In With a Boom and Out With a Bang: Exploring the Life Cycle of a Terrorist Campaign

• In Event: Terrorism

Abstract

Investigations into the life cycles of terrorist campaigns place great emphasis not only on group processes, but also on the context in which they unfold. Context is of significant importance given that prior research has identified that failing to appreciate the complex social, political, economic and environmental constraints that give rise to terrorist actions can result in an inability to effectively disrupt terrorist campaigns, and may unintentionally serve to strengthen the participants resolve. The Front de Liberation du Quebec (FLQ), the most prolific terrorist campaign in Canadian history, was active from 1963 to 1972. The ten years in which the FLQ was active were characterized by nine identifiable waves of activity undertaken by fifteen independent networks. Accordingly, the current study utilizes a case study of the FLQ to investigative the life cycle of a terrorist campaign, and to explore the impact of changing social and political environments, as well as law enforcement responses, on the evolution, and success of the campaign. Findings highlight how the decentralized network structure allowed for continual regeneration, and contributed to law enforcement’s failure to disrupt the campaign. Furthermore, changing social and political contexts perpetuated involvement as the motivations, and objectives, of participants shifted over time.

Author

• Joanna Amirault, Humber College