Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Pages: 162
•
Trim: 6¼ x 9½
978-1-4422-5560-9 • Hardback • October 2015 • $109.00 • (£84.00)
978-1-4422-5561-6 • Paperback • October 2015 • $48.00 • (£37.00)
978-1-4422-5562-3 • eBook • October 2015 • $45.50 • (£35.00)
Phil Gurski served for more than 30 years as an analyst in the Canadian intelligence community. In 2001 he joined CSIS where he was a strategic analyst, specializing in homegrown Al Qaeda-inspired terrorism and radicalization to violence. In 2013 he moved to Public Safety Canada as a Senior Strategic Advisor on Canada’s Countering Violent Extremism policy.
Preface
Introduction
Chapter 1: What do we know about the basic causes and drivers of AQ-inspired radicalization and violence in Canada and the West?
Chapter 2: Concepts associated with AQ-inspired radicalization and violence
Chapter 3: Twelve indicators of AQ-inspired radicalization and violence
Chapter 4: What do Radicalized Individuals and Groups Do?
Chapter 5: Where do we go from here?
Chapter 6: Conclusion
Appendices
About the Author
The book is not a tell-all. No secrets are revealed. Instead, Gurski draws on his more than three decades as a Canadian intelligence analyst to demystify the national security issue that is preoccupying governments everywhere.
— The National Post
This is an interesting conceptual and empirical examination of the pathways of radicalization into terrorism in Western countries, with a special focus on Al-Qaeda type groupings and the lone wolves they inspire, including those that operate in Canada. The author, a recently retired veteran analyst in Canadian intelligence, is well positioned to discuss these issues, including the application of practical methodologies to analyze them. . . .Although the book was written before the emergence to prominence of the Islamic State (IS/ISIL) as the most lethal expression of Al-Qaeda-type Jihadist terrorism facing Western countries, the author’s excellent analysis also can serve to understanding and countering it better.
— Perspectives on Terrorism
The Threat From Within could not be timelier as the threat of home-grown Islamic terrorists continues to grow. It gives unprecedented insight in the world of Islamic radicals. This book will also help peace-loving parents to detect the seeds of radicalism in their children before it is too late. The experts, policy-makers, and members of law enforcement will hugely benefit from it. This book is suited for a wide audience as it is written in a very enjoyable way.
— The Washington Book Review
Phil Gurski is a recognized authority on homegrown extremism in the West, merging a long experience as an intelligence officer on the front lines of Canada’s war against terrorism with a sophisticated scholarly approach. His book, rich in both detail and analysis, is an absolute must read for both experts in the subject and students alike.
— Lorenzo Vidino, Director, Program on Extremism, George Washington University
The Threat From Within makes a useful contribution to the body of work about the violent radicalization process by exploring examples from Canadian cases by demonstrating how “average” citizens became radicalized to violence.
— Terrorism and Political Violence
Phil Gurski is a recognized authority on homegrown extremism in the West, merging a long experience as an intelligence officer on the front lines of Canada’s war against terrorism with a sophisticated scholarly approach. His book, rich in both detail and analysis, is an absolute must read for both experts in the subject and students alike.
— Lorenzo Vidino, Director, Program on Extremism, George Washington University
A timely look at the drivers of radicalization to violence that many scholars are trying to understand, this book benefits from the decades of experience Gurski has had as a Canadian intelligence official dealing, at a very granular level, with issues of national security and terrorism. We should listen to what he has to say.
— Amarnath Amarasingam, author of Pain, Pride, and Politics: Social Movement Activism and the Sri Lankan Tamil Diaspora in Canada
- Accessible, readable introductory text on the topic of Al Qaeda-inspired radicalization in the West.
- Uses the case studies of Canada to illustrate the process of radicalization, which follows a similar path in various countries.
- Features many examples of radicalization and terror from the United States and Europe.
- Provides 12 indicators of radicalization that are applicable to all western countries.
- Each chapter opens with an illustrative case study and includes boxed examples and a concluding summary.
• New Books in National Security: Discussions with Experts in National Security about Their New Books. Interview with Phil Gurski by Paul Knight 9/30/2015. See more here: http://newbooksinnationalsecurity.com