Abstract
Misunderstanding Terrorism analyses the rhetorical fear of terrorism, which was the key electioneering strategy used by President Donald Trump during his 2016 election campaign. Marc Sageman’s five-chapter book is therefore a timely intervention that deconstructs the narratives of fear that have influenced the political behaviour of the American public and many of the United States’ counter-terrorism measures – those considered detrimental to human rights and civil liberties in the United States and elsewhere in the world.
Adopting a mixed methods approach of data collection and analysis, Sageman argues that most of the terrorist attacks in the United States and parts of the West have been perpetrated by homegrown, self-radicalised, neo-jihadi individuals or groups. Key motivating factors behind the emergence of these violent actors, according to Sageman, were the impacts and effects of the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, in addition to the lack of evidence behind the United States’ claim regarding Saddam Hussein’s possession of weapons of mass destruction. Sageman theorises that resorting to violence can thus be traced to states’ aggressive stances that cultivate moral indignation among opponents who become disenchanted with non-violence and resort to aggression.
Exaggerated fears of terrorist attacks by al-Qa’eda and its affiliates in the West have deeply influenced the emergence of counter-terrorism laws, policies and institutions. While Sageman succinctly highlights these exaggerations, downplaying the perception of the threat posed by terrorists could also be detrimental to the security of the West and other parts of the world. The character and strategies of terrorist groups are constantly changing. Moreover, the growing danger of self-radicalised individuals or groups within the West could also pose similar threats if appropriate policies are not enacted to address this deeply and broadly perplexing national and international security challenge. Consequently, policies that do not criminalise these self-radicalised individuals or groups, but rather seek to reintegrate them into society, should be the priority and should figure prominently in the manner in which states combat the terrorist threat.
Much of the value of this book lies in its ability to build on extant studies on the nature of terrorism to deal with the intractable problems posed by al-Qa’eda and other violent non-state actors in the Western world. Misunderstanding Terrorism is therefore not only crucial for students, scholars and professionals of terrorism and counter-terrorism, but it also serves as a policy guide for governments in all parts of the world.