Radicalization: Myth and Reality
 Abu Hamza al-Masri, former imam of Finsbury Park Mosque in north London, was convicted in February 2006 on eleven charges including solicitation to murder and “stirring up racial hatred.”
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MYTH
Poverty is the primary breeding ground for terrorists.
REALITY
Many terrorists come from middle-class backgrounds and have university-level educations, particul arly in the technical sciences and engineering. No statistical relationship exists between poverty and becoming a terrorist.
 MYTH
US foreign policy is the primary cause of radicalization.
REALITY
The grievances that fuel radicalization are diverse and vary across locations and groups. Radicalization frequently is driven by personal concerns at the local level in addition to frustration with international events.
MYTH
There are visible “signs” of radicalization.
REALITY
Changes in appearance during different stages of radicalization often are the same changes seen in individuals who are not being radicalized, making it difficult to identify visible markers.
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