Entering the inner world of a terrorist

After every terror act we tend to blame government, investigative agencies, political parties, religious and ethnic groups. If terrorists are mindless, would they resist from executing their killings so proficiently? Lopez tries to find the answer. WHENEVER TERRORISM strikes India, there is always a backlash against the government, investigative agencies, political parties, religious and ethnic groups. And of course all needles of suspicion, point towards Pakistan and Bangladesh as the source of terrorism, while each of the accused groups defend themselves.

I was reflecting and talking to a number of anti-terrorism experts on this subject and thus, I decided to examine a terrorist, from a total different angle. India maybe armed with sophisticated investigative agencies but yet, year after year, we are always caught off guard and we face disastrous attacks, killing of innocent human beings. I agree that terror attacks are mindless but are terrorists mindless?

If terrorists are mindless, would they execute their killings so proficiently? Terrorists are people with a clear mind, pure and wholesome. They are completely committed to what they do. And they kill because their humanity has been killed, which is why they do not have respect or regard for human life. They see it as inconsequential and extravagant, not vital and necessary, yet nothing supersedes their agenda. They are so successful with their acts because they are ruled by their hearts and not just the mind. It is simply a matter of conviction and moral ethics for them. They are never satisfied or gratified with what they do because it is a matter of purpose of their living and agenda. They are tenacious, focused individuals, who believe who believe that they are doing an eternal work. In contrast to the popular sense that suicidal terrorists are socio-pathic whackos, many experts argue that they are effectively pursuing their goals and they are rational human beings.

Why do you think it takes years for any terrorism case to be decided in court? Is it only because of corruption or lethargic judicial machinery? It is mainly because the accused has power and sanity to fight till the finish. Yet, even by the time we jail or hang them, another cell forms and takes control. A psychologist from Washington, DC Rona Fields says, “A terrorist’s definition of right and wrong is very black and white, and is directed by an authoritative director and there’s a total limitation of the capacity to think for themselves.” She further adds, “These true believers, are angry people, but they don’t feel guilty about their anger.”

Terrorists usually want publicity, which they as a group cannot normally not afford or buy. Therefore, any media source, surrounding a terrorist act tells the world that a problem exists, which must not be ignored but yet solved. Though they know that perusing people to favour their act, will do no good, they, however, always pursue a favourable vote for their cause. Using this tactic, terrorists usually attract more sympathisers for their agenda. And this usually involves forming good relationships with the Press which is often cultivated and nurtured over a period of years.

Political analyst, Kent Oots, says, “The physiological approach to terrorism suggests that the role of the media in promoting the spread of terrorism cannot be ignored in any discussion of the causes of terrorism. Thanks to media coverage, the methods, demands and goals of terrorists are quickly made known to potential terrorists, who may be inspired to imitate them upon becoming stimulated by media accounts of terrorist acts.

“Terrorists are already frustrated individuals who are disposed to manipulating their victims as well as the Press, the public, and the authorities. They note that the potential terrorist need only see that terrorism has worked for others in order to become aggressively aroused.”

Former member of FBI’s Forensic Psychology Advisory Board for the Behavioral Science Unit, Jim Hawkins says, “As professionals in the law enforcement and intelligence communities increasingly direct their energies and resources to countering and preventing this type of extreme violence, they are working to acquire new knowledge and skills. In learning about terrorism, they not only should consider the specific ideology of those who commit or advocate acts of terrorism, but also gain an understanding of the process of how these ideas or doctrines develop as well as the various factors that influence the behavior of extremist groups and individuals”.

He further adds, “An investigator might reasonably wonder why such an understanding is important. The answer lies in the old military adage know your enemy.

In one of the many translations of The Art of War, Sun Tzu, a well-known Chinese general, is quoted as saying, know your enemy and know yourself; in a hundred battles you will never be in peril.”

It is high time that law enforcement agencies, adapt a very rare approach to curb terrorism. Conducting post mortem’s after the blasts, is just not the right attitude to tackle terrorism. These professionals, need to build an attitude by understanding how extremist ideas develop. This includes, designing new programme to understand and collect behavioral information of individual’s and groups. It is not necessary that only ideologies, be examined but, how a person will act in a given situation because ideology is just one of the factors but the most crucial areas to be examined are the behavioral factors, which contribute in majority.