About half of the European foreign fighters who joined jihadist groups in Syria had a criminal record. In Sweden, as many as about two-thirds had been convicted of a crime, and several of them had a gang background. Previous research has suggested that such a background has often played a role in the radicalisation process. This study identifies six factors that explain why jihadism has held particular appeal for individuals with criminal backgrounds: absolving sins; providing a higher cause for crime and violence; gang members’ lower threshold for using violence and quest for respect; overlapping ideas of masculinity in street culture and jihadism; jihadism more effectively satisfying a desire for excitement; and the prevalence of cognitive openings among gang members. The study also analyses different jihadist recruitment strategies aimed at youth involved in criminality, as well as the risk of jihadists joining gangs upon returning home from the conflict zone. These factors, strategies, and risks are illustrated with the help of interviews with former jihadists, a former jihadist recruiter, and individuals with friends and acquaintances in the Swedish Salafi-jihadist movement.
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The International Centre for Counter-Terrorism (ICCT) is a think-and-do tank based in The Hague, Netherlands. We provide research, policy advice, training and other solutions to support better counter-terrorism policies and practices worldwide. We also contribute to the scientific and publi.…