The Making of a Homegrown Terrorist: Brainwashing Rebels in Search of a Cause

Peter A. Olsson, MD, uses his training as a psychiatrist to create an in-depth psychological profile of individuals most likely to commit acts of violent terrorism. This profile is of professional interest to police and security forces tasked with predicting and preventing terrorists acts. It should also be familiar to ordinary civilians as an aid in identifying individuals who are at risk of becoming homegrown terrorists. Olsson’s timeline for source material begins in 1969 with Bernadine Dorhn’s call for an “armed struggle” against the US government; it ends with the Tsarnaev brothers bombing of the Boston Marathon in 2013. In between are numerous other profiles drawn primarily from the Americas, Europe, and the Middle East. All assessments are evidence-driven and supported by detailed facts from the historical record.

With compelling logic, Olsson shows that the terrorist mindset is particularly likely to be triggered in young men and women who see themselves as “in between” significant life stages or stations. For example, a typical terrorist might feel “in between” adolescence and adulthood, or school and gainful employment, or military service and civilian life, or prison and civilian life. People who see themselves as “in between” feel alienated from the dominant socio-economic and political order and easily develop intense resentment and anger. Often they long for an authoritarian father figure who can give meaning and purpose to their lives. They are easily led, easily conscripted as combatants for a “noble cause,” and typically develop an “us versus them” mentality steeped in anger and rage, a psychological state encouraged and promoted by their fanatical handlers.

An important insight provided by Olsson is that feelings of alienation and disenfranchisement are particularly easy to ignite in individuals whose perceptions have been shaped by religious fundamentalism, especially certain traditions in Islam and Christianity. Individuals from these fundamentalist traditions are more likely to see the world in black-and-white terms that, to their minds, justify and even demand acts of violence. Olsson concludes that Islam is not solely responsible for modern terrorism, but it is a particularly effective abettor of terrorism in Muslim subcultures that feel disenfranchised by the rise of the West. Many Islamic terrorists are from wealthy families and are well educated and sophisticated; nevertheless, often for deep psychological reasons related to Middle Eastern culture, they are intellectually vulnerable to Imams and other authority figures with jihadist agendas.

Islam’s role in terrorism is a delicate topic in today’s atmosphere of political correctness where any negative comments about Islam will be condemned by some Muslims as “Islamophobic.” Olsson’s analysis of Islam’s nexus with terrorism is entirely objective and free of religious bias. This book is a valuable corrective to the many media spokespersons who seem willing to go to any length to avoid being called Islamophobic. While the motives of these public spokespersons may be well intended, the media’s failure to speak plainly and factually muddles popular understanding of the sources of terrorism. Written in clear, jargon-free prose, this book performs the admirable function of speaking truth to the distortions of political correctness. Highly recommended.

This is an extraordinary book, by a highly trained author. Dr. Olsson is an academic psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, who has served on two medical school faculties before retiring . The approach used to understanding the psychological making of terrorists is a careful psychobiological study of all the reports and biographical material available, and it is meticulously extensive. All the notorious and well-known suspects are carefully reviewed as completely as the available material allows. In this way Dr. Olsson paints a carefully drawn word- picture of what factors lead to a person choosing the life of a terrorist.

There is a proviso to this type of analysis as Olsson clearly notes on page 107: "It is unethical for a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst to make a medical psychiatric diagnosis or recommend treatment without face-to-face consultation meetings. the limitations of the author's psychobiological approach needs to be noted."

Since these people are literally hiding in plain sight, the very important clues that Dr. Olsson offers are extremely valuable and should be required reading for every FBI interrogator. As the book describes, the emotional journey from early childhood through adolescence until full adult judgmental abilities are reached is a long process in today's complex society. Family members, friends, coaches, teachers, and mentors need to be observant of warning changes in ideas and behaviors. As young life moves from stage to stage, it is the in-between periods that cause the most stress. Dr. Olsson uses the term "in-betweeners" in his careful description of clues to look for. Such "persons are more open to persuasion and are more suggestible to accepting things, ideas and new behaviors" and "less likely to consider that such offerings might have strings attached." (pg. 11) A list of underlying dynamics on page 62 is extremely valuable.

A very unusual aspect of this book is the background information Dr. Olsson provides. For example there is a history of the foreign relations between this country, the Saudis and Pakistan, which helps to explain what Pakistanis might think about the United States. There is a careful description of family life in Chechnya and that country's long and arduous relationship with Russia, as background to understanding the Boston Marathon bombers, the Tzarnaev brothers. In discussing Bill Ayer (Weather Underground) Dr. Olsson carefully reviews "Just War" Theory on page 120, since President Johnson's enlarging and continuing the Vietnam War was Ayer's major complaint. Providing this type if information is extremely helpful to readers not familiar with the surrounding factors.

To help further education on this topic the book has an additional reading list, an extensive glossary of terms and concepts, a bibliography of references, and a fine index. It has a copy of the Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Act, H.R. 1953, 110th Congress. This book should be in every library, and every law enforcement institution in this country.

It has been such a pleasure to watch Dr. Peter Olsson grow, develop, and mature as an author over the last 15-20 years. Beginning with his early poetic tributes to his Psychiatry/Psychoanalyst mentors and continuing with Malignant Pied Pipers, the Osama bin Laden book, A Boyish God and, now, The Making of a Homegrown Terrorist, Dr. Olsson has incorporated his deep understanding of the hazards of transitional periods in people's lives with a prose that is very readable and well within the reach of the non psychiatric/psychoanalyst population. I was particularly impressed with his well researched chapter on Bill Ayers which provides the reader with new perspectives into the turbulent 60s and 70s. In light of the current situation in the Middle East, I believe that Olsson's book is a must read for anyone trying to make sense of the dangerous times we live in.

Very relevant subject, especially in light of recent attacks in Paris. It given an in-depth insight into psychological underpinning of the phenomenon of radicalization and terrorism. The price is, however, quite prohibitive, therefore the book will inevitably reach a very limited audience, which is unfortunate.

Dr. Olsson has written a timely and provocative book. From Osama bin Laden to the Tsarnaev brothers, the Right Wing and Left Wing terrorists, he has outlined the psychodynamics of these Homegrown Terrorists. His hope is that, if we recognize the signs, we might be able to intervene before these "in-betweeners" become terrorists. This is a fascinating read.
Patricia A Barth, PhD
Clinical Psychologist