ABSTRACT
The many sources of conflict and turbulence within a social system provide ingredients for the emergence of terrorism and violence. But whatever the social or political cause domestic terrorists wish to promote, their intended message is usually lost in the process of empathy for the victims. In most cases, the responses are disproportionately focused on the drastic impact of the unprovoked acts of violence on innocent victims and their families. Some respond to estrangement from society by seeking living conditions that facilitate social isolation, solitude, and the opportunity to pursue personal interests without interference. While living conditions of isolation and privacy are among the rights of individuals in a democratic society, they also permit secrecy and planning for clandestine operations. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) spent eighteen years working on the unabomber case without a clue to his identity.
