Terrorist Group Leaders Tools and Techniques Used by Terrorist Group Leaders to Influence their Followers

In his article, War, Psychology, and Time, Friedman (2007) shows how Osama bin Laden employed a psychological strategy in an attempt to create a massive Islamic empire in the wake of the collapse of the Soviet Union. The disintegration of the union provided an ideal opportunity for bin Laden to demonstrate to the world that America was actually weak and could be severely hurt. For bin Laden, the Muslim world "suffered from a psychology of defeat" following America's triumph over the Soviet Union and it was therefore important for Muslims to show their might and create terror (Friedman, 2007). The use of psychology to advance terrorist ideologies is not limited to bin Laden and al Qaeda. Indeed, leaders of terrorist groups capitalize on psychological techniques to recruit and influence their followers (Victoroff, 2005). This paper explains the various tools and techniques used by terrorist group leaders (irrespective of ideology, agenda, and motivation) to influence the psychological and behavioral factors of their followers.

Though terrorist leaders and groups are inspired by different ideologies, agendas, goals, and objectives, there tend to be significant similarities in their psychological and behavioral factors. First, terrorist leaders espouse the belief that social and political change can only be achieved through terrorism (Corte, 2007). Using the art of propaganda, terrorist leaders socialize their followers...

Indeed, the spread of terrorism and that of propaganda work in a similar fashion. In most cases, terrorist groups emanate from minority groups that feel marginalized by the majority mainly on political, social, and religious issues. The minorities then attempt to influence the majority to consider their views and interests. Through persistence, the minority may successfully change or influence the majority. Terrorist leaders use a similar approach. By propagating fear and terror via violence, they communicate a certain message and manipulate commonly held perceptions. They see terror as a way of not only advancing their political and religious demands, but also directing the attention of people to certain issues, which may be real, overstated, or fabricated (Corte, 2007).
The belief that social and political change can only be achieved through terrorism has particularly been evident in terrorism directed towards the U.S. Feeling that they cannot openly confront, restrain, or defeat the U.S., adversaries (both state and non-state actors) have used terrorism to oppose or attack the country (Department of State, 2007). These adversaries see the U.S. as particularly prone to the psychological effects generated by terrorism. The U.S., for instance, tends to be excessively averse to casualties and any loss of life is often taken out of proportion. For terrorist leaders, such psychological vulnerabilities are valuable tools for influencing their followers.

Demographically, terrorists do not have a uniform profile.…