Terrorism Intentions of the Group Profiling Terrorists

Terrorism Intentions of the Group Profiling terrorists can be helpful for counter-terrorism efforts. While there is no one terrorist profile, there are "risk factors for involvement," (Kershaw, 2010). One of the risks that has been most explored in scholarly research is the need for a collective, shared identity in the terrorist organization (Post, Ali, Henderson, Shanfield, Victoroff & Weine, 2009). This is true for the Aryan Nation, recognized as a top domestic terrorism threat by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

The Aryan Nations Group dubs itself a "Premier Christian Identity Church Organization," with the word "identity" featuring firmly (Aryan Nations, 2013). Members of the Aryan Nation also emphasize the "nation" part of their identity, creating an artificial in group-out group status that enforces personal and collective identities. Although Vaisman-Tzachor (2006) claims that race is not a necessary component in the profile of a terrorist, it certainly is with the Aryan Nation, which is purposefully built on the concept of a "structure of our racial kindred," according to the organization's website (Aryan Nations, 2013).

Furthermore, members of the Aryan nation react towards perceived grievances against the "white race," and perceived grievance is a core component of the terrorist psychological profile (Nance, 2008). Terrorism acts are set forth as a legitimate means to redress grievances, and exact revenge on perceived enemies. Within the framework of the group sociology, terrorist activities become normative (Post et al., 2009). This is why individuals may claim to be moral people, while acting in a hypocritical manner.

For example, the members of the Aryan Nation claim to have Christian belief systems but they use Christianity as an excuse to perpetrate violence and subjugate all groups labeled as "other." This is why the splash page of the Aryan Nations Website currently depicts a "white" Christmas: with Santa and a young white girl in a sleigh pulled not by reindeer (which are brown) but white horses.

The affiliation with Jesus Christ and Christianity also presents the Aryan Nation mentality and statement of purpose as being religious and therefore reminiscent of a jihad; as Nance (2008) puts it, terrorists hear a "calling to a higher honor," (p. 1). Recommendations Counterterrorism recommendations include budgeting sufficient resources for domestic terrorism, including the creation of a widespread and targeted public awareness campaign.

A public awareness campaign can target at-risk communities: those communities and individuals that are deemed most at risk for finding the psychological and sociological need to identify with a group that has a cohesive religious and racial identity. The effort must include infiltration of social media and other online resources, because terrorist organizations mobilize and recruit online using the safety and anonymity of the Internet (Nance, 2008).

Because Americans are entitled to own licensed weapons, the Aryan Nations present a clear and present danger to the American people because they could become a bona fide militia group. Infiltration of the Aryan Nations should be relatively easy, given the group is domestic and there are no language barriers. Moreover, infiltration can provide the quality of surveillance and intelligence not otherwise obtainable. This information can be used to.