ABSTRACT
The historic record of Islamist groups in the twentieth century shows that Islamist groups have adapted to external conditions, as well as shifting internally. With a significant number of transformations, it is theoretically important to understand conditions that make Islamist terrorist and guerrilla groups decide to give up their arms and become non-violent political parties. The record of former terrorist and guerrilla groups in the Middle East like al-Gama'a al-Islamiya suggests that policy makers should seriously consider understanding the incentives that help these groups to lay down their arms and cease the use of violence. Islamist terrorist and guerrilla groups are capable of maintaining dual status roles in their respective political systems. Though Hamas and Hezbollah is currently the two Islamist dual status groups active in the Middle East today, there is no reason to doubt that under the right circumstances, other dual status groups could evolve in the future, such as attempt in 2008 by Harkat-ul Jihad al-Islami Bangladesh.
