Plot details in extremist activity based on prior military experience

Violent extremism is a significant threat to the international community. Many different types of individuals could become radicalized, and afterwards, they might support the development and execution of a violent plot to further some radical ideology. A prominent concern involves individuals with prior military experience engaging in violent extremism. Military experience presumably provides the knowledge and skills that would enable effective execution of a complicated violent plot. However, this assumption remains largely untested and may not hold true for several reasons, including the potential for civilians to acquire comparable skills through non-military sources. The current study utilized the Profiles of Individual Radicalization in the United States (PIRUS) database to examine differences in plot details between civilians, active-duty military, and veteran personnel. Analyses were divided into three primary areas: role within the plot, plot execution, and consequences. Results indicated that veterans were more likely to be leaders within radicalized plots, whereas active-duty personnel were more likely to be followers. Additionally, there were several differences regarding anticipated fatalities for radicalized behaviour between civilians, veterans, and active-duty service members. Taken together, this evidence provides several considerations for future work in preventing radicalization and understanding differences in radicalized behaviour due to military experience.