Islamist Terrorism in Europe

“Islamist Terrorism in Europe: A History” by Peter Nesser, Oxford University Press (Jan. 2016). From the dust jacket: "This rigorous account is the first overview of the Islamist terrorist campaign in Europe since 9/11. Europe is witnessing an increase of Islamist terrorist plots, such as the shootings at Charlie Hebdo in Paris, the grisly beheading of a British military officer on the streets of London in 2013, and the shootings in Toulouse and Montauban in 2012. While most analysis of the growing phenomenon focuses on social explanations, Nesser highlights the role of Arab-Afghan veterans in promoting a jihadist agenda." At the time of this review, there was no “Look Inside” feature, hence: Table of Contents: 1. Introduction Main question Terminology Existing research Aims and scope Method Sources Argument and outline Chronology of serious terrorist plots since 1995 2. Background Arab Afghans Al-Qaida's central organization The Afghanistan training camps From Arab alliance to multi-national network The ideology of global jihad The emergence of jihadism in Europe Geography of jihadism in Europe Mobilization and radicalization Summary 3. The Algeria factor Civil war and armed groups Leadership and radicalization The France attacks The Bosnia counterfactual The GIA heritage in Europe 4. Between local struggle and global jihad Al-Qaida's plans for Europe From support network to terrorist cell The Frankfurt cell The Beghal network Tawhid Chechen network Target Europe 5. The Iraq effect Al-Qaida's Iraq strategy Europe as enemy for al-Qaida Recruitment for the Iraqi jihad From recruitment to terrorist plotting M-11 Hofstadgroup Enter new actors and drivers 6. The Pakistan axis Pakistan's jihadist landscape Pakistani militants and al-Qaida The Pakistan-Europe trail Waziristan and Europe plots Crawley group 7/7 Airliner plot Towards multi-nationalism; The 21/7 counterfactual 7. The new al-Qaida Mohammed cartoons Al-Qaida in Northern Europe Glasvej cell Suitcase bombers Sauerland cell Doctors cell The Jihadist threat to Western Europe since 2008 8. Conclusion: Decoding jihad in Europe The scale of the phenomenon Cell characteristics Individual characteristics Patterns of recruitment and radicalization Motivations Individual motivation Group motivation implications 9. Sources Press sources Judicial documents Books, Reports, articles Jihadist sources Databases Expert Interviews Miscellaneous

Amazing Book! The Book "Islamist terrorism in Europe" is an unavoidable reference in the study of terrorism, in general, and of Radicalization processes and formation of terrorist cells in Europe, in particular. With this work, Petter Nesser is arguably one of the greatest scholars in the field of terrorism studies! Excellent Book! HM

This is a very rich and usefull narrative of the large number of terrorists attacks perpetrated in the name of Political Islam or Global Jihad in Western Europe since 1994. It brings out several interesting links between many of them proving that there is a network-type of organization that sustains this activity, based on some key actors backed by an increasingly important number of websites. Still, Petter Nesser takes at face value the fact that all these terrorists are invoking Islam and Jihad to justify their acts as if there was a definite Muslim threat in Europe. However, during the same period, a lot of killers and arsonists have perpetrated devastating attacks in Europe, sometimes in the name of White Supremacy or other more or less credible causes, but very often only motivated by self-glorification. Hence, the part played by popular media that turn psychopaths into world stars is seriously under-estimated when these acts are regarded as solely motivated by their self-proclaimed motivations, be they ethno-religious or otherwise.

Great book, I'd recommend it to everyone willing to acquire a better understanding of jihadism in Europe. A valuable help to gain an insight into the phenomenon.