Question

Can a terrorist also be a criminal? Can a criminal be a terrorist Why or why not?

Answer 1

First , distinction between terrorism and criminality needs to be clarified . Criminilaty is an act of unlawful behavior that can be punished by law. Whereas terrorism is essentialyes a crime but has specific attributes like act must have intimidation for civilian population or coercion of government , in furtherence of some social , ideologicaor poltical objective .

Now , the question . It has been proved through researches that all the terrorist have criminal personality before they started acting for a cause . The criminal personality has certain traits like anti social values , criminal peer , showing behavior of defiance , fighting and rigidity s etc since childhood . Criminals have a set of needs called criminogenic needs that is closely linked to taking risk . These needs and traits are clearly observed in all the terrorist hence proving all terrorist can be a criminal .

Some researches have concluded terrorism is nothing but a vehicle of criminality . Criminals manifest thier behavior in various forms and terrorism is one of such forms.

A criminal has the potential to become terrorist but it depdnds on social and situational factors whether he becomes terrorist or not . If he gets proper stimulations to work for a cause then there is high possibility of him becoming terrorist because he poses criminogenic need that can be fulfilled by acts of terror. Thus ,we can say , criminals can become terrorist but needs stimulation for ideological objectives , means and oppurtunity to perform an act of terror.