Godfrey Garner and Maeghin Alarid-Hughes’ book Origins of Terrorism provides a comprehensive understanding of the background, motivation, and structures of various terrorist groups, primarily focusing on Islamic extremism, such as ISIS and Al-Qaeda. The writers try to focus on the socio-political and psychological dimensions of terrorism, how terrorists use religious ideology, psychological manipulation, and social isolation to recruit and influence individuals.

Moreover, through a balanced approach within historical and psychological insight, authors explain how insurgencies turn into terrorism and highlight the factors that endure these movements. The authors also illustrate how alliances between groups, regional dynamics, and the sociocultural dynamics fuel them. The book also discusses the strategic, ideological, and operational aspects of terrorism.

The first chapter of the book Insurgency, Religion, and Terrorist Relationships attempts to establish the connection between insurgency and terrorism, examining how these insurgent groups adopt terrorist tactics in their operations due to political and social constraints. The authors survey the religious aspect, specifically focusing on Islamic extremism in this case, and examine the potential interrelationships between terrorist groups.

Chapter 2: The focus of this chapter is on the manipulation of the terrorist mind. The authors out-penetrate the depths of the terrorist’s mind. Focus on recruiting vulnerable individuals and indoctrinating them. It becomes clear that creating a perception in which people feel they belong to an idea makes them act violently on its behalf.

Terrorist Landscape: Laying a Foundation Here In chapter 3, Garner and Alarid-Hughes discuss the concept of martyrdom. They discuss how extremist groups create a shared imaginary worldview that rationalizes their aggression as part of a broader goal. Their subsection focuses on the concept of “the enemy,” highlighting the crucial need for terrorists to understand this concept in order to unite and harbor hatred towards a common cause.

Moreover, in Chapter 4, How bin Laden Rose to Fame: An Historical Preceptive. The chapter delves into the specifics of Osama bin Laden, detailing his biography and tracing his journey from opposition to the Saudi kingdom to resistance to the West. The authors pay attention to their attempts to explain competing ideologies, highlighting the Sunni-Shiite clash as a crucial driver of extremism.

In Chapter 5: A Closer Look at bin Ladin, we examine bin Ladin’s personal history, family, sect influence, and conversion to Wahhabi Islam. Not only did his internal ideological beliefs shape his military leadership in Al Qaeda, but also his relatives and religion.

In Chapter 6: What about Russia? From the Taliban phase in Afghanistan to the more lasting contacts with bin Laden himself, the authors outline how Russia has featured in the area of terrorism. Their activities in the Middle Eastern terrain connect the Russian factor’s indirect contribution to the formative processes of the terrorist regimes.

Chapter 7: Meeting Key Players: Mullah Omar and the Taliban. This chapter focuses on Mullah Omar and, in particular, how he helps the Taliban emerge as one of the finest institutions in terror. The working relationship between the Taliban and Al Qaeda ensured that Afghanistan remained a haven for extremist operatives.

Chapter 8: Osama bin Laden, Mullah Omar, and the Taliban: Their Focus during This Period Keeping in mind the specifics of Omar and Bin Laden, this chapter elaborates on their strategies during the initial period following the 9/11 incident and explains why they have remained out of the US’s reach despite efforts to disperse Al Qaeda.

Within chapter 9, Abu Musab Zarqawi emphasizes the transition of Zarqawi from being a less prominent personality to coming out as one of the prominent leaders of ISIS. This chapter explains how Zarqawi’s involvement in Iraq escalated sectarian strife and violence. Zarqawi’s emergence unleashed a new dangerous tide, applying terror in a swifter and more overt manner.

Chapter 10: Birth of the Islamic State explains the transition of the Islamization of Iraq here and traces the growth of ISIS from the foundation throughout the period of al-Baghdadi’s leadership in a sequential manner, making the readers view al-Baghdadi’s leadership chronologically. The authors attempt to address such questions about ISIS, its recruitments, chains of command, and operations, putting more focus on its media campaigns.

In Chapter 11, “Women in Terrorism: New Tactics and What We Can Expect,” Next, the author discusses the increasing participation of women in terrorist movements, traditionally seen as peripheral figures. Currently, terrorist movements recruit women not only for support roles but also for active combat and logistics roles. They also shed light on the strategic use of women in recruitment processes, social networking, and family exploitation. Whether willingly or through compulsion, the use of women in terrorist tactics could shape future countermeasures and strategies.

The book offers a comprehensive understanding of the cultural and psychological factors that fuel extremism under the guise of Islam. While the primary focus, particularly on Middle Eastern groups, may seem biased, it doesn’t encompass the entire range of global terrorism, including nationalists and right-wing extremists. Despite its narrow focus, the book Origin of Terrorism: The Rise of the World’s Most Formidable Terrorist Groups provides an ideological and historical analysis, making it a valuable resource for readers seeking a comprehensive understanding of Islamic extremism