Cover Page. The handle holds various files of this Leiden University dissertation.

Transcription

1 Cover Page The handle holds various files of this Leiden University dissertation. Author: Schuurman, B.W. Title: Becoming a European homegrown jihadist: a multilevel analysis of involvement in the Dutch Hofstadgroup, Issue Date:

2 Becoming a European homegrown jihadist: A multilevel analysis of involvement in the Dutch Hofstadgroup, Bart Schuurman

3

4 Becoming a European homegrown jihadist: A multilevel analysis of involvement in the Dutch Hofstadgroup, Proefschrift ter verkrijging van de graad van Doctor aan de Universiteit Leiden, op gezag van Rector Magnificus prof.mr. C.J.J.M. Stolker, volgens besluit van het College voor Promoties te verdedigen op donderdag 26 januari 2017 klokke 16:15 uur door Bart Willem Schuurman geboren te Muscat (Oman) in 1983

5 Promotor: Copromotor: Professor dr. Edwin Bakker Dr. Quirine Eijkman Promotiecommissie: Professor dr. Beatrice de Graaf (Universiteit Utrecht) Professor dr. Isabelle Duyvesteyn Professor dr. John Horgan (Georgia State University) Professor em. dr. Alex Schmid Professor dr. Bernard Steunenberg Professor dr. Kutsal Yesilkagit Parts of this research were supported by grants from the Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds and the Fulbright Visiting Scholar program.

6 Contents 1. Introduction The Hofstadgroup Islamist terrorism in the Netherlands Studying involvement in European homegrown jihadism Existing literature on the Hofstadgroup Journalistic accounts of the Hofstadgroup Primary-sources based academic research on the Hofstadgroup Secondary-sources based academic research on the Hofstadgroup Insights by proxy Research on the Hofstadgroup by government agencies Claim to originality Research questions Research method Sources of information Using police files to study terrorism Using interviews to study terrorism Ethical guidelines A note on terminology Thesis outline Studying involvement in terrorism Introduction Issues in terrorism research An overreliance on secondary sources Making sense of involvement in terrorism Structural-level explanations for involvement in terrorism Group-level explanations for involvement in terrorism Individual-level explanations for involvement in terrorism Interrelated perspectives Limitations A definitional debate Terrorism Radicalism and extremism Jihad & homegrown jihadism Conclusion... 48

7 3. A history of the Hofstadgroup Introduction The emergence of homegrown jihadism in the Netherlands : The Hofstadgroup s initial formation : Would-be foreign fighters and international connections : Individualistic plots and the murder of Theo van Gogh Towards the murder of Theo van Gogh Violent resistance to arrest : From Hofstad to Piranha Spring and summer 2005: renewed signs of terrorist intentions The second and third potential plots come to light An overview of the court cases Conclusion The ideological and organizational nature of the Hofstadgroup Introduction Drawing the Hofstadgroup s boundaries Homegrown jihadism The Hofstadgroup s homegrown aspects Ideology and terrorism The Hofstadgroup s ideology Defining terrorist organizations The Hofstadgroup s organizational structure Group involvement in terrorism? Conclusion Structural-level factors: facilitating and motivating involvement Introduction Structural-level factors influencing involvement in terrorism Preconditions: providing opportunities for terrorism The Internet The Internet and the Hofstadgroup Popular support for terrorism Popular support for the Hofstadgroup External assistance The Hofstadgroup s external connections Social or cultural facilitation of violence Social facilitation for violence and the Hofstadgroup Ineffective counterterrorism Counterterrorism lapses as enablers of the Hofstadgroup... 93

8 5.2.6 Political opportunity structure Political opportunity structure and the Hofstadgroup Preconditions: providing motives for terrorism (Relative) deprivation and intergroup inequality Relative deprivation and the Hofstadgroup Political grievances Political grievances among Hofstadgroup participants A clash of value systems? The Hofstadgroup as a clash of value systems Structural-level precipitants: Submission, part Conclusion Group dynamics I: Initiating and sustaining involvement Introduction Group dynamics and involvement in terrorism Terrorist group formation The Hofstadgroup s formation Social identity and the benefits of group membership Social identity and the Hofstadgroup Socialization into a worldview conducive to violence Revisiting the Hofstadgroup s ideology The underground life The Hofstadgroup s increasing isolation Social learning theory Social learning in the Hofstadgroup The influence of leaders Leaders and authority figures in the Hofstadgroup Peer pressure Peer pressure among Hofstadgroup participants Conclusion Group dynamics II: Involvement in acts of terrorist violence Introduction Group-level explanations for terrorist violence Organizational structure and lethality Organizational lethality and the Hofstadgroup Group influences that lower barriers to violent behavior Diffusion of responsibility and deindividuation Diffusion of responsibility, deindividuation and the Hofstadgroup

9 7.3.2 Authorization of violence Authorization of violence and the Hofstadgroup The rationality of terrorism Terrorism as the result of strategic considerations Strategic rationales and the Hofstadgroup Terrorism as the result of organizational dynamics Organizational rationales for terrorism and the Hofstadgroup The group as a vehicle for redemptive violence The influence of role models on the use of violence Interaction with the Dutch authorities Competition with other extremist groups Conclusion Individual-level analysis I: Cognitive explanations Introduction Structuring the individual-level of analysis Radicalization Radicalization and the Hofstadgroup Fanaticism Fanaticism and the Hofstadgroup Cognitive openings and unfreezing Cognitive openings, unfreezing and the Hofstadgroup Cognitive dissonance and moral disengagement Cognitive dissonance, moral disengagement and the Hofstadgroup Conclusion Individual-level analysis II: Terrorists as psychologically distinctive Introduction Are terrorists abnormal? Psychopathology Mental health issues and the Hofstadgroup Psychoanalysis Significance quests and identity-related alienation Significance quests and the Hofstadgroup Identity-related alienation and the Hofstadgroup The terrorist personality or profile Personality characteristics and the Hofstadgroup The role of emotions Anger and frustration Anger, frustration and the Hofstadgroup

10 9.6.2 Mortality salience Mortality salience and the Hofstadgroup Conclusion Conclusion Introduction Key findings Implications for research on European homegrown jihadism The driving force of involvement processes is liable to change Involvement in extremist and terrorist groups takes various forms The nature of the group shapes the involvement experience Fanaticism rather than radicalization Involvement as personal expression rather than strategic calculation No victimization or psychopathology The often-overlooked role of chance Policy-relevant implications Limitations and future research Toward a more empirical study of terrorism Bibliography Nederlandse samenvatting Acknowledgements Curriculum vitae

11