ABSTRACT
Jihadi terrorism is a form of crime in which radical networks, relying on an extremely violent ideology, are planning, preparing and executing terrorist acts. Academics and criminal investigative authorities tend to label the latter as ‘ideologically motivated crime’. Subjects within these radical networks are often depicted as protesters with a utopic image of society that is strongly supported by ideology. Ideology is seen as motivation for individuals to form groups and engage in criminal conducts. On the other hand, literature1 has also shown that many subjects are not protesters a priori but vulnerable individuals who search for solutions to deal with their alleged deprived situation. In that regard, the pragmatic value of a network, rather than its ideological goals, might just as well be an attractive feature to vulnerable individuals.
