Paths to Destruction: A Group Portrait of America's Jihadists - Comparing Jihadists Travelers with Domestic Plotters
Abstract
Ever since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, homegrown jihadist terrorists have been a major security concern for the U.S. government. In this report, I examine hundreds of U.S. residents who have traveled or attempted to travel to foreign lands to join or otherwise support foreign terrorist organizations. The focus of the analysis is on the individuals' characteristics and what their collective demographic profile can reveal about who is going abroad to join jihadist groups. The research outlined here furthers analysis described in my 2017 piece titled The Origins of America's Jihadists. The observations derived from this continuing research should be of interest to government analysts and policymakers, as well as other researchers, academics, and members of the general public who seek to better understand jihadist radicalization and recruiting in the United States.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2020
- Accession Number
- AD1108973
Entities
People
- Brian Michael Jenkins
Organizations
- RAND Corporation