Studies on radicalization & comments

[Bob's World]

So, just curious, what percentage of American colonists in support of revolution were "radicalized" by the words of Sam Adams and Thomas Paine; versus those who were radicalized by the actions of British governance and discrimination?

Was this man radicalized while he was in prison, or because of why he perceived he was in prison??

[Firn]

Was this man radicalized while he was in prison, or because of why he perceived he was in prison??

Perhaps we will never know but I'm pretty sure this is a question which gets asked in Western security services.

The Guardian has a short profile which as often asks more question then it gives answers.

Past the children’s play areas of the estate, Emilie Hansson, 26, who is half Swedish, said she knew El-Hussein and had seen him at the estate last week. She said: “For me he’s not a terrorist. He’s someone who felt finished with life and decided to go out with a big bang.” An 18-year-old at school nearby said he thought those who knew El-Hussein had been shocked he could have carried out the attacks.

He had certainly some of the more common traits of European citiziens going to Syria. Perhaps most importantly he was an unemployed young loser of Islamic faith with a certain ethnic and criminal background.

[davidbfpo]

Firn,

On Twitter there were several references to this man being involved a random act of violence, possibly with a knife and he was released two weeks ago after serving an incredibly short jail sentence.

On my second reading The Guardian does refer to this:

where he was serving a two-year sentence for stabbing a 19-year-old man on Copenhagen’s inner-city train system. He had been released from prison only two weeks before the attacks in Copenhagen this weekend.

Wiki has this:

he only served one year out of his two year prison sentence

[Firn]

Without knowing the circumstances one year does seem indeed little, especially if his change in behaviour in prison brought him seemingly on the radar of the Danish security services. Lots of speculation of course.

An important aspect of the two recent attacks is in my humble opinion is the use of (illegal) automatic rifles. As I wrote before gun violence in Europe is very rare, especially the use of (semi)automatic rifles. In the US handguns dominate, on a considerable higher overall level, gun violence as well. Keep in mind that in many European countries access to semiautomatic rifles on military patterns is quite easy, for example in Italy. Objectively the majority of the population can buy such weapons with practically zero problems. This might surprise some, personally I 'found out' about that aspect only after the Sandy Hook Shooting. Keep in mind that I hunt, so maybe I should have known better.

So far I read little about the origin of the weapons as the security forces are clearly trying to map out their trails.

[Bob's World]

The greasegun is a super cheap .45 cal submachine gun developed by the US to arm revolutionary and resistance fighters with who's actions we thought would advance our interests. We did not radicalize those fighters, that had already been accomplished by the occupying powers and the illegitimate regimes established by those powers to support their agendas.

Point being, who gave this guy a weapon is interesting, but it doesn't have much to do with why he used it.

[davidbfpo]

The much-hyped White House CVE conference has led to many comments and one Tweet just saying it was a chaotic meeting!

Yassin Musharbash, a German-Jordanian, has a comment on an important aspect 'A few Thoughts on "Counter Narratives" and "Counter Messaging:

....radicalization can be the result of frustration over not having been able to achieve anything through political activism. But that's not the case, apparently. What we see instead is that many of those who end up waging war in Syria have been radicalized at a dramatic speed. As if there had been a vacuum that needed to be filled as quickly as possible.

In fact, I think this is actually what happens. Many of those who radicalize do it because the ideology of Jihadism offers them simple and all-encompassing answers to all their questions and problems - and it instills them with a deep sense of purpose and meaning, something most other ideas on offer seem to be failing at.

Link:http://abususu.blogspot.de/2015/02/a...arratives.html

The official WH public statement:http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-...lent-extremism

Clint Watts asks 'What should we expect? More of the same or a new direction to counter ISIS?' and he ends asking for a few simple tools:

... creativity, a credit card, and some film students.

Link:http://www.fpri.org/geopoliticus/201...7UfUE.linkedin

Two useful tables

[Bob's World]

The ideology has been there for 15 years, but now suddenly 20,000 pack up and go.

Is it so hard to accept that it is the mission that is the draw, and not the message?

I think Western egos can accept that so many have been brainwashed, but can't accept that so many see the Sunni-Shia competition for influence as so incredibly vital with clear eyes and mind.

We need to wake up and clear our own eyes and minds as to the nature of the problem.