The term lone wolf was popularized by white supremacists louis beam, and tom metzger in the 1990s. Review of lone wolf terrorism 9781633882379 foreword. He believes that the most serious threats remain those posed by groupbased terrorists12. Understanding the growing threat which appeared in february 20 is one of the relatively few studies of this type of threat. The author does a good job chronicling the history of lone wolf terrorism as well as classifying the motivational types of lone wolf terrorists. Lone wolves have proven to be more creative and dangerous than many.
Jan 01, 20 lone wolf terrorism is the new catchy term being over used by by the news factories like cnn and fox. Lone wolf terrorism poses a growing threat to western nations. From anders breivik in norway, who murdered scores of young people in a bombing and massshooting attack, to nidal malik hasan in the united states, who killed several of his fellow soldiers at fort hood, texas, lone wolves have demonstrated that they can be as dangerous as organized terrorist groups. Defining terrorism data on terrorism for this project come from the global terrorism database gtd lafree and dugan 2007. Jeffrey simons chilling and compelling account of the rise of lonewolf terrorism proves prescient, as the recent. Trends and developments in lone wolf terrorism in the. Security experts note that the threat of lone wolf terrorism is one of the united states main vulnerabilities today. This is important, but a longstanding concern that often goes without much conversation is the domestic lone wolf terrorist. The ideology of these loners has changed, but the circumstances and. Emerging threat of lone wolf terrorism requires cold rationality. Understanding the threat of nuclear terrorism by evan braden montgomery over the past several years, the prospect of a terrorist group armed with a nuclear weapon has frequently been cited as a genuine and overriding threat to the security of the united states. Provide direct communication to your civic leaders.
The recent spate in is inspired lone wolf attacks during 2014, suggest islamic. The numbers of casualties resulting from lone wolf terrorism have been relatively limited, and there is no evidence that the lethality of lone wolf terrorism is on the increase. The reality is that this type of terrorism is not new at all, in fact it goes back a long time. Lone wolf terrorism a brief bibliography compiled by greta e. An internationally renowned terrorism expert presents the first comprehensive treatment of this important issue. These have included mass shootings, bombings, assassinations, anthrax attacks, and a variety of other incidents. We are the only group in the united states who responds at a moments notice to the growing threat of the marxist and the islamic movement in america. To say that lone wolf terrorism is a neglected field of research is an understatement. Former central intelligence agency director leon panetta observed in his recent memoir that socalled lone wolf terroriststerrorists who work. Unfortunately, emotion and shaky logic stand in the way of a coldly effective national security approach. In its original sense, a lone wolf is an animal or person that generally lives or. Hot on the heels of ramon spaaijs understanding lone wolf terrorism, this is the second book on this resurgent phenomenon in as many years.
They may be influenced or motivated by the ideology and beliefs of an external group and may act in support of such a group. Lone wolf terrorism was adopted by al qaeda after september 11, 2001, when us military forces attacked its operational base in afghanistan. Lone wolf terrorism is a wakeup call to those who view terrorism solely as a threat that comes from large groups acting through wellorganized networks. Hewitts 2003 study identified 30 cases of lone wolf terrorism in the united states between. Lone wolvesactors of terrorism universiteit leiden. The lone wolf terro rist presents challenges similar to the terroristic group with regard to the coordination of security policy between governments. Drawing on over 25 years of experience, simon covers the diversity in motivations and backgrounds of these terrorists, how modern technology and politics impact. The threat from solo terrorism and lone wolf terrorism 5.
Jasparros 2010 study asserts that lone wolf terrorism is not a big threat, as lone wolf attacks carry a poor record of success, and result in fewer fatalities. Domestic terrorism and related radical violence as opposed to terrorist attacks emanating from abroad continue to plague the nation. Request pdf on apr 1, 2014, christopher hewitt and others published jeffrey d. Though not, as the books marketing copy says, the first or only one. One of the first indepth analyses of lone wolf terrorism, this publication sets out to answer these questions. After a brief discussion of the epistemological and phenomenological difficulties associated with the concept of lone wolf terrorism, a number of. May 02, 20 hot on the heels of ramon spaaijs understanding lone wolf terrorism, this is the second book on this resurgent phenomenon in as many years. Lone wolf terrorism introduction problem background and significance in the united states terrorism incidents such as the attack in 1995 in oklahoma by timothy mcveigh and the september 11th attack in 2001, have led to the realization that lone wolf terrorism posses a grave threat to the safety of the public. This study also reveals that the vast majority of this violence is coming from lone wolves or leaderless resistance groups, most of the latter composed of just two men. Lone wolf terrorism however is not a new phenomenon spaaij, 2012. A new era in terrorism is emerging and the lone wolf is at the forefront. Drawing on extensive international data and qualitative case studies, it examines the global patterns in and key features of lone wolf terrorism over the past four decades.
Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Events previous events arrowhead country club in glendale, arizona on monday october 12, 2015 integrity tax and accounting, llc presented, ultimate wealth management, estate planning, family law and taxes for your home and. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading lone wolf terrorism. There is a large debate on lone wolf terrorism and the issue of preventing it.
Simon presents the first comprehensive treatment of this important issue. A lone actor, loneactor terrorist, or lone wolf is someone who prepares and commits violent acts alone, outside of any command structure and without material assistance from any group. Understanding lone actor terrorism 3 it as prudent to first clarify definitional issues and further situate the need for research on lone actor terrorism. The nypds understanding of the threat from islamicbased terrorism to new york city has evolved since september 11, 2001. Understanding the growing threat comes from an internationally renowned terrorism expert who presents the first indepth treatment of the issue, and who considers the motivations and. This important work offers much for a general, concerned audience, as well as for specialists charged with combating terrorism. Terrorism and the future lone wolf threat in america. A lone wolf does not have to be inspired by a foreign terrorist group.
The purpose of this analysis is to describe the threat from solo terrorism and lone wolf terrorism against the west, including against denmark. Maybe an undiscovered facet your good offices should consider is a face to face set of 3 questions that must be answered before a. Lone wolf terrorism a brief bibliography updated august 2019 show summary open resource pdf open full abstract this bibliography, compiled by greta e. Whereas that study, by a lonewolf specialist, was concise and quantitative, this account by terrorism consultant jeffrey simon is expansive and qualitative. Lone wolf terrorism is the new catchy term being over used by by the news factories like cnn and fox. Attacks carried out by individuals is no new phenomenon, however, it is noteworthy that in the past two years several attacks or attempts at attack in western countries. Lone wolf terrorism hardcover understanding the growing threat. The relatively novel threat of lone wolf terrorism presents a challenge for traditional law enforcement and prosecutorial approaches. By utilising a comparative approach, we can better utilise existing information of other phenomena for our understanding of lone wolf terrorists. Emerging threat of lone wolf terrorism requires cold. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading lone wolf. Lone wolf terrorism is a growing threat throughout the world.
May 04, 2017 a lone wolf does not have to be inspired by a foreign terrorist group. While the threat from overseas remains, terrorist attacks or thwarted plots against cities in europe, australia and canada since 2001 fit a different paradigm. How can lone wolf terrorism be effectively countered. Feb 21, 20 lone wolf terrorism is a growing concern for governments, law enforcement agencies, and societies around the world. What can be done about the lone wolf terrorist threat. Leaders of al qaeda prompted their followers to take part in independent acts of violence against their perceived enemies at any given moment. From anders breivik in norway, who murdered scores of young people in a bombing and massshooting attack, to nidal malik hasan in the united states, who killed many of his fellow soldiers after opening fire at a military base, lone wolves have demonstrated that they can be as dangerous as organized terrorist groups. Trends and developments in lone wolf terrorism in the western. Terrorism expert simon the terrorist trap explores the potential threat posed by a single person, or lone wolf, in this unsettling look into how the current political and technological landscape h. Your points are descriptive about lone wolf actions and late discovery of their evil intentions. Between september 11, 2001, and the end of 2009, the u. Hot on the heels of ramon spaaijs understanding lone wolf terrorism, this is the second book on this resurgent phenomenon in.
Know the threat and go through the basic program as detailed above. Any policy regarding lone wolves that focuses exclusively on the threat of islamic extremists or the influence of the islamic state or al qaeda is misguided. Simon, a wellknown, serious, and respected scholar of terrorism, examines the various purposes lone wolves serve and the reasons they have become so difficult. Simon, brian michael jenkins foreword by prometheus books, 9781616146467, 335pp. The washington post reported last month that the tsa is now adjusting its own tactics as terrorists turn toward more lone wolf attacks. Understanding the threat has been called a modernday minuteman. Christopher hewitt university of maryland baltimore county. There is one truth in terrorism that intelligence officials and national security experts have seen proven over the past few years. Understanding the growing threat kindle edition by simon, jeffrey d. This compilation was prepared by the homeland security digital library, naval postgraduate school, center for homeland defense and security.
Available literature explains that there is not a concrete answer to the questioning of whether lone wolf terrorism can be stopped and also how to deal with the threat of lone wolf terrorism. The individual terrorist has proven capable of committing a wide range of violent attacks. Ios press ebooks lone actors an emerging security threat. Get together with likeminded individuals and share your understanding of the threat with them. Rather than being directed from alqaeda abroad, these. Research on lone offender terrorism has been minimal, seemingly because terrorism is most often regarded as a collective activity. Using gustav freytags triangle and rational choice theory, it is shown that lone wolf terrorism must be examined by the united states government to ensure safety of its citizens. Lone wolf terrorism cuts across the entire political and religious spectrum. The freedom 25 fund is the fund raising arm of our minuteman project. A hatchet attack on police officers in new york, a shooting on parliament hill in. Understanding loneactor terrorism 3 it as prudent to first clarify definitional issues and further situate the need for research on loneactor terrorism. Marlatt at the naval postgraduate school, contains a list of resources related to lone wolf terrorism. This study also reveals that the vast majority of this violence is coming from lone wolves or leaderless resistance groups, most of. Simons lone wolf terrorism will rightfully find a place on the shelf of every terrorism researcher.
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