Terrorist Threats

Garrett Drew
Student #4321963






HLSS154 B001 Spring 12

Michael Anderson
Mind of a Terrorist
American Military University
May 20, 2012

















  Introduction

Al-Qaida has is a group with a very storied and long history within the realms of terrorism. As the true roots of the group begin to be examined the group can be traced back to the conflict that plagued Afghanistan from 1979 to 1989. After finding a rallying call for their cause the group began to take shape and build its infrastructure for the future fight it would bring to the world. The group’s main area of focus is the spread of a “holy war or “jihad” against any force they view as a threat.1 The spread of Islamic Jihad is fundamentally tied directly to this group and it has served as a powerful force to execute terrorist activity throughout the world.


The members of the group are a very rare breed of individuals who have completely sold out to what they feel as persecution to the religious ideologies that have been well engrained within the individual group members. Dr.Post a former CIA psychologist explained “ the most common misconception is that the individual terrorist are mentally disturbed”.1   The group has made a very well defined plan in sorting out the mentally disturbed individuals and created forces built on people with the skills to carry out, plan and execute very extensive attacks. The leadership is built on highly educated terrorist who can command and educate the other members for maximum potential. Al-Qaeda's management philosophy has been described as "centralization of decision and decentralization of execution”2   The group has made a very firm effort in perfecting the ability to have its members close enough to the fold that a leader can be centralized while having the capable staff in place to execute attacks with full follow through while be decentralized and in some cases cut off from direct influence, training and supplies.... [continues]

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