title: Bombing alone: tracing the motivations and antecedent behaviors of lone-actor terrorists,.
abstract: This article analyzes the sociodemographic network characteristics and antecedent behaviors of 119 lone-actor terrorists. This marks a departure from existing analyses by largely focusing upon behavioral aspects of each offender. This article also examines whether lone-actor terrorists differ based on their ideologies or network connectivity. The analysis leads to seven conclusions. There was no uniform profile identified. In the time leading up to most lone-actor terrorist events, other people generally knew about the offender's grievance, extremist ideology, views, and/or intent to engage in violence. A wide range of activities and experiences preceded lone actors' plots or events. Many but not all lone-actor terrorists were socially isolated. Lone-actor terrorists regularly engaged in a detectable and observable range of activities with a wider pressure group, social movement, or terrorist organization. Lone-actor terrorist events were rarely sudden and impulsive. There were distinguishable behavioral differences between subgroups. The implications for policy conclude this article.
authors: Department of Security and Crime Science, University College London, 35 Tavistock Square, London, WC1H 9EZ, U.K.
authors: Paul
authors: P
authors: Gill
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Horgan
authors: Paige
authors: P
authors: Deckert
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D054042:Bombs; D003415:Crime / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003417:Criminal Psychology; D004522:Educational Status; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005555:Forensic Psychiatry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009042:Motivation; D009790:Occupations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011057:Politics; D011593:Psychology, Social; D012067:Religion; D012933:Social Identification; D012934:Social Isolation; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology; D023481:Terrorism / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: forensic science; lone-actor terrorism; lone-wolf terrorism; motivation; terrorism; terrorist behavior; typology