Runninghead:LONEWOLFTERRORISMINTHEUNITEDSTATES

LoneWolfTerrorismintheUnitedStates
T.T.
SaintLeoUniversity

LONEWOLFTERRORISMINTHEUNITEDSTATES

LoneWolfTerrorismintheUnitedStates
Terrorismisaformofcriminalactivitythatoccursinmostcountriesthroughoutthe
world.Ingeneral,terrorismisadifficultconcepttogiveanexactdefinitiontoordetermine
characteristicsthatrelatetoallterroristsbecausetherearemanykindsofpeopleinvolvedand
differentmotivesforeachterroristorterroristgroup.Simplyput,terrorisminvolvesapersonor
groupofpeoplethatcommitviolenceorthreatenviolenceagainstothersbecauseofapolitical
motive.Theoccurrencesandformsofterrorismhavechangedfrequentlythroughoutthehistory
worldbuttheUnitedStateshasbeenseeingaparticularlylargeshiftincriminalterroristactivity
overthepastfewdecades.Lonewolfterrorismisaspecifictypeofterrorismthatinvolvesa
singlepersoncommittingviolenceagainstothers.Thisformofterrorismhasseenextensive
growthintheUnitedStatesformanydifferentreasonsincludingculturalshifts,politicalunrest,
andoverallinstabilitywithinthecountry.
Alonewolfterroristisasinglepersonwhoactsoftheirownvolition,withoutbeing
involvedinanyformalorinformalgroups,tocarryoutviolentactssupportingacertainpolitical
ideologyormovement(Weimann,2012).Thesetypesofterroristsarebecomingmoreandmore
activeandprevalentwithintheUnitedStatesandarenowseenasextremethreatstoinnocent
people.Becausetheseindividualsdonotbelongtoanygroupororganization,theyareextremely
difficulttotrackdownordetecttheirthreatbeforetheycommitaviolentact.Thismakesthe
threatoflonewolfterroristsevengreater.Withoutacertainunderstandingoftheirmotives,
character,orpublicdisplayofintentionofharmtoothers,theyarehighlyunlikelytobecaught
beforetheyharmorkilltheirtargets.Thoughlonewolfterroristsdonotcommunicatewith
knownextremistgroups,theytypicallygainmotivationandinspirationfromtheseorganizations

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becausetheyidentifywiththeideologiesandbeliefsthegroupsupportsaswell(Weimann,
2012).
Theearliestdocumentedcaseoflonewolfterrorismwasin1940byUnabomberGeorge
Metesky,accordingtoaresearchdatabaseconstructedbyHammandSpaaij(2015).Inthis
database,researchersgatheredcasesoflonewolfterrorismandcomparedpre9/11incidencesto
post9/11incidencestohelpdeterminecauses,trends,andpossiblestrategiesforcontrolling
thesecriminalacts.Thedatabasecollected38lonewolfterroristsbetween1940and2000and45
between2001and2013(Hamm&Spaaij,2015).Thisfactaloneshowsadramaticincreasein
lonewolfactivitywith38documentedincidencesoccurringover60yearsand45incidences
happeninginonly13years.Theresearchersalsodiscoveredthattheweaponsusedbypost9/11
lonewolfterroristshaveincreasedaswelltoincludeairplanes,biologicalweapons,knives,and
otherweapons,inadditiontothetypicallyusedfirearmsandbombs.Bombswereusuallythe
weaponofchoicebyloneterroristsbefore2000,butinrecentyears,theseterroristsoptfor
firearms.AccordingtoHammandSpaaij,thischangeinweaponchoicesmayhavetodowith
theavailabilityoftheweaponsduetotheincreasedcontrolsonbombmakingsuppliesandthe
relaxationofguncontrollawsduringthe1990s(2015).ThepoliticalnatureoftheUnitedStates
haschangeddramaticallysince2000causingachangeinthewaycriminals,particularly
terrorists,behaveandplot.
Asexplainedpreviously,lonewolfterroristsarehardtoidentifyanddetectpriorto
criminalactsbecausetheydonothaveanywelldefinedcharactertypesandnoneactinthesame
ways.HammandSpaaijexplainthatmostlonewolfterroristsintheUnitedStatesare
unemployed,singlewhitemaleswhohaveapreviouscriminalrecord.Theseindividualsmay

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alsobemoreatriskorhaveapreviouslydiagnosedmentalillnessaswell,whichcouldbean
indicativefactorinthecreationoflonewolfterrorism(2015).Theselonewolfterroristsmight
alsobeseenasoutcastsofasociety,sotheirideas,beliefs,andvaluesarenotoftenheardor
respectedbyothers,whichmaydrivetheirneedtoactoutviolentlyinsupportoftheirbeliefs.
Therearealsomanydifferentmotivesthatincitelonewolfactsofterrorismincludingwhite
supremacy,jihadism,rightandleftwingextremism,andantigovernmentattitudes.
WhitesupremacyisthebiggestmotiveformodernlonewolfterrorismintheUnited
Statesandhasresultedinmanyviolentcrimesthroughoutthepastfewdecades.Attacks
motivatedbywhitesupremacyideologyincludethemassacreof9AfricanAmericansina
churchinCharleson,SouthCarolina,perpetratedbyDylannRoofin2015(Worth,2016).
Radicaljihadismisalsorisingduetotheadvocacyofthedecentralizationofthejihadist
movement.AccordingtoWorth,awriternamedAbuMusabAlSuri,whowasconnectedtoAl
Qaeda,publisheda1,600pagemanifestocallingforleaderlessjihadistotakeactionandwork
independentlyallthroughouttheworldinordertofulfillthejihadistbelief(2016).Withtherise
ofadecentralized,individualactionjihadistmovement,ISIStookontheinitiativeandeven
begantakingcreditforcriminalactsofviolencethatthegroupdidnotdirectlyparticipatein.
ISISsupportersarecallingforanyactofviolencetotakeplacebecauseitisbelievedthatmany
smallactscommittedwiththeideologyinmindisbetterfortheexpansionofthejihadist
ideology(Worth,2016)
Theriseinthesecrimesandthetypesofpeoplewhojoininonvariouscausesor
movementsarerelatedtothecultureandpoliticalenvironmentofthecountry.Extremismin
manyformsareabletotakerootduetotheinsecurities,uncertainty,andoverallinstabilityofthe

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politicalandsocialculturethroughouttheUnitedStates.Worthexplainsthat,morerecently,
therehasbeenadisconnectbetweenthehumanneedforidentity,aconnection,meaning,
assurance,freedom,andrespectandtherealityoflivingintheUnitedStates(2016).Becauseof
theseseveredisconnects,peoplearemorepronetoseekoutandinteractwithextremist
communitiesinanefforttofitin,identifywith,orconnecttoothersinanimpactfulmanner
(Worth,2016).Unfortunately,theseemotionalandmentalstatesmakelostindividualsmore
likelytojoinnegativeanddangerousgroupsofpeopleandleadthemtoperformactstheymay
nothaveotherwisecommitted.Thisisespeciallyshownduetotheincreasingnumberofyoung
adultsparticipatinginandperformingactsoflonewolfterrorism.Changesinpoliticalandsocial
naturecanbeespeciallydifficultforyoungadultsgoingthroughpivotalmomentsintheirlives.
Withoutpositivesocialconnectionsandmoralbeliefsystems,theyaremuchmoresusceptibleto
followingextremistgroupsfromafarinordertofeelasenseofbelongingandperformanceof
actswithagoal(Bates,2012).
Selfradicalizationisalsoaverycommoncharacteristicoflonewolfterrorists.These
typesofterroristsdonotbelongtoorreceiveordersfromanestablishedterroristgroupor
extremistorganization.Usuallytheseindividualsseekoutinformationorinspirationthroughthe
internetandsocialmedia.Technologyhasexpandedgreatlysothereisahugeamountof
informationavailabletoanyonewhoisinterestedinfindingitontheinternet(Weimann,2012).
Thejihadistmovementinparticularhasgrowntremendouslyduetotheinfluenceofavailable
propagandaontheinternetandthroughoutsocialmediaapps,howeverotherracistandanti
governmentmovementshaveutilizedthesetoolsaswell(Bates,2012).Selfradicalizationoccurs
whentheindividualfindstheseresourcesandbecomesenmeshedbythephilosophiesandthe

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ideologiesthataresupportedwithin.Becausetheyarenotanactivepartofextremistgroupsor
organizations,theseindividualsaredrivenandmotivatedbytheirowndesiretoupholdthe
beliefsofthesegroupsandperformtheactsnecessarytocontinuethemovement(Bates,2012).
Notonlyisinformationavailable,buttheinternetallowsindividualstoconnectwithoneanother
fromacrosstheglobe.Thisparticulartypeofinteractionandconnectionisimportantbecauseit
canpotentiallycauseanindividualtoturnfromjustaninformedextremisttoanangryand
motivatedextremist(Zierhoffer,2014).
Theleaderlessresistanceideologyhasbeenheavilysupportedandpropagatedtohelp
expandthedifferentextremistgroupsreach.Onewhitesupremacist,AlexCurtis,usedthe
internettopushhiswhitesupremacistideasandpromotethelonewolfconceptaswell.Infact,
CurtisusedhiswebsitetopublishaLoneWolfPointsSystemthatassignedscoresfor
assassinationscommittedbasedontheimportanceofthevictim(Bates,2012).Itisimportantto
understandhowthechangefromgroupbasedterrorismtoindividuallyenactedterrorismimpacts
terrorismthroughouteverycountry.Groupbasedterrorismiseasiertodetect,trackdown,and
controlbecauseofthelargerpopulationandcommunicationbetweenmembers.Lonewolf
terrorismismuchhardertodetectbecausetherearelessknowndeterminingfactorsthatdrive
individualstocommitactsofviolenceandarenotasoutspokenabouttheirplanspriortothe
attackoccurring(Bates,2012).Inotherwords,itismucheasiertohidelonewolfterrorismthan
itistohidelargegroupsofterrorists.
Inadditiontobeingdrivenbythedesiretofeelasenseofbelongingtoagroup,lonewolf
terroristsmayalsoholdthebeliefstheysupportandbecomeradicalintheattempttocorrect
injusticestheyfeelhaveoccurredtothemselvesortoothers(Bates,2012).Thisisthecasein

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lonewolfterrorismthatisdrivenbyantiabortion,antigovernment,andantilawenforcement
ideologies.Thelonewolfterroristmaynothaveevenbeendirectlyinvolvedintheseinjustices
buttheyactonthebehalfofthosewhotheyfeelhavebeenmistreated.
Therearealsodifferentformsoflonewolfterrorism.AccordingtoBates,terrorism
comesintwoforms:chaosorcareers(2012).Chaosterrorismoccurswithasingleeventand
servestocausedamageanddisruptionwiththisoneeventonly.Popularformsofchaotic
terrorismincludesuicideterrorismandmassacres.Forexample,9/11isconsideredaformof
chaosterrorismbecauseitwasasingleviolentandseverelyimpactfulevent.Thedevastationof
theeventnotonlyresultedfromtheterriblelossoflifeduringtheeventbutalsotheaftermath
andfearcausedbytheevent,itspublicity,andspreadduetomediacoverage(Bates,2012).The
FortHoodMassacrein2009perpetuatedbyArmyPsychiatristMajorNadalHasanisalsoan
exampleofchaosterrorism.MajorHasanwentonarampagewithinhisworkplaceatFortHood
resultinginthedeathof30andwoundingof30others(2016).Thesetwoexamplesdealwith
verydifferentexample,butbothresultinadevastatingimpacttothecommunityandentire
country.Chaosterroristeventsusuallyresultinmorecasualtiesanddestructionbecausetheyare
singleeventswiththeintenttocauseharm.Additionally,chaosterrorismismostoftenthe
choiceofreligiousextremistsbecause,asinthecaseofsuicidebombings,theperpetratorusually
diesduringtheactaswell.Inmanyreligiousideologies,thisisaformofaltruismbecausethey
arefulfillingthemovementbycausingdeathanddestruction,butalsosacrificingonesownlife
todoso(Bates,2012).
Careerterrorism,ontheotherhand,iswhenaloneterroristperformsmanyactsoveran
extendedperiodoftime.Thesecangoonformanyyearsorevendecadesbeforetheterroristis

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apprehended.Careerterrorismusuallyinvolveslowerlevelactsofviolencebutbecausethey
occurfrequentlyovermanyyears,maycausethesameoverallimpactaschaosterrorism(Bates,
2012).AnexampleofcareerterrorismcomesfromUnabomber,TedZazinsky,whois
responsibleforamailbombingoperationthatlastednearly20yearsandresultedinthedeathof
3individualsandwoundingofmanyothers.Unlikechaosterrorismwhichoftenresultsinthe
deathoftheterroristandisseenasanaltruisticmotive,careerterrorismoccursbecausethe
terroristholdsthebeliefthattheirsurvivalisnecessaryinordertocontinuecarryingouttheir
mission.Batessuggeststhatcareerterroristshavesimilarcharacteristicstopsychopathsbecause
theyfindpleasureinthegameofterrorism,evadingauthorities,andcontrollingtheirsituations.
Theseindividualsoftenappeartobenormalmembersofsociety,whichmakesthemevenharder
todetect(2012).Batesalsoexplainsthatinparticular,careerterroristsdisplaytheloner
characteristicmoreoftenandtendtobehighlyintelligent,selfcentered,andsometimesparanoid
(2012).Theystrugglewiththeneedtojustifytheiractionsandmayoftenpublishlettersto
explainwhytheycommitsuchacts.TedZazinsky,forexample,publishedamanifestoand
explainedtheinordertogetourmessagebeforethepublicwehadtokillpeople(Bates,
2012).Withthisinmind,itisclearthatmanyoftheseterroristswithextremistviewsbelieve
theymustcommithorribleactsinordertogainthepublicitytheyfeelisnecessaryfortheircause
ormovement.
Overall,lonewolfterrorismhasbeenprevalentinAmericansocietyformanyyears.
Althoughthemotivesandmethodshavechangedsignificantlyovertime,theseindividualsand
ideologiespersist.LonewolfterrorismisparticularlydevastatinginmodernAmericabecauseof
theheavyuseofinternetandsocialmediadrivingandinfluencingindividualstotakepartin

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performingtheirowncriminalacts.Lonewolfterroristsdonotworkdirectlywithoreven
communicatewithestablishedterroristorganized,buttheyareindirectlyencouragedtojointhe
fightincorrectingtheperceivedinjustices.Thistypeofterrorismhasmanydifferentmotives,
fromreligiontopolitics,aswellasmanydifferentacts,includingsuicidebombings,mass
shootings,andattacks.LonewolfterrorismisacontinuouslygrowingthreattoAmericanculture,
society,andpolitics,anditisnecessarytounderstandthecharacteristics,motives,andcausesin
ordertobegincombattingandcontrollingitsfurthergrowth.

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References
Bates,R.A.(2012,April18).Dancingwithwolves:Today'slonewolfterrorists.TheJournalof
PublicandProfessionalSociology,4(1).
Spaaij,R.,&Hamm,M.(2015,February).Lonewolfterrorisminamerica:Usingknowledgeof
radicalizationpathwaystoforgepreventionstrategies.
Weimann,G.(2012,September22).Lonewolvesincyberspace.JournalofTerrorismResearch,
3(2).
Worth,K.(2016,July14).LonewolfattacksarebecomingmorecommonAndmoredeadly.
RetrievedDecember04,2016,fromhttp://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/lone
wolfattacksarebecomingmorecommonandmoredeadly/
Zierhoffer,D.(2014,Fall).Threatassessment:Doloneterroristsdifferfromotherlone
offenders?JournalofStrategicSecurity,7(3),4862.