Mental illness and terrorism

Terrorism is a politically defined act of attack against a state by non-state actors. It is thus not just criminal behaviour but given special status as a threat to the citizens of the national state and assumed to be politically motivated. Terrorist acts are often justified as responses to oppression, discrimination, inequality, persecution, and adversity or, as in the case of Islamist extremist movements, a desire to impose an alternative religious, cultural, and legal framework on society. Terrorist movements can come into existence primarily to fulfil political objectives and as a protest against social and cultural practices.

Although terrorism is known to lead to fear, psychological distress, and adverse health consequences,1 2 less attention has been given to possible causes of terrorist threats. We do not know enough about these antecedents nor the process by which individuals become “radicalised” to take up terrorist causes.3 4 Evidence is emerging that there are …