How government can detect radicalized individuals before they act
According to King (2012), it is not easy for the government to identify the radicalized individuals who were born and brought up in the United States. However, there is a process that the government can use to identify these individuals before they can execute criminal acts. The process involves high level of intelligence at the local level that is multifaceted. The intelligence collection should start at the lowest level possible where citizens are encouraged to report any sudden change of ideas and behavior of individuals within their community.
For instance, if one suddenly changes faith and starts expressing deep hatred for the government or existing systems and structures that he or she respected before, then that should be a red flag. Similarly, if a person starts making unexplainable trips or his or her operations become unclear and secretive, it should be a sign that the person needs investigation. Members of the community can detect these weird behaviors hence they should be encouraged to be vigilant and report to the police or send messages anonymously to the intelligence officers. Once the tip is received, activities of these individuals should be monitored very closely. Once it is confirmed that they are involved with terror activities, government should move swiftly and arrest them before they can act.
How government handle those who express radical ideas
The government should be able to gather intelligence on those who express radical ideas. According to Bell (2009), most of these radicalized individuals often try to express their radical ideas within the society, often criticizing the government and making very dangerous proclamation. They try to seek sympathy from the public to help justify their radical activities (Gartenstein & Grossman, 2009).The government should act swiftly when dealing with these individuals.
Once they have been identified, the government should not allow them to continue spreading their radical ideas because they are likely to influence a section of the society and win sympathies. As Olsson (2014) observes when dealing with radicalization, swift action is very critical to achieving success. Immediate investigation should be launched to determine if they are making contact with other radical groups locally or internationally. Their communications should be tapped and their associates thoroughly investigated (Hughbank, Niosi, & Dumas, 2011). When a justifiable reason is identified that links them to terrorism, then they should be taken to court to face charges of terrorism.
Homegrown radical individuals
According to Bergen (2016), the United States of America has undergone a long period of racism that sometimes creates resentment towards government structures and leadership of the country. However, the country has never before witnessed the emergence of homegrown terrorists that is currently becoming a menace. Although racism and other social differences in the society may create hatred between different social groups, the desire to exterminate a large group of people simply because of their religion or race is something new in the United States of America. It is something that is motivated by the external forces. The locals may have the financial capacity and technical knowhow to organize and execute acts of terror. However, they lack the drive to kill their fellow citizens in mass because of these demographical differences. These people have to be radicalized by the external forces for them to turn into cold killers who do not care about innocent lives.
References
Bell, S. (2009). The Martyr’s Oath: The Apprenticeship of a Homegrown Terrorist. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons.
Bergen, P. L. (2016). United States of Jihad: Investigating America’s homegrown terrorists. New York, NY: Cengage.
Gartenstein, D., & Grossman, L. (2009). Homegrown terrorists in the U.S. and U.K: An empirical study of the radicalization process. Washington, D.C: FDD Press.
Hughbank, R. J., Niosi, A. F., & Dumas, J. C. (2011). The dynamics of terror: And creation of homegrown terrorists. Hoboken, NJ: Tate Pub. & Enterprises.
King, M. (2012). The radicalization of homegrown terrorists: A social-personality model. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Olsson, P. A. (2014). The making of a homegrown terrorist: Brainwashing rebels in search of a cause. London, UK: McMillan.