ABSTRACT
Boynes and Ballard (2004: 117) make the point that ‘social movements and organisations are dependent upon the availability of resources.’ To be an effective group, extremists need members who can offer the skills and knowledge needed to develop the group’s strategy, implement plans and manage the group and the individual members within the group. The group will require financial backing which may be beyond the contributions of its inner membership. In order to commit extremist activities the group will need to acquire access to materials that may be difficult to obtain e.g. chemicals for improvised explosive devices. The group may need to generate propaganda to grow membership, raise funds and ensure the group’s message and coherence continues. Davis and Cragin (2009) add that there needs to be at least tolerance of any insurgent activities if the group is to be successful. Different groups may employ different strategies to both increase their resources and achieve their objectives. Success will require the group to continue to be seen as relevant, legitimate and effective by members within the group; those outside the group who support it less directly and those outside the group who may be attracted to the group and its objectives in the future. In short, the extremist group needs to develop a supportive social base from which to draw resources and if successful may become like Al-Qaeda, not just a group nor even a cult but also a social movement that is all the more threatening because of its wider appeal and because it does not depend singularly on cultic control of a core group (Lifton1999). While the difference between a group and a movement may be one of scale and control both are organisations and recognising the activities
that the organisation uses, for example crime such as drug dealing or money laundering, can be used to police extremist activities. The report ‘Roots of Violent Radicalisation’ for the British Government suggests that, in some cases, the threat of becoming a proscribed organisation may be sufficient to compel the organisation to disassociate itself from extremist activities (Home Affairs Committee 2012).
