Profiles in Terror

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Profiles in Terror

Author	Aaron Mannes
Publisher	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Publication date	2004
Media type	Hardcover
Pages	392
ISBN	ISBN 0-7425-3525-8

Profiles in Terror: A Guide to Middle East Terrorist Organizations is a 2004 book by Aaron Mannes. It profiles more than twenty terrorist organizations operating in the Middle East and their affiliate groups worldwide, describing their characteristics: ideology and objectives; history; leadership; organization; external relations; financial support networks; target and tactics; external relations; a chronology of significant events and attacks; and references for each group.

The book was published by Rowman & Littlefield Publishers in 2004 as a 392-page hardcover (ISBN 0-7425-3525-8). It was published in cooperation with JINSA Press (an imprint of the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs) as a JINSA book.

The author makes the following general observations about terrorism:

Terrorist attacks are carefully planned operations requiring a high level of organization.
Terrorist organizations may have wings, arms, and divisions to support the recruiting, indoctrinating, and training of potential members.
Units are usually organized in some kind of cellular structure.
Terrorists must be taught to dehumanize potential victims.
Suicide attacks are highly effective, but require more in-depth indoctrination.
State support can provide a substantial contribution to the training and finances of groups.

Most groups included are inspired by a range of extremist interpretations of Islam (referred to as Islamist)

[edit] Quotation

"A primary dictum in war is to know the enemy. This volume, a modest contribution to these efforts, attempts to shed light on the intentions, histories, and methods of the major terrorist organizations of the Middle East." —from the preface.