Aleksa's Book Review: Engineers of Jihad

For anybody who's been living in a barrel at the bottom of a lake since September 11, 2001 - Islamic terror is the most prevalent type of terrorism in the world, seconded by Irish nationalism and Anarcho-Communism. For that much terror to be perpetrated throughout the world (though most of the violence is Muslim-on-Muslim), one needs quite an HR department - which is what this book examines.

From recruitment to training and (both kinds of) execution, the steps in the process to becoming an Islamist terrorist are outlined in the book, as well as the curious over-representation of engineers amongst those that commit violent attacks. It seems that various psychological traits that are associated with engineering degrees (not mere knowledge of engineering) is key in the recruitment of operatives.

Bomb-making and similar skills aren't remotely as complex as to warrant an entire degree, but what the book seems to suggest is that engineering engenders a kind of strict adherence-to-rules psychology which is almost ideal for Islamic terrorism. The book examines the recruitment and indoctrination systems of Islamic terror rather quickly, but then focuses on a curious subject.

The book's latter fifth focuses on the western terrorism as influenced by thinkers such as Julius Evola, Gilles Deleuze, and Guillaume Faye. An interesting comparison is drawn in that most western terrorists are in the soft sciences of literature and religious studies, as opposed to the Islamic operatives which focus on civil and computer engineering.

Definitely a worthwhile read to understand the creation of a terrorist operative, and what role academia plays in the ecosystem.
9/10