From the Islamic State to the ‘Islamic State Of Mind’: the evolution of the ‘Jihadisphere’ and the rise of the lone Jihad
Abstract
Recent terrorist attacks in Orlando (USA) or Magnanville (France) highlight the globalised power of Jihadi rhetoric and narrative across the Web, reshaping reality and promoting the ‘Lone Jihad’. Since 2012, from Mohammed Merah to Omar Mateen, ‘Lone Wolf Terrorism’ is characterised by the capacity to attack soft targets considered as the main threat for the urban scenario. Law enforcement professionals have to explore the dynamics of the ‘Jihadisphere’ by considering it not just as a repository but the core of the ‘culture of terrorism’ globally spread. The author explains the main phases of internet Jihadism evolution focusing on the self-radicalisation process, the rise of lone wolf terrorism (LWT) and the Lone Jihad as a new scenario moving from the Islamic State ideology and propaganda to the ‘Islamic State of Mind’ (cyber-)experience.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
The copyright of individual articles are with the author(s) and CEPOL. Reproduction without alterations is authorised for non-commercial purposes, provided the source is acknowledged.