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A disturbing pattern is emerging after latest terrorist attack narrowly averted Talk of lone wolves misunderstands how Islamic militancy works
(about 2 hours later)
A new attack, a young man who would be a killer and a tragedy narrowly averted. The media attention is currently on the identity of the have-a-go heroes who prevented carnage. It will shift eventually on to the man who tried to open fire with an automatic weapon in a crowded European train. A new attack, a young man who would be a killer and a tragedy narrowly averted. The media attention is currently on the identity of the have-a-go heroes who prevented carnage in France. It will shift eventually to the man who tried to open fire with an automatic weapon in a crowded European train.
From what we know already, he fits a classic type: young, of north African origins, with a possible recent visit to Syria and known to security services. This profile is very similar to that of the men who attacked satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in January this year, to that of Mehdi Nemmouche, who shot at a Jewish Museum in Brussels last year, and to Mohamed Merah, a 23-year-old who killed 12 in a shooting spree in south-west France in 2012. Both shocked France and underlined the nature of the wave of violence emerging in the country. From what we know already, he fits a classic type: young, of north African origins, with a possible recent visit to Syria and known to security services. This profile is very similar to that of the men who attacked satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in January this year, to Mohamed Merah, a 23-year-old who killed 12 in a shooting spree in south-west France in 2012, and to that of Mehdi Nemmouche, who shot at a Jewish Museum in Brussels last year.
This latest attacker too is now being described as a lone wolf, with people asking how he was radicalised. Both terms, however, are deeply misleading. Few lone wolves exist, certainly in the recent history of Islamic militancy, and and to insist that they do is to fail to understand how Islamic militancy works. Furthermore the idea of radicalisation, which is used to describe – if not the current wave of religiously inspired activists – then to extremist violence, is not particularly useful either. The two shocking French attacks underlined the nature of the wave of violence emerging in the country.
Of the hundreds of Islamic militants who have been involved in attacks in Europe over recent years, only a tiny minority have acted alone. Most have been involved in broader networks of activism, some violent, some less so. Many have travelled overseas and spent time with major militant groups. A high proportion – possibly two-thirds, recent research tells us – have spoken of their plans to commit violence with others. This latest attacker too is now being described as a lone wolf, with people asking how he was radicalised. Both terms, however, are deeply misleading. Few lone wolves exist, certainly in the recent history of Islamic militancy, and to insist that they do is to fail to understand how Islamic militancy works.
Furthermore the idea of radicalisation is not particularly useful either.
Of the hundreds of Islamic militants who have been involved in attacks in Europe over recent years, only a tiny minority have acted alone. Most have been involved in broader networks of activism, some violent, some less so.
Many have travelled overseas and spent time with major militant groups. A high proportion – possibly two-thirds, recent research tells us – have told others of their plans to commit violence.
Most importantly perhaps, a very large number of them have been in prison with others who are steeped in extremist thinking, have peer groups who share much of their extremist worldview, know other people who have travelled to Iraq, Syria or Afghanistan, or even grew up in families where casual prejudice against non-believers, Jews or the west in general was part of everyday conversation.Most importantly perhaps, a very large number of them have been in prison with others who are steeped in extremist thinking, have peer groups who share much of their extremist worldview, know other people who have travelled to Iraq, Syria or Afghanistan, or even grew up in families where casual prejudice against non-believers, Jews or the west in general was part of everyday conversation.
Terrorism is a social activity, and if lone wolves are not part of a pack, then they are a product of a much broader environment. All the militants today speak the same phrases, repeating the same tired familiar tropes of jihadi thinking. If there is one key marker of a community it is a shared language, and the vocabulary of militancy – whether that of the al-Qaida dialect or that of the newer Islamic State – is more widespread than ever before. If true lone wolves exist, they are extremely rare. Terrorism is a social activity and so-called lone wolves are often a product of a much broader environment. All the militants today speak the same phrases, repeating the same tired, familiar tropes of jihadi thinking.
Even those individuals who do fulfil the commonly understood definition of the term still feel themselves to be part of a broader community. This sense of belonging is not unfounded, however, as these attackers are part of something bigger. If there is one key marker of a community it is a shared language, and the vocabulary of militancy – whether that of the al-Qaida dialect or that of the newer Islamic State – is more widespread than ever before. If true lone wolves exist, they are extremely rare.
Radicalisation is seen as a specific event or, even more misguidedly, as a conscious act. By this same logic, people apparently are radicalised – a term that implies either that they are voluntary but passive objects of a designed process, that they are involuntarily brainwashed despite themselves, or even that they somehow self-radicalise in total isolation. These are reassuring, as it implies that the responsibility for an individual’s violent extremism lies solely with the individual themselves or with some other individual or group, all of which could be eliminated. Even those individuals who do fulfil the commonly understood definition of the term still feel themselves to be part of a broader community. This sense of belonging is not unfounded, however.
The truth is that terrorism is not something you do by yourself. Like any activism, it is highly social,only its consequences are exceptional. It makes as much sense to talk about the radicalisation of a 16-year-old who becomes involved in Islamic militancy, as it does of a 16-year-old who becomes involved in gangs, or in taking psycho-tropic drugs, or even in extreme sports, particular video games or a certain type of music and dress. Related: France train shooting: gunman 'had been in Syria and was known to intelligence services'
Radicalisation is seen as a specific event or, even more misguidedly, as a conscious act. By this same logic, people apparently are radicalised – a term that implies either that they are voluntary but passive objects of a designed process, that they are involuntarily brainwashed despite themselves, or even that they somehow self-radicalise in total isolation.
These are reassuring, as it implies that the responsibility for an individual’s violent extremism lies solely with the individual themselves or with some other individual or group, all of which could be eliminated.
The truth is that terrorism is not something you do by yourself. Like any activism, it is highly social, only its consequences are exceptional. It makes as much sense to talk about the radicalisation of a 16-year-old who becomes involved in Islamic militancy as it does of a 16-year-old who becomes involved in gangs, or in taking psychotropic drugs, or even in extreme sports, particular video games or a certain type of music and dress.
People become interested in ideas, ideologies and activities, even immoral ones, because other people are interested in them. No one describes a young adult who takes up fly-fishing or campaigning against global warming as self-activising, even if that enthusiasm has been nurtured and developed largely through their own initiative, social media and exploitation of resources on the internet.People become interested in ideas, ideologies and activities, even immoral ones, because other people are interested in them. No one describes a young adult who takes up fly-fishing or campaigning against global warming as self-activising, even if that enthusiasm has been nurtured and developed largely through their own initiative, social media and exploitation of resources on the internet.
The psychological and social barriers to involvement in violence are certainly higher than in other less nefarious activities, but the mechanics of the process that draws people into them are the same.The psychological and social barriers to involvement in violence are certainly higher than in other less nefarious activities, but the mechanics of the process that draws people into them are the same.
This makes Islamic militancy much more intractable than some hope. If the killers we have seen over recent years in Europe were indeed lone wolves, the problem of Islamic militancy would have been resolved long ago.This makes Islamic militancy much more intractable than some hope. If the killers we have seen over recent years in Europe were indeed lone wolves, the problem of Islamic militancy would have been resolved long ago.