ABSTRACT
The psychological profiling of a terrorist is “primarily concerned with the recognition and identification of patterns and habits of behavior in an individual offender and between offenders committing similar crimes”. Profiling in the criminal environment is used to identify a suspect involved in the most serious criminal investigations, such as serial cases of murder, multiple murders, or sexual assault. Denoeux and Carter elaborated various socioeconomic background of a terrorist. Certainly, the cadres of violent extremist movements—and, specifically, the architects of the most spectacular and deadliest terrorist attacks—have come from fairly privileged backgrounds. Prior to interrogation, it is imperative to understand that each terrorist is different with unique personality characteristics or psychopathology. Methods used to determine profiles of individuals oftentimes can similarly be applied to better understand various groups. A profiler provides counter-terrorism agencies with a psychological evaluation of a terrorist’s observable behavior at the crime scene that could “provide valuable clues to their personal lives and characteristics.
