ABSTRACT
It is important to note that Americans have a difficult time in understanding extremist organizations with a religious orientation like al-Qaeda. It is essential that the agencies of our government involved in law enforcement and intelligence become intimately familiar with the culture of religious zealots whether of foreign
or domestic origin. We must understand the nature of the threat before we can successfully confront it. In America, we also have fundamentalists such as
Christian Identity, and other religious extremists who kill or maim in the name of God. Comprehending the danger and the mind-set of these groups is a first
step to deterring the violence executed by the Osama Bin Ladens of the world. Unless we know what drives these religious extremists, who are willing to kill themselves in the performance of their violent acts, we will see days like
September 11, 2001, repeated, perhaps with even greater casualties.
