Gangster Jihad: ISIS Recruiting Criminal Thugs for Murder
10-13-2016
Nearly 60 percent of European jihadists studied by researchers for a new report had been jailed previously, creating a "super-gang."
Once recruited by ISIS, criminals easily transition to committing violence for a different cause, the International Centre for the Study of Radicalization and Political
Violence at King's College London says.
The practice makes the group distinct from other Islamist organizations such as al Qaeda, which often radicalized students, intellectuals or other previously nonviolent individuals to carry out acts of terror.
"They are the perfect fit," Peter Neumann, the center's director, said of the criminals joining ISIS. "Islamic State doesn't require any intellectual sophistication. It doesn't ask you to study religion. It makes it all like a computer game."
Echoing a CBN News reports two years ago, the researchers said the Islamic State offers criminals a chance at "redemption" without requiring a change in behavior.
With recruits who are already accustomed to violence, it is less difficult to persuade them to go further. They are also familiar with weapons and are adept at "staying under the radar" and logistical planning.
The report also estimated that some 40 percent of terror plots in Europe are now being financed in part by street crime like selling drugs or counterfeit goods.
One of those involved in the attack on the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo financed his activities by selling counterfeit sports shoes on the streets of Paris.
The researchers warn also that European prisons will become more important breeding grounds for the jihadist movement as the number of people convicted of terrorism-related offenses increases.
