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Profiling Lone-Actor Terrorists: A Cross-Sectional Study of Lone-actor Terrorists in Western Europe (2015–2016)

Khazaeli Jah, Mohammadmoein and Khoshnood, Ardavan LU orcid (2019) In Journal of Strategic Security 12(4). p.25-49
Abstract
Lone-actor terrorism is a growing threat in Western European countries as the numbers of lone-actor terrorist attacks have multiplied over the last 15 years. However, knowledge on this type of terrorism is insufficient. This current study evaluates whether there are any common personal, social, psychological, and operational characteristics among lone-actor terrorists (LATs) and whether any profile can be drawn in regard to a lone-actor terrorist. The authors identified 36 LATs between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2016, in Western European countries through the Global Terrorism Database. The study profiled these LATs regarding their sociodemographic characteristics, attack characteristics, method of radicalization, ideology, modus... (More)
Lone-actor terrorism is a growing threat in Western European countries as the numbers of lone-actor terrorist attacks have multiplied over the last 15 years. However, knowledge on this type of terrorism is insufficient. This current study evaluates whether there are any common personal, social, psychological, and operational characteristics among lone-actor terrorists (LATs) and whether any profile can be drawn in regard to a lone-actor terrorist. The authors identified 36 LATs between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2016, in Western European countries through the Global Terrorism Database. The study profiled these LATs regarding their sociodemographic characteristics, attack characteristics, method of radicalization, ideology, modus operandi, and typology. Findings of this study show that lone-actor terrorism in Western Europe has undergone new changes, and although there is no single unique profile for LATs, there are common characteristics that warrant further studies. (Less)
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author
and
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
counter-terrorism, Europe, EU, Fundamentalism, Ideology, Law enforcement, National security, Radicalization, Religious violence, Terrorism, Violent extremism, Lone-Actor Terrorism, Lone-Wolf Terrorism, Kontraterrorism, Europa, Eu, Fundamentalism, Ideologi, Polis, Nationell Säkerhet, Radikalisering, religiös extremism, Terrorism
in
Journal of Strategic Security
volume
12
issue
4
pages
25 - 49
publisher
Henley-Putnam University Press
external identifiers
  • scopus:85097409880
ISSN
1944-0472
DOI
10.5038/1944-0472.12.4.1736
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
5049aca1-6cef-4761-bfcd-c41b083c7cfe
date added to LUP
2019-12-06 18:32:25
date last changed
2023-11-19 20:14:35
@article{5049aca1-6cef-4761-bfcd-c41b083c7cfe,
  abstract     = {{Lone-actor terrorism is a growing threat in Western European countries as the numbers of lone-actor terrorist attacks have multiplied over the last 15 years. However, knowledge on this type of terrorism is insufficient. This current study evaluates whether there are any common personal, social, psychological, and operational characteristics among lone-actor terrorists (LATs) and whether any profile can be drawn in regard to a lone-actor terrorist. The authors identified 36 LATs between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2016, in Western European countries through the Global Terrorism Database. The study profiled these LATs regarding their sociodemographic characteristics, attack characteristics, method of radicalization, ideology, modus operandi, and typology. Findings of this study show that lone-actor terrorism in Western Europe has undergone new changes, and although there is no single unique profile for LATs, there are common characteristics that warrant further studies.}},
  author       = {{Khazaeli Jah, Mohammadmoein and Khoshnood, Ardavan}},
  issn         = {{1944-0472}},
  keywords     = {{counter-terrorism; Europe; EU; Fundamentalism; Ideology; Law enforcement; National security; Radicalization; Religious violence; Terrorism; Violent extremism; Lone-Actor Terrorism; Lone-Wolf Terrorism; Kontraterrorism; Europa; Eu; Fundamentalism; Ideologi; Polis; Nationell Säkerhet; Radikalisering; religiös extremism; Terrorism}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{12}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{25--49}},
  publisher    = {{Henley-Putnam University Press}},
  series       = {{Journal of Strategic Security}},
  title        = {{Profiling Lone-Actor Terrorists: A Cross-Sectional Study of Lone-actor Terrorists in Western Europe (2015–2016)}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/72841266/2019_Profiling_Lone_Actor_Terrorists.pdf}},
  doi          = {{10.5038/1944-0472.12.4.1736}},
  volume       = {{12}},
  year         = {{2019}},
}