BANGLADESH INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL AND STRATEGIC STUDIES

COUNTERING LONE WOLF TERRORISM: CHALLENGES AND STRATEGIES

Author: Abu Salah Md. Yousuf

DOI Link: https://www.doi.org/10.56888/BIISSj2017v38n4a1

ABSTRACT

The increasing trend of lone wolf terrorism has emerged as a new security threat for many nations of the world. Though it is not a new phenomenon, due to technological expansion and online radicalisation, the fear of lone wolf attacks is rising all over the world. When countries have developed a strong surveillance mechanism against group terrorism, the terrorist masterminds are spreading extremist ideologies to motivate individuals for lone wolf attacks. However, there are many unresolved questions among the academics and practitioners on the issue of understanding and countering lone wolf terrorism: How to define lone wolf terrorism? What are the challenges to face lone wolves and what types of strategies are necessary to counter lone wolf attacks? Based on the existing literature, this study tries to review the ongoing debates on the definition of lone wolf terrorism and summarises some common features of lone wolf attackers. Nevertheless, due to diversified motivational and ideological factors, it is difficult for security forces to identify lone wolf attackers. Moreover, many lone wolves have psychological disorders and mental instability which is a problem to identify or convict them as a criminal before they carry out any attack. In addition, since lone wolves do not maintain any connected network, it is difficult to adopt preventive measures against them. To face lone wolves, the security forces need special surveillance mechanism and strong community engagement. Three dimensional strategies are recommended in the existing literature: motivational, surveillance and hard security approaches. The strategies need to be context-specific and compatible with particular country’s cultural and legal traditions.