Psychosocial Aspects of

Terrorism
Brig Farrukh Hayat Khan
Terrorism in
Pakistan
• Terrorism has
challenged the
physical,
psychosocial,
occupational,
economic, and
spiritual health of
Pakistan.
• Effected all
sections of
population
What is Terrorism?
What is
Terrorism?
• The unlawful
use of violence
and coercive
intimidation,
especially
against civilians,
in the pursuit of
political aim.
 State Terrorism
 Noam Chomski defines state terrorism as
"terrorism practiced by states (or
governments) and their agents and
allies“
 State terrorism refers to acts of terrorism
which a state conducts against another
state or against its own citizens.
 Pictures of state terrorism in Israel and
Kashmir
Terrorism aims to
generate:
• Fear
• Pain
• Insecurity
• Hopelessness,
• Helplessness
• Mistrust on social
institutions
Terrorism employed
as a:
Tool to challenge,
destabilize, and
destroy a country, or
a society, in the same
way as war.
Country's reaction to terrorism in the form
of:
 Excessive use of force
 Disruptive legislation
 Extensive security
measures
 May add to the fear
and distress of its
people.
Role of Media
Exhaustive coverage
of terrorists and acts of
terrorism by the media
can also add to
feelings of insecurity
and mistrust in the
public.
Psychosocial Impact
Psychosocial Impact
Negative health impact on
the Individual/ Society
It isolates individual,
families,
communities, cultures, and
even countries from others
Intolerance for minorities
It generates strong feelings
of mistrust, paranoia,
depression, anxiety, post
traumatic stress disorder
 On an individual
level
• The survivors' reaction may persist
for several weeks, months and even
years.
• These include:
 Believe in false propaganda
 Preference of isolation
 Paranoia
 Need for revenge
 Intolerance for noise
 Marked irritability
 Hypervigilance
 Use of drugs
 Reckless reactions like risky driving
 Lowers immunity
Posttraumatic
Growth
• Many survivors
may undergo an Ahmed Nawaz
enhanced resilience
and even
Posttraumatic
Growth after
recovering from
their physical and
psychological
injuries.
 Reactions commonly seen in Survivors of a
Terrorist Attack:
 Why me, why not him?
 I want to visit the site.
 I want to bomb them.
 They have a reason.
 Nothing can be done. Leave us alone.
 I don't believe their version.
 They are partners with agencies and
the west.
 I do not want to live here anymore.
 I do not want to offer prayers anymore.
 I want to join the Army.
Causes of Terrorism
Causes of Terrorism

 Lack of law enforcement  Unemployment

 Poverty  Ethnic strife/ Sectarian
 Pakistan’s participation in war violence
on terror  Corruption
 Foreign involvement  Separatism
 Illiteracy
Who are the Terrorists?
 Terrorist share following parameters

Impoverished background and adverse life Privileged background and

conditions educated
  Few of them are from privileged
Suicide bombers are borne out of social settings
challenged by poverty, illiteracy, ignorance, intolerance, background and educated who are
disease, insecurity, and injustice without purpose of life. They are
 Children from slums indoctrinated.
 Children from those Madrasahs who preach hate
 Resentment towards injustices
 Limited recreational activities towards Muslims like in Palestine,
 indoctrinated using religion.
Absence of an effective authority figure at home
 Resentment towards real or
 Domestic violence
perceived injustice against ethnic
 Lack of adequate monitoring and falling out of regular
group or a sect. Indoctrinated
schooling
using ethnicity or religion.
 Physical, emotional, and sexual abuse
 History of delinquency/ Conduct disorder
Indoctrination of Terrorists
 A traumatic childhood filled with
humiliation, feelings of powerlessness,
and lack of affection is exploited by
charismatic trainers who provide group
identity, strong affinity, and brotherhood
to overcome isolation from family and
community.
 Young people indoctrinated in formative
years
 Given psychotropics
 Given monetary benefits
 Trainers use name of religion,
sectarianism, tribal and political divides
to motivate individuals.
 Sometimes even families and society
manipulated
Techniques used by trainers to create
terrorists
 Ritual communion  These are achieved through
lectures, sermons, videos, and
 Bonding dramatic reenactments.
 Psychological indoctrinating
 Stories of fulfilment of explicit
psychosexual fantasies of
adolescent years
 Promises of houses and
palaces in heaven, for them
and their loved ones
 Characteristic
behavior patterns
seen amongst terrorist
planning to go on a
mission/ killing spree
Characteristic behavior patterns seen amongst
terrorists planning to go on a mission/ killing
spree include the following:
 Visible change in their earlier  Social isolation and avoidance of
approach towards religion, cultural routine family and societal events, to
norms, values, and the world in become a recluse.
general.  Reduced interest in loved
ones, family, friends and work.
 Characteristic behavior patterns seen amongst
terrorists planning to go on a mission/ killing
spree include the following:
 Tendency to be secretive and  Playing violent video games.
disappear for long periods without  Obsessions with, and interest in
specific explanation. Get irritable weapons, knives, chemicals and other
when asked about absence. potentially dangerous objects etc.
 Giving away personal valuables,
money, belongings.
Is a Terrorist Suffering
from
Mental Illness?
 Is a terrorist suffering from mental illness?

 Terrorists are known to experience paranoid  The traits and behavior patterns of
anxiety, envy, magical thinking, omnipotent terrorists are close to those of
denial, grandiosity and depression. hardened criminals than Psychiatric
patients.
 At the same time they are often highly
intelligent, sane, very focused, and have
no identifiable psychopathology.
Mangement
Mobilization of Psycho-trauma Teams
• Volunteers, rescue workers, ambulance staff, including ambulance
drivers, disaster relief workers, emergency health personnel, social workers,
and hospital staff are trained
• Psychological first aid
 Integration of Psychosocial Care with Surgical Care

• Sensitize and train the surgical

team members in Psycho-
trauma and its management
• Training in the psychological
first aid
Linking up Survivors and the
Dead with Families and Units/
Centers

• The longer it takes, more anguish

they feel
• Exact reliable information given
sensitively by somebody senior in
the hierarchy
• The strategy of breaking bad news
gradually is counterproductive
• Helps family overcome initial
shock, numbness and denial
reactions
Updating

 In case exact information  Do not leave on unreliable

about the lost, injured or dead source.
is not available.  One reliable source
 No other member of rescue
team will indulge with media
 Reconstruction of Dead Bodies
• Dead bodies often
mutilated / deformed
• Reconstructed by
professionals
• Dead bodies in
customized coffin
boxes may be considered
• Burial with utmost
sensitivity to the religious,
cultural, and ethnic values
and norms of the aggrieved
family
 Religious and Cultural Rituals

• Sensitivity must be shown to the burial customs, and funeral rituals that a
family or a community prefers.
 Ongoing Psychological Support for
Survivors and Families
• There is a quiet after exhaustive
rescue operation.
• The initial
enthusiastic response and
commitment shown must
be followed up
by a sustained effort to
maintain medical, psychological ,
surgical follow up after discharge
from the hospital.
• Clearly defined, well
documented include plans
for physical rehabilitation
measures,
including physiotherapy, prost
heses, and reconstructive and
plastic surgery needs.
• Improves resilience and early
return to normality.
 Return to Normal Activity

• Disaster management and relief operations

• Join An early restoration of normality
• Return to pre-trauma routines:
 Sports
 Drawings
 Supported discussion groups
 Mutual support and organized activities
 Cooking and eating together
Care of the Carers
Legal, Security, and Operational Response

• Government and law enforcing agencies should respond to the

terrorist acts effectively in an organized manner
• Legal support, compensations and effective rehabilitation should
take place effectively and speedily
Miscellaneous Measures
• Miscellaneous measures
need to go into effect on the
basis of available resources,
expertise and training
• These include issues related
to following human rights
charters, international laws,
and legislation.
• This is particularly important in the
 Handling of suspects
 Treatment given to families of suspects
 Burials of the terrorist killed in the
operation
 Handling of media
 Training of human resource in response
and rescue operations
 Research and audits evaluating the
efficiency and effectiveness of the
process
Disclaimer

 Handbook of Behavioural Sciences by

 Prof Mowadat Hussain Rana
 Roop Zainab Rana
 Brig Mansoor Mustafa