Waubonsee Community College

Terror in the name of God, why religious militants kill, Jessica Stern

eng

Includes bibliographical references and index

index present

non fiction

Terror in the name of God

bibliography

52030499

Jessica Stern

why religious militants kill

For four years, the author interviewed extremist members of three religions around the world: Christians, Jews, and Muslims. Traveling extensively to refugee camps in Lebanon, to religious schools in Pakistan, to prisons in Amman, Asqelon, and Pensacola, she discovered that the Islamic jihadi in the mountains of Pakistan and the Christian fundamentalist bomber in Oklahoma have much in common. Based on her vast research, she lucidly explains how terrorist organizations are formed by opportunistic leaders who, using religion as both motivation and justification, recruit the disenfranchised. She depicts how moral fervor is transformed into sophisticated organizations that strive for money, power, and attention. Her extensive interaction with the faces behind the terror provide unprecedented insight into acts of inexplicable horror, and enable her to suggest how terrorism can most effectively be countered

pt. 1. Grievances that give rise to holy war. Alienation ; Humiliation ; Demographics ; History ; Territory -- pt. 2. Holy war organizations. Inspirational leaders and their followers ; Lone-wolf avengers ; Commanders and their cadres ; The ultimate organization : networks, franchises, and freelancers ; Conclusion, policy recommendations