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A Conceptual Map for Understanding the Terrorist Recruitment Process: Observation and Analysis of DHKP/C, PKK, and Turkish Hezbollah Terrorist Organizations

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A Conceptual Map for Understanding the Terrorist Recruitment Process: Observation and Analysis of DHKP/C, PKK, and Turkish Hezbollah Terrorist Organizations A CONCEPTUAL MAP FOR UNDERSTANDING THE TERRORIST RECRUITMENT PROCESS: OBSERVATION AND ANALYSIS OF DHKP/C, PKK, AND TURKISH HEZBOLLAH TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS Samih Teymur, B.S., M.S. Dissertation Prepared for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS August 2007 APPROVED: Brian O’Connor, Major Professor Samantha K.Hastings, Committee Member Emile Sahliyeh, Committee Member Herman L. Totten, Dean of the School Library and Information Sciences Sandra L. Terrell, Dean of the Robert B. Toulouse Graduate School Teymur, Samih. A conceptual map for understanding the terrorist recruitment process: Observation and analysis of DHKP/C, PKK, and Turkish Hezbollah terrorist organizations. Doctor of Philosophy (Information Science), August 2007, 152 pp., 80 tables, 1 illustration, references, 68 titles. Terrorism is a historical problem; however, it becomes one of the biggest problems in 21st century. September 11 and the following Madrid, Istanbul and London attacks showed that it is the most significant problem threatening world peace and security. Governments have started to deal with terrorism by improving security measurements and making new investments to stop terrorism. Most of the governments’ and scholars’ focus is on immediate threats and causes of terrorism, instead of looking at long-term solutions such as root causes and underlying reasons of terrorism, and the recruitment style of terrorist organizations If terrorist recruitment does not stop, then it is safe to say terrorist activities cannot be stopped. This study focused on the recruitment process by observing two different terrorist organizations, DHKP/C and Turkish Hezbollah. The researcher brings 13 years of field experience and first-person data gathered from inside the terrorist organizations. The research questions of this study were: (i) How can an individual be prevented from joining or carrying out terrorist activities?; (ii) What factors are correlated with joining a terrorist organization?; (iii) What are the recruitment processes of the DHKP/C, PKK, and Turkish Hezbollah?; (iv) Is there any common process of being a member of these three terrorist organizations?; and (v) What are the similarities and differences these terrorist organizations? As a result of this analysis, a terrorist recruitment process map was created. With the help of this map, social organizations such as family and schools may be able to identify ways to prevent individuals from joining terrorist organizations. Also, this map will also be helpful for government organizations such as counterterrorism and intelligence to achieve the same goal. Copyright 2007 by Samih Teymur ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES............................................................................................................. vii LIST OF FIGURES.............................................................................................................x I. INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................1 Statement of Problem ........................................................................1 Why This Study is Unique and Significant..........................................4 Goals of the Study..............................................................................5 Research Questions for This Study....................................................6 Descriptive Definitions of Terms and Concepts..................................7 Definition of Terrorism.................................................................7 Who is a Terrorist?....................................................................12 Terrorist Groups........................................................................13 What are Terrorist Activities?....................................................14 Organization of the Study.................................................................16 II. LITERATURE REVIEW ..............................................................................18 History of Terrorism..........................................................................18 Early Terrorist Organizations ....................................................18 French Revolution and Anarchism ............................................20 Colonial Era ..............................................................................21 Leftist Terrorism ........................................................................22 Radical Religious Terrorism......................................................23 Terrorism Theories...........................................................................23 Integrated/ Multi-causal Theory.................................................23 Organizational Theories............................................................24 The Physiological Approach......................................................26 Strategic Choice Theories/Political Approach ...........................29 History of Devrimci-Sol.....................................................................32 From Devrimci-Sol to DHKP/C..................................................36 Strategies of DHKP/C ...............................................................37 The Goals of DHKP/C...............................................................38 iii Devrimci Sol (Revolutionary Left), DHKP/C: A Terrorist Organization?............................................................................38 Structure of DHKP/C ........................................................................39 The Central Committee.............................................................39 Regional Committee .................................................................40 International Committee............................................................40 Military Units .............................................................................41 Legal Units................................................................................44 Workers and Civil Servants.......................................................44 Prison and Prisoners’ Parents...................................................46 Youth Units ...............................................................................47 Turkish Hezbollah ............................................................................49 History.......................................................................................49 Ideology of Turkish Hezbollah...................................................53 Structure of the Turkish Hezbollah Terrorist Organization ........53 Methods of Operations Used by Turkish Hezbollah: .................56 III. METHODOLOGY .......................................................................................57 Introduction ......................................................................................57 First Data Set ...................................................................................60 Where Was Data Collected?.....................................................60 How was the Data Collected?...................................................62 Questions for DHKP/C ..............................................................63 The Second Data Set.......................................................................64 Questions for Turkish Hezbollah ...............................................65 Recruitment Process........................................................................67 Conceptual Model for Terrorist Recruitment .............................67 Limitations........................................................................................68 IV. DHKP/C DATA SET ANALYSIS .................................................................71 Introduction ......................................................................................71 Family Background Factors .............................................................71 Family Economic Condition.......................................................71 Political Background of Family..................................................74 iv Personal Characteristics of the Respondents ..................................76 General Information about Respondent ....................................76 Social Situation of Respondent .................................................77 Education..................................................................................79 Relation with Terrorist Organization.................................................80 V. TURKISH HEZBOLLAH DATA SET ANALYSIS.........................................85 Introduction ......................................................................................85 Family Background Factors .............................................................85 Family Economic Conditions.....................................................85 Political Background of Family..................................................87 Personal Characteristics of Respondents ........................................89 General Information about Respondents ..................................89 Social Situation of Respondents ...............................................91 Education..................................................................................94 Respondents Relation with Terrorist Organization...........................95 VI. COMPARISON OF DATA SETS ..............................................................102 Family Background Factors ...........................................................102
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