Lex talionis in the twenty-first century: revenge ideation and terrorism

Hamza bin Laden's declaration of revenge against the U.S. and his subsequent designation as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist indicate a new stage in counterterrorism operations against Al Qaeda [United States Department of State. (2017). State department terrorist designation of Hamza bin Laden. Retrieved from https://www.state.gov/j/ct/rls/other/des/266536.htm]. Revenge in the context of terrorism has not been studied sufficiently in behavioral sciences. This mixed-methods study investigates the role of revenge ideation in radicalization and terrorism. Using an explanatory sequential research design, the quantitative analysis identifies the relationship between radical beliefs and behavior and group grievance, which is then explained through the qualitative analysis of revenge ideation. The quantitative study sample includes 152 members of terrorist groups obtained from the Profiles of Individual Radicalization in the United States database [National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START). (2017). Profiles of individual radicalization in the United States (PIRUS) [Data file]. Retrieved from www.start.umd.edu/keshifpirus/]. The qualitative study is based on 52 documents obtained from Bin Laden's Bookshelf [Office of the Director of National Intelligence. (2015). Bin Ladin's Bookshelf. Retrieved from https://www.dni.gov/index.php/features/bin-laden-s-bookshelf] and the Harmony Program [The Combating Terrorism Center at West Point (CTC). (2012). Harmony program. Retrieved from https://ctc.usma.edu/programs-resources/harmony-program]. The results indicate that generalized group grievance predicts radical beliefs and behavior. The documents denounce revenge against internal enemies but encourage revenge toward external enemies; this demonstrates the flexibility of terrorist strategies in response to the changing political situation.