Diaspora¹ involvement in terrorist activity is not a new phenomenon; however, new trends have begun to emerge in the modus operandi of the global jihadist movement. Specifically, and perhaps most alarmingly, members of Diaspora communities are now participating in terrorist attacks against their adopted governments. Historically, Diaspora communities provided support to terrorist organizations involved in homeland conflicts. Violence may have occurred in their adopted countries, yet the government and its citizens were not the principal target of such attacks. Western governments often tolerated this support for violence because it was not considered an internal threat, but a foreign problem. Since...

We are witnessing a new phenomenon of Diaspora communities turning against their adopted homelands, targeting the government and its people. This reality is important because of globalization: the volume of traffic and open borders makes the problem more acute. Six critical issues are particularly worrisome: (1) the demonstrated fear that communities will indeed attack adopted homelands; (2) the lack of integration has created recruits, affecting both the assimilated and the alienated. Some are attracted through recruitment and auto-radicalization—they are independent actors with no prior ties to terror groups, but become inspired and motivated to carry out acts done in...