanding Terror Networks
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Posted by .com 2004-12-20 5:57:28 AM|| || Front Page|| [4 views since 2007-05-07]  Top

#1 wow! Interesting.

His analysis of group dynamics rings absolutely true. But I would still suggest that the similarities to the pathology of a serial killer exist. But rather than to one lone individual, it manifested itself in group think.

One characteristic that these terrorists all have in common is that they were the best and the brightest, who went to foreign lands and because they were turban wearing muslims, they were not greeted with the respect and honor they felt they deserved or would have received in their native lands.

If you look at serial killers, they all have in common that they are very bright, but because they are not successful in life, they do not get the respect they believe they deserve. They drive old cars, live with their mothers, etc. But because they are bright, they see themselves as superior to those around them and resent their station in life.

This would be true for the people that the author profiles. Despite their own belief (with truth to it) of being "superior", the inferior locals looked down upon them.

With serial killers, this results in a desire to gain control, to overpower those that have shunned them. With the sex serial killer, it is women. The women they believe they are worthy of, aren't interested in them. Women, even the ones they feel they are better than, mock them and turn away. As the serial killer gets older and realizes his chances for success in life have passed him by, he becomes terrified of women, whose snubs expose his failure. By grabbing one and showing her that he alone has absolute control over her, he fills his need. Then he gets even more of a sense of power as the police, FBI and other symbols of power, are powerless to stop him.

With these terrorists - it wasn't women, but the countries that did not accept them, mocked them and didn't acknowledge their worth. It terrified them as they realized they were powerless to change it, and thus...they wanted to gain control over the situation by bringing down the countries.

It's the same mindset, but it required the stars to align, for a group to offer them the control that they needed.

JMHO.
Posted by 2b 2004-12-20 9:34:39 AM||   2004-12-20 9:34:39 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 interesting analogy 2b
Posted by Frank G  2004-12-20 9:50:27 AM||   2004-12-20 9:50:27 AM|| Front Page Top

#3 That's a good piece of analysis. The only fault I find with it is that it's limited in scope -- it only concentrates on the al-Qaeda management stratum. The 12 mosques worldwide find is very significant, and when we start the project of hunting down and bumping off the vermin in their nests these'll be the places to start.

The lack of recruiters fits in with what we've seen here: the "legit" organizations are the funnels, the providers of cannon fodder that can be sifted to find the comers for management positions and that can otherwise be expended as required. He references the 15-year-old Hamas gunnies, and they're representative of this group, which would fall out as mostly the 16-24-year-olds. We can also lump the Pak muscle, much of it from the sectarian groups, with them, along with assorted Bugtis and Ahmedzai and Mehsuds, who're in it because their underlying cultures are nutz.

The other strata that have to be examined are the money boys -- the princes and businessmen within Arabia who're keeping things going with the green; and the ideologues -- the holy men and (I suspect behind them and over them) the actual members of the Council of Boskone, at the very top of the pyrmamid. These are the guys who actually expect to wear the jewelled turban.

Even though I have no evidence, I have the feeling the actual Mr. Big (or plural Bigs) lives in Brussels or Paris and likely isn't even a Moose limb. I'm not sure if it's Ernst Stavro Blofeld or Dr. Fu Manchu. Or Gharlane of Eddore.
Posted by Fred  2004-12-20 1:54:19 PM||   2004-12-20 1:54:19 PM|| Front Page Top

#4 2b, I would sumrise that it's closer to a gang-culture than a serial killer mentality. The recruitment pitch (and why a gang is joined) is very similar. And like the well-organised and financed gangs, the leadership tends be somewhat fire-walled.

Fred, I've a feeling you may be partially right re 'the Bigs'. It may be more a matter of two parties thinking each is using the other.
Posted by Pappy 2004-12-20 4:36:06 PM||   2004-12-20 4:36:06 PM|| Front Page Top

#5 pappy, interesting points. You are probably right about gangs. More like an aligning of gangs, mobs and "the Bigs".
Posted by 2b 2004-12-20 4:45:37 PM||   2004-12-20 4:45:37 PM|| Front Page Top

#6 This is a great post! pat on back for 2b
Posted by Capt America  2004-12-20 5:09:16 PM||   2004-12-20 5:09:16 PM|| Front Page Top

#7 2b wrote:

With these terrorists - it wasn't women, but the countries that did not accept them, mocked them and didn't acknowledge their worth. It terrified them as they realized they were powerless to change it, and thus...they wanted to gain control over the situation by bringing down the countries.

I wouldn't rule out inability to get laid (via non-coercive means) by western gals as a motivator for some of these asshats.

Get Sageman's book of the same title. It's a worthwhile read.
Posted by Classical_Liberal 2004-12-20 6:16:50 PM||   2004-12-20 6:16:50 PM|| Front Page Top

#8 If they want to bring back Salafist era, we can bring back the Colonial Era.
Posted by Unagum Whaimp3886 2004-12-20 8:54:31 PM||   2004-12-20 8:54:31 PM|| Front Page Top

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