The rise of ISIS and the recent terrorist attacks in Europe have raised a collective alertness for a potential terrorist attack. The presence of jihadist networks in the Netherlands, and the... Show moreThe rise of ISIS and the recent terrorist attacks in Europe have raised a collective alertness for a potential terrorist attack. The presence of jihadist networks in the Netherlands, and the significant outflow of young people to conflict areas in the Middle East to join the jihad, have greatly enhanced this anxiety. But how are these networks organized and how do they prepare their jihad? How do people get involved in jihadist networks and how important is ideology in that regard? Answering such questions will help to understand how jihadist networks operate, which can be useful knowledge for policy makers and practitioners who aim to counter terrorist threats. Using unique data from police files, interviews, and trial observations, while utilizing different analytical methods, this study provides an in-depth insight into the modus operandi of jihadist networks in the Netherlands. The findings show how jihadist networks have changed over the years and how this development has affected the way jihadists operate. Show less
This article focuses on a challenge in the current terrorism literature, namely the methodological justification concerning the collection and analysis of empirical data. Lack of detailed... Show moreThis article focuses on a challenge in the current terrorism literature, namely the methodological justification concerning the collection and analysis of empirical data. Lack of detailed methodological accounts of the collection and analysis of the data makes it difficult to evaluate presented findings, especially if these data are confidential or focused on specific aspects of the phenomenon. This article offers an extensive overview of the methodological procedures conducted in a large empirical research project on jihadist networks based on confidential police files (2000–2013), interviews, and trial observations. The article illustrates how grounded theory–based methods can be used to collect and analyze such data and to develop and test new theories in this research field. Show less
Bie, J.L. de; Poot, C.J. de; Leun, J.P. van der 2015
