The Al Qaeda 9/11 instructions: A study in the construction of religious martyrdom

Yuval Neria, David Roe, Benjamin Beit-Hallahmi, Hassan Mneimneh, Alana Balaban, Randall Marshall

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

A growing global concern about suicide attacks has led to attempts from various disciplines to understand the psychological profiles of persons willing to commit suicide terrorist attacks. Recent reports have suggested that more powerful explanatory models might be discovered using social psychological concepts, with a shift of focus from the individual to the group within which the individual acts and by which the individual is influenced. This paper attempts to do so by presenting an analysis of the Al Qaeda 'final instructions' document, which sheds light on the way members of this group were mobilised towards conducting one of the most devastating assaults in modern history. We discuss the use of religious doctrine and rhetorical devices as a psychological strategy employed by this group to inspire, control and mobilise its members before and during the September 11, 2001, attacks.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1-11
Number of pages11
JournalReligion
Volume35
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2005

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • History
  • Sociology and Political Science

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