Contemporary Extremism as an Intelligence Problem
Contemporary Extremism as an Intelligence Problem

Summary/Abstract: Current socio-economic turbulence and demographic shifts across Europe have been linked in the global media to worsening ideological polarizations, which have been blamed for various incidents of organized violence, most notably the Breivik massacre in Norway. For intelligence professionals intent on stopping similar acts of violence and terrorist plots, the ability to distinguish local actors, motives and ideologies is crucial; however, the tendency towards sweeping generalizations and blanket assumptions as seen in media and political discourse today is unhelpful in this context. In this light, the following paper examines the issue of extremism as an intelligence problem, or puzzle, citing examples from recent history in or involving the Balkans.

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