HOMEGROWN TERRORISM

Homegrown Terrorism

ABSTRACT

U.S. policymakers need to improve their understanding of the underlying conditions and proximate drivers which appear to prompt and propel radicalization among American citizens to combat the upsurge in homegrown Islamist terrorist plots in the U.S., since 9/11. Keeping in mind that radicalization is a dynamic, inherently personal process that entails a unique combination of environmental strains, ideology, motivations, and socialization processes.

Homegrown Terrorism

Introduction

For a long time, many in the U.S. thought that our unique melting pot meant we were immune from this threat - this despite the history of violent extremists of all kinds in the United States. That was false hope, and false comfort. This threat is real, and it is serious. (Abbas, 2007, 289)

On November 5, 2009, Major Nidal Malik Hasan, a U.S. Army psychiatrist, entered the Soldier Readiness Center at Fort Hood and opened fire, killing 12 people and wounding 32 others. Adam Gadahn, a California native who has become a spokesperson for Al Qaeda, applauded Hasan's efforts in an English-language video released by As Sahab (Al Qaeda's media branch) in March 2010 and encouraged other aspiring terrorists to follow Hasan's example of selecting reasonable targets, which have symbolic resonance. Samir Khan, a Saudi-born American citizen who grew up in New York and North Carolina, is the editor of an English language magazine called “Inspire” which has been published by Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula since July 2010.

The magazine promotes homegrown Islamist terrorism in the West through an edgy, colorful mix of feature stories, photos, theological backgrounders, and hands-on instructions for operating weapons and pursuing violent actions. US citizens turning against their country in this way because American officials have long been concerned with mitigating the potential for terrorist attacks against U.S. interests at home and abroad, particularly in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. However, their attention has been focused largely upon external threats emanating from radical Islamist terrorist groups.

Thesis Statement

This study will explore the recent history of homegrown terrorists in order to, better understand their motivation and detail what needs to be accomplished politically in the future to stop the threat of homegrown terrorism in the United States.

History and Background

Violent Islamist ideology and the terrorism it inspires pose a substantial threat to America's homeland security. The core tenet of this violent ideology is straightforward, uncompromising, and absolute. The ideology calls for the pursuit and creation of a global Islamist state a Caliphate that unites all Muslims the Ummah and is governed by Islamic law Sharia. In pursuing this totalitarian goal, violent Islamists are not only encouraged to attack those who are not committed to their ideology in its purest form, including other Muslims, but are purportedly obligated to do so.

Violent Islamist terrorists have attacked the United States and its interests many times. The first World Trade Center bombing in 1993, the attacks on the United States embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, in 1998, the attack on the USS Cole in 2000, the devastating attacks of September 11, 2001, and many others ...