Who is a terrorist expert - an opinion

[JMA]

Former terrorists with at least one year experience on the job in a leadership position.

You may be correct but currently it means ...

... someone who studies or works at a university. Has read all the papers published on terrorism by others also studying or working at a university somewhere and who may or may not have had a chat with or interviewed or even just seen a photo of a real terrorist.

See these guys on TV all the time.

[Dayuhan]

Has read all the papers published on terrorism by others also studying or working at a university somewhere and who may or may not have had a chat with or interviewed or even just seen a photo of a real terrorist.

And statements made in one paper then appear in another, and another, and another, until they are accepted as "fact", no matter how specious the original source...