Jihadi Terrorism and the Radicalisation Challenge. European and American Experiences

  • Author: Rik Coolsaet
  • Published by Ashgate (2011)
  • ISBN: 9781409425694

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Two narratives are competing as to the scope of the jihadi threat today. The first one is that al-Qaeda is still the formidable foe it once was. It has shown remarkable strength and adaptability to ever-changing circumstances, notably by targeting the West from within by home-grown groups and individuals it lures into terrorism through sophisticated propaganda. The alternative narrative portrays a scattered group of amateurs displaying more fervor than skill. Osama bin Laden definitely lost his Rob Hood image and jihadi terrorism its juggernaut luster by the sheer revulsion its killings inspire, and as a result of international and national efforts and the growing resilience in Muslim communities and Muslim-majority countries