The Mind of the Terrorist: The Psychology of Terrorism from the IRA to al-Qaeda

321 Pages·2007·1.07 MB·English

by  Jerrold M. Post

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T H E M I N D
O F T H E
T E R R O R I S T
The Psychology of Terrorism
from the IRA to al-Qaeda
Jerrold M. Post
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THEMINDOFTHETERRORIST
Copyright © Jerrold M. Post, 2007.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any
manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief
quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
First published in 2007 by
PALGRAVE MACMILLAN™
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010 and
Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire, England RG21 6XS
Companies and representatives throughout the world.
PALGRAVE MACMILLAN is the global academic imprint of the Palgrave
Macmillan division of St. Martin’s Press, LLC and of Palgrave Macmillan Ltd.
Macmillan®is a registered trademark in the United States, United Kingdom
and other countries. Palgrave is a registered trademark in the European
Union and other countries.
ISBN -13: 978–1–4039–6611–7
ISBN-10: 1–4039–6611–7
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Post, Jerrold M.
The mind of the terrorist: the psychology of terrorism from the IRA to
al-Qaeda / Jerrold M. Post.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 1–4039–6611–7 (alk. paper)
1. Terrorism—Psychological aspects. 2. Terrorists—Psychology.
3. Terrorism—History—20th century. 4. Terrorism—History—
21st century. I. Title.
HV6431P669 2007
363.3250199—dc22 2007014258
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Design by Newgen Imaging Systems (P) Ltd., Chennai, India.
First edition: December 2007
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Printed in the United States of America.
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To my three wonderful daughters, Cindy, Merrie, and Kirsten:
May the cloud of terrorism that shadows our lives
be lightened by better understanding man’s inhumanity to man,
and to
Ehud Sprinzak, a pioneer in terrorism research, who has helped
illuminate the psychology of terrorism and political extremism.
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CONTENTS
Acknowledgments vii
1 Terrorisms and Terrorist Psychologies: An Introduction 1
SECTION I 11
NATIONALIST-SEPARATIST TERRORISM: CARRYING
ON THE MISSION OF THEIR PARENTS
2 Secular Palestinian Terrorism: “When Hatred
is Bred in the Bone” 15
3 Irish Republican Army (IRA) 39
4 Basque Homeland and Liberty (ETA) 55
5 Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) 67
6 Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) 83
SECTION II 101
SOCIAL REVOLUTIONARY TERRORISM:
REBELLING AGAINST THE GENERATION
OF THEIR PARENTS
7 Red Brigades (BR) 107
8 Red Army Faction (RAF) 121
9 Shining Path (SL) 133
10 Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) 149
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(cid:2)
vi Contents
SECTION III 159
RELIGIOUS EXTREMIST TERRORISM: KILLING
IN THE NAME OF GOD
11 Hezbollah: The Party of God 161
12 Hamas: The Islamic Resistance Movement 175
13 Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda Version 1.0 193
14 Killing in the Name of Other Gods 207
SECTION IV 217
THE CHANGING FACE OF TERRORISM
15 Al-Qaeda Version 2.0 and the Global Salafi Jihad 219
16 Tactics Old and New: Suicide Terrorism and Weapons of
Mass Destruction Terrorism 227
17 Challenges and Implications: The Way Ahead 243
Notes 259
Bibliography 285
Index 299
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
There is a small band of intrepid terrorism researchers whose work has been
particularly valuable. This book has been enriched by primary source material
from interviews conducted by Farhana Ali, Nicole Argo, Mia Bloom,
Mohammad Hafez, Nasra Hassan, Ariel Merari, Fernando Reinares, Ann
Speckhard, Ehud Sprinzak, and Jessica Stern.
Colleagues who have provided valuable commentary on draft chapters
include John Cope, Dogu Ergil, Michael Gunter, John Horgan, Martin
Kramer, Chris Kutschera, Thomas Marks, Ariel Merari, David Scott Palmer,
Dennis Pluchinsky, Fernando Reinares, and Goldie Shabad.
I have had the benefit of research contributions by a remarkable group of
assistants and interns whose contributions to this effort have been indispensa-
ble. I want to single out in particular Brooke Sweet, Lara Panis, and Laurita
Denny, treasures beyond compare, without whose devotion, dedication, and
persistence this project could not have been completed. Valuable contributions
were made by Neil Aggarwal, Jorge Aguilar, Daniel McFadden, Saray
Mendoza, Keven Ruby, Ahren Shaffer, Jessica Souder, Inna Taller, Rebekah
Vogel, and Peter Zemenides.
And I wish to express special thanks to my family, particularly my wife,
Carolyn, always my strong supporter, who patiently endured long hours of
isolation as I was closeted with my computer.
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CHAPTER 1
TERRORISMS AND
TERRORIST PSYCHOLOGIES:
AN INTRODUCTION
When the hijacked American and United Airlines planes struck the World
Trade Center towers and the Pentagon on 9/11 with concussive force, America’s
perceived shield of invulnerability was irrevocably shattered. No longer would
the insular American nation look on at the conflict-ridden world believing itself
safe from danger. The searing images of the two hijacked planes striking that
symbol of U.S. economic might, the World Trade Center towers, of their col-
lapse, and of smoke billowing out of the symbol of U.S. military might, the
Pentagon, would be engraved on international consciousness. When we learned
that the fourth hijacked plane, which was brought down in a field outside of
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was bound for Washington, D.C., believed to be tar-
geted against the Capitol or the White House, symbols of American political
might, the fear grew further. The scope of the coordinated attacks, on symbols
of the three pillars of America’s stature as the world’s remaining superpower—
economic, military, and political—was unprecedented, and breathtakingly
audacious. The previous feelings of invulnerability were at once replaced by
feelings of vulnerability and fear. Who were the unknown attackers? Why
would they hate us so? What would be the next target? Fear gripped the nation
and the civilized world.
On September 13, 2001, President George W. Bush addressed the nation.
This was, he declared, “the first war of the 21st century.” On September 20, he
went on to declare “Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists. From