The Lone Wolf Terrorist: An Emerging Threat

The terrorism threat is multifaceted and ever-present; this as a result of terrorism taking on all forms including Islamic, non-Islamic, foreign and domestic. After 9/11, the federal government focused on jihadists and government resources were focused on engaging foreign jihadists allowing a resurgence of non-Islamic domestic terrorism including the lone wolf terrorist (LWT). The problem is the trend away from violence planned by groups and towards the lone wolf terrorist and the emerging threat of lone-wolf attacks. The resulting purpose then being research that creates a more comprehensive understanding of the lone wolf terrorist and offer clues for a better response to the threat. Historical research methods were used to answer the following questions: (a) what motivates the lone wolf terrorist, (b) what are the challenges of fighting lone wolf terrorism, (c) what counter terrorism measures can be employed to combat lone wolf terrorism. The author’s research procedures consisted of a literature review relative to the concept of lone wolf terrorism. The results of the research concur with the literature review and point to the need for a more comprehensive understanding of the lone wolf terrorism and offer clues for a better response to the threat. THE LONE WOLF TERRORIST: AN EMERGING THREAT 4 Table of