Terrorism and the Lone Wolf

Problem GrowingThe term “lone wolf” is a relatively new one, but the phenomenon of lone wolf terrorism is one which is growing in both the United States and abroad.  A lone wolf, in brief, is an individual or small group of individuals who use traditional terrorist tactics – including violence and the targeting of civilians -- towards the achievement of explicitly political or ideological goals, but who act without membership or cooperation with an official or unofficial terrorist organization, cell or group.  Currently, less than two percent of terrorism in most countries which keep terrorism statistics can be attributed to lone wolf terrorists.  However, the problem is seen as a growing one.  Between 1955 and 1977, approximately  seven percent of all terror victims were killed by lone wolves.  However, between 1978 and 1999, twenty six percent of victims were killed by lone wolves.  Acts of lone wolf terrorism have been reported in the United…