Topic > Personality Characteristics of a Terrorist - 725

In today's world, increasingly, circumstances have brought about changes in how members have used radical protest. One way used to protest a situation is through terrorism, and people who exercise violence in pursuit of what they believe are just causes are alternatively known as terrorists. This movement, while seen as barbaric, requires a person to consider the needs and goals of a particular cause greater than those of the well-being of others. There are some characteristic traits that can be found in most terrorism, which can identify a profile of a terrorist's mind. A terrorist is not only a crazy person, but also possibly a person who has been forced, by personal decision or by situations out of control, to choose a “crazy” method to achieve an unattainable goal. The fundamental beginning of a terrorist organization is the adoption of a cause which, in most cases, involves the liberation of a group of people. This group can base its claims on history (real or hastily invented), on a common heritage, on a language shared by group members, and, most importantly, on hatred and contempt directed towards an enemy (Reich 10-11 ). The Middle East is plagued by many different Zionists who all have a “historical claim” to Jerusalem, also known as the city of Zion. The Hezbollah organization is one of the most dangerous terrorist groups in the Middle East. This organization achieved power thanks to the heroic vision of jihad (holy war), state funding received from the Islamic Republic of Iran, and “natural right” organizations in Israel, particularly Jerusalme, due to the belief that Jews they are nothing but land squatters. Hezbollah exploited the hatred and contempt Muslims have for the Jews occupying the city of Zion to gain support for the liberation of Lebanon. This brings out the first characteristic of the personality of an oppressed person or people. There is a high frequency among terrorists of psychological damage in childhood (Reich 27). While not all terrorists come from devastated families, there are a large number who come from fragmented families where one or both parents were not present. Another characteristic of a terrorist's personality is dedication. A terrorist cannot be a casual or part-time mercenary, willing to operate only when acts of violence suit the convenience of a cause.