Dr LeCrone
03-30-2006, 09:20 AM
`Terrorism – a malignant and terrorizing aspect of human behavior – is a relatively new area of service for mental health professionals.
During the past two years, I have been involved as a consultant with one of the three schools in the United States that are training personnel in anti-terrorism. In Central Texas, there is an ongoing educational effort to help families avoid becoming hostages or to cope with it should they be so unfortunate as to be taken hostage. As terrorism increases and is threatened on the streets of the United States, knowledge of the psychological makeup of terrorists is important.
What motivates a person to become a terrorist? Some answers are:
• Political motivation, a struggle for power or domination. Many of us are familiar with acts of espionage committed during wartime centered on the destruction of military targets and personnel.
• Religious motivation. These terrorists may think they are the “true believer,” may consider death a likely result and may even welcome death as a way toward martyrdom or assurance of an after-life. For the average person who correlates religion with peace, understanding terror in the name of religion is difficult.
• Organized crime. Power and economic gains lead to gang wars and violence such as acts committed by the Mafia.
How can a person recognize a terrorist?
• The “street smart” law enforcement or drug enforcement agent has long been familiar with the subtle signs of stress usually apparent in the individual committing an act of terrorism.
• Many airline personnel relate stories recalling anxious, jittery and unusual mannerisms of the terrorist prior to his act of violence.
• A field of study called observational psychology is trying to spot behaviors of the terrorist-prone individual in order to isolate the would-be terrorist, before he is in control. The object is to observe relevant facial expressions, body movements and other subtle features of human behavior.
What is being done to train people in anti-terrorist techniques?
Fire years ago a friend and associate of mine began a training school in Colorado valley. His pupils have learned defensive driving, martial arts, and combat firearm tactics. More than 400 men and women graduates are now bodyguards for politicians, movie stars and Arabian oil men.
Avoiding terrorism and coping with it are their goals. The center has accumulated information on profiles from revolutionary groups known to specialize in urban terrorism.
Next week I will look at some of these sociological profiles.
Harold H. LeCrone, Jr., Ph.D. Copyright 1986
During the past two years, I have been involved as a consultant with one of the three schools in the United States that are training personnel in anti-terrorism. In Central Texas, there is an ongoing educational effort to help families avoid becoming hostages or to cope with it should they be so unfortunate as to be taken hostage. As terrorism increases and is threatened on the streets of the United States, knowledge of the psychological makeup of terrorists is important.
What motivates a person to become a terrorist? Some answers are:
• Political motivation, a struggle for power or domination. Many of us are familiar with acts of espionage committed during wartime centered on the destruction of military targets and personnel.
• Religious motivation. These terrorists may think they are the “true believer,” may consider death a likely result and may even welcome death as a way toward martyrdom or assurance of an after-life. For the average person who correlates religion with peace, understanding terror in the name of religion is difficult.
• Organized crime. Power and economic gains lead to gang wars and violence such as acts committed by the Mafia.
How can a person recognize a terrorist?
• The “street smart” law enforcement or drug enforcement agent has long been familiar with the subtle signs of stress usually apparent in the individual committing an act of terrorism.
• Many airline personnel relate stories recalling anxious, jittery and unusual mannerisms of the terrorist prior to his act of violence.
• A field of study called observational psychology is trying to spot behaviors of the terrorist-prone individual in order to isolate the would-be terrorist, before he is in control. The object is to observe relevant facial expressions, body movements and other subtle features of human behavior.
What is being done to train people in anti-terrorist techniques?
Fire years ago a friend and associate of mine began a training school in Colorado valley. His pupils have learned defensive driving, martial arts, and combat firearm tactics. More than 400 men and women graduates are now bodyguards for politicians, movie stars and Arabian oil men.
Avoiding terrorism and coping with it are their goals. The center has accumulated information on profiles from revolutionary groups known to specialize in urban terrorism.
Next week I will look at some of these sociological profiles.
Harold H. LeCrone, Jr., Ph.D. Copyright 1986