Introduction to the Theory and Statement

Introduction to the Theory and Statement of the Problem It often baffles people why others join terrorist groups. Truly, the desire to act in those ways without care for other human life is mind-boggling and horrendous. Looking at some of the people who have joined terrorist groups and participated in them in the past can help give a better understanding of the psychological factors. The people who will be researched in this study are all people who participated in the conspiring and bombing of the World Trade Center on February 26, 1993.

Specifically, it will talk about Ahmed Ramzi Yousef, the mastermind of the attack, Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman, a co-conspirator, and Mahmud Abouhalima, one of the bombers. Their lives will be given as examples of how certain psychological factors contribute to why people become terrorists. There are many things that go on in the minds' of terrorists. Often, terrorists have psychological issues that they may not know about, were never taught how to deal with, or were never treated for. Ahmed Ramzi Yousef, who considered himself to be Palestinian, was the mastermind of the World Trade Center bombing on February 23, 1993. There are no reports of him having a bad childhood, but in 1989, the year he graduated college, it became known that he had ties to bin Laden.

He came to the United States in 1992 and fled soon after the bombing. In 1995, he was arrested for his crimes and it was found that he had even greater schemes of terrorism. Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman was a co-conspirator of the World trade center bombing and was blind since infancy because of diabetes. He was deeply religious, leading prayer services in New Jersey once he came to the United States that other conspirators of the World Trade Center bombing attended. In 1995 he was convicted and in 1999 he was tried. Even though he went to jail, many terrorist groups still thought of Rahman as their spiritual leader. Mahmud Abouhalima was one of four sons and was described as a normal, happy child with much interest in religion. Over time, he started to hate Egypt just as Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman did. In his teenage years, he started to hang out with people who were in an Islamic group that had been outlawed. The leader of this group was Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman.

When he came to the United States, he worked as a taxi driver and had a coupon scam. On February 23, 1993, Abouhalima participated in the bombing and not long after that, was caught in Egypt and went to prison for his role in the attack. Ahmed Ramzi Yousef, Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman, and Mahmud Abouhalima all participated in the World Trade Cente bombing in 1993. Yousef had no reports of a bad childhood but got in with the wrong group during or after college. He acted the way he did because his bad influences made him think a different way. Rahman was very religious and acted because of this extremity. Abouhalima had a good childhood and was deeply religious as well as became friends with the wrong people, just like Yousef as well as Rahman. These men were not part of a large group, nor did they have a name for themselves.

They would be considered individuals, which can be an even larger force than large group terrorists. Individuals can be more terrorizing because it is not known when hey will strike or who they are. They do not have a name for themselves and once they act, there is not a group to claim the destruction. The reason for these acts of terrorism, which is defined as the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion (terrorism n.d.), could be because of the frustration-aggression hypothesis. This hypothesis states that frustration turns into aggression when it is held in too long. Rahman and Abouhalima were both frustrated because of their religious extremity. They did not like when they thought people were going against their religion, especially when other did not follow thier religion at all. Another plausible theory is psychopathy and schizophrenia.

Psychopathy is mental disorder especially when marked by egocentric and antisocial activity (psychopathy n.d.) and Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that is characterized by disturbances in thought (such as delusions), perception (such as hallucinations), and behavior (such as disorganized speech or catatonic behavior), by a loss of emotional responsiveness and extreme apathy, and by noticeable deterioration in the level of functioning in everyday life (schizophrenia n.d.). Literature Review It is hard to even start to understand the psycology behind terrorism. Many people do not even wish to understand it and just want to be bitter about it. Many people think the same as John G. Horgan in his book The Psycology in Terrorism. In his book, Horgan says, Maybe attempts to understand something like this might detract from the outrage and shock that seems a little more appropriate and justifiable reaction than any supposed intellectual debate? (2). This seems to be a reaction of many people. However, it is important to look at this with an open mind. There are sometimes things going on in others' minds that even they have no control over.

The frustration-aggression hypothesis is a very possible reason for terrorists acting the way they do. This theory, as described above, is that built-up frustration leads to aggression. A lot of the brain is affected when this frustration-aggression is active. The amygdala, hypothalamus, and periaqueductal gray (Blair, 385) are responsible for these thoughts of actions based on our frustration and aggression. While this is true, it is also true that it is what people choose to do with their feelings that make them who they are. Psychopathy and schizophrenia can be very serious. If untreated, it can turn into something very dangerous. Persons who are antisocial and psychopathic can also have a major mental illness such as schizophrenia. If they manifest extreme aggression and difficult to manage behaviors, they may require intensive treatment in a maximum security hospital. Even aggression that is the result of psychosis can have impulsive features, such as in psychotic agitation and premeditated qualities when the act is planned but delusionally driven.

Appropriate treatment of the psychosis with antipsychotic medication often serves to control aggression and other psychotic symptoms. Selected mood stabilizers or anticonvulsants can be added when antipsychotic medication alone does not control aggression, (Pajerla, MD, Felthous, MD). Critical Analysis To say that many terrorists may have psychological issues is a statement that has many possibilities. It is not uncommon for people to have issues that they are unaware of. While it is hard for some people to look at this with an open mind, it is important to do so. The frustration-aggression hypothesis is a very plausible theory for this type of issue. Frustration can be built up because of many reasons. Sometimes it is religious while sometimes it is from outside sources' influences. People with schizophrenia are betrayed by their own mind to think in different ways, causing them to act in ways not acceptable to others and society. Frustration-aggression and schizophrenia both can be very dangerous if not counseled or treated.

These are not the only explanations of this problem. There are many things that can explain the problem of terrorism because there are many things that can go wrong in a person's mind, whether because of experiences, mental illnesses, or thought processes. Social Responsibility In this day and age, with so many instances of violence, no matter how large or small, it is important that everyone takes it upon themselves to do their best to prevent any more instances from happening. Both Ahmed Ramzi Yousef and Mahmud Abouhalima interacted with the wrong people who drug them down the wrong paths. In an instance like this, people can step in and become friends with someone new they see, inviting them to hang out, and keeping them from relying on bad influences as their only friends, eventually adopting that person's beliefs and thoughts. A good example of social responsibility of this type is how in Maypearl High School, they have a mentor program for kids who are at risk of failing or who they think might someday have the tendencies of someone who would shoot up a school or even become a large scale terrorist. The school district of Maypearl is taking social responsibility by trying to influence these teenagers in the right way, helping them see there are better ways and better paths for them to follow.

The mentors will share their thoughts and experiences and help try to influence the student in a proper manner. Not everyone can influence others in this way, but they can help others by simply being nice to them. Sometimes, a little kindness goes a long way. Everyone must take it upon themselves to try and make the world a better place. Who knows, maybe Ahmed Ramzi Yousef, Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman, and Mahmud Abouhalima all could have been influenced in different ways by their family and friends and they may never have committed these horrible acts of terrorism.

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