HOW CAN WE PREVENT PEOPLE BECOMING TERRORISTS?

Mankind has, unfortunately, known few periods of absolute peace and happiness. But reports we have seen lately are capable of disturbing anybody - even the most neutral person. Outbreaks of terrorism and manifestations of aggression from radical religious groups alarm all civilized society. But although for most sober-minded people terror, veiled by orthodox convictions, is clearly an evil, there are also many who are attracted by radically minded groups, and not always religious people using at times quite sophisticated methods. This problem has already reached out beyond the scale of a single state and is affecting our country, too.

Who is being recruited and why

The number of our fellow-countrymen who have left to fight in Syria can be counted in several hundreds. This is a considerable number for a relatively small country and for its percentage of religious people in general. Azerbaijan is a secular state but orthodox influences in some sections are quite strong.

Every day in the press we hear about people who have come under the influence of radical forces. Literally the other day, the Azerbaijani law enforcement bodies carried out an operation in Baku against radical religious groups and arrested about 40 people. Today, the story that a son had fled his family via Turkey because he had probably been recruited by agents of Islamic State (IS) does not come as a surprise. Women, too, have fallen under the influence; if you analyze the structure of recruitment, the first and most important thing that the representatives of radical Islam want when they recruit people is to see that they have young intelligent people, people from humanitarian professions. So it is not surprising that an exemplary student, Varvara Karaulova, recently came under their influence in Russia. This case attracted greater attention because nothing strange was noticed in the family about a girl who was a successful student and whose behaviour was beyond reproach. In terms of a normal society the girl was lucky - she was dragged away from this "downward spiral": the parents suddenly realized what was happening and stopped her on the Turkish-Syrian border. But does Varvara herself think she was rescued? That's difficult to say.

Today it is generally hard to predict the fate of a young person (and it is usually young people who are at risk) who chooses such a path. No-one is insured against it. The special services of various countries say that the recruiters have the same principles all over the world: in Europe they recruit potential victims from families of Arab origin, but they are usually second or third generation Europeans. For the children from Arab families one of the main motives for joining IS and other organizations is a search for lost identity.

As far as all the rest are concerned, the motives can also be understood: young people and students trying to find something new go to mosques. But here the politically correct version of Islam often doesn't suit them and they find much that interests them in religious "parties" around mosques, medreses [Islamic schools] or in extremist organizations. For some reason, it is very easy to draw progressive young people into these networks.

The point is that IS offers a model of a kind of "perfect world", to which people, especially the young, turn in search of the meaning of life. There is nothing surprising in that. Some go to the left, some to the right, and some to IS. This happened, for example, on a large scale in 1917 when people were "converted" to the Bolsheviks. IS, as a rule, easily entices people interested in Islam. Young people always want some kind of radical ideas. Research shows that converts are susceptible to more aggressive forms of recruitment and are more inclined to be influenced by a sect than Muslims brought up in religious families where there is a culture of tradition.

Try it out! Will it help?

What should one do to prevent the little boy next door or your relatives' daughter suddenly becoming terrorists - in this case slanted towards Islam? How can one guess the behaviour of a radically minded person and who comes under the category of risk?

It is usually the same trap that is used: a combination of pity and compassion - both for oneself and towards the recruiter, and also the attraction of opposite sexes. The whole system of recruitment is built precisely on this important aspect. So, a woman will recruit a young man who, as a rule, is older than him, and if a girl is being enticed then this will be with the help of a man's advances. The method is roughly the same on the social networks.

"A tendency towards fanaticism in one form or another basically emerges at a fairly young age: from 16 to 25, and both young men and women are subjected to this," Denis Rzayev, a psychiatrist, says. "The factors leading up to this are quite specific: family, economic and social. However, this doesn't mean that all people living in a hostile environment are subject to strong influence and fanaticism. The group at risk are people who are not very stress-resistant and are more vulnerable and aggressive and can easily be shaken out of their rut. An unhealthy situation in a family, for example where the father is an alcoholic, the mother is beset with her own problems, unemployment, financial worries, problems with self-awareness in the world and society - all these are quite strong reasons for a person being 'taken in' by someone trying to recruit a young man under the pretext of a sacred goal and everlasting happiness."

That said, it is quite difficult to assess a potential fanatic, the doctor says. True, one can pick out if he is fidgety, nervous or tense and has shifty eyes. But how can you tell if he hasn't "approached" a fanatic group? As mentioned earlier, if things aren't right in a person's family, his loved ones may not notice any change. But still, these changes are obvious to outsiders: a sudden restraint, reticence or unsociability, losing touch with the usual range of interests and usual contacts and the emergence of new acquaintances. He becomes aggressive and may also have suicidal thoughts. If one is talking about potential terrorists or fanatics, suicidal thoughts are inevitable because they all prepare themselves for the role of a suicide-bomber. If you notice such unusual behaviour in your sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, friends and acquaintances, don't stand by and do nothing, the psychiatrist says.

Is it possible to come back?

In order to answer the question as to how possible it is to rehabilitate a fanatic and get him to return to a normal life, one has to realize that this is very complex and depends on a number of factors. To do so one has to define the sources of the path chosen by this person. If there are quite specific reasons for this - despair, worries about life or financial problems - then lengthy work by a psychotherapist can help. Also, one should not underestimate the role of the family, relatives and close, reputable friends. Usually, the psychiatrist believes, these young people have problems with their parents, and therefore the latter need to change their approach and attitude. In other words, advice often has to be given not to the "victim", but to the people around him. There is a very important factor at work here, Rzayev says; if someone else has managed to manipulate a young man, then he can be brought round with clever counter-manipulation.

Psychologist Orxan Sultanov believes that the main job for rehabilitation is to reduce the credibility of the leader: "You have to show him from the side that inevitably lets him down." If this "discrediting" work is successful, a sense of emptiness usually emerges which must be filled with something else which is constructively directed. But usually a "trapped" radical can expect prison, which reduces his chances of rehabilitation to zero. In prison he soon finds like-minded people who will not allow him to withdraw from his chosen path, and besides, as a rule, for the fanatic the mantle of torturer is always very attractive.

So justice must approach selectively the way it conducts cases linked with recruitment and, above all, answer the question: who is this man - is he a victim who needs help or a criminal?

The second path is to show the fanatically minded person the futility of his struggle. If this step is successful, then the psychologist and the man's closest friends and family are faced with a new task - to try to deter him from suicide because he suddenly realizes the futility of his life and objectives.

The problem is not one of faith but its interpretation

According to the religious studies scholar and doctor of philosophy, Aydin Alizada, if you look at any faith, even the most moderate at the lowest level, you will find signs of extremism and intolerance to non-conformity. Of course, we are only talking about proportion. With radicals this degree of extremism can develop into terror. "All groups operating in Syria are members of Islamic teachings. There have been up to a hundred different sects and teachings in the history of Islam. Today's groups also embrace these currents. In their interpretation of Islam they give preference to literal and stricter formulae," Alizada says.

The expert believes that we are a long way from the complete radicalization of Azerbaijani society, but if the atmosphere of gentility and religious propaganda are infringed, once it gains momentum it will strive to fill the ideological vacuum that will be formed, and it could happen quite spontaneously. So there must be a strong ideology in the state - well-disposed views of social groups which are recognized thanks to the established forms of rule and strong authority, the expert claims.

The official structures of Azerbaijan, in particular the Ministry of National Security, assert that all the necessary measures to prevent incidents linked with religious extremism are being carried out, and the situation is under the unremitting control of the relevant services.

According to the theologian and Dr. Phil (Theology), Aqil Sirinov, a general level of education, including in the sphere of religion, is an important factor in preventing religious radicalism. At the same time, the preaching of religious values must be far from radical interpretation and removal from context. To achieve this requires the education and nurturing of cultured religious figures, which is what the committee for work with religious organizations is doing.

He said that the quality of education must also be improved, and although a secular education is separate from religious, people must have the correct impression and study the history and philosophy of religious trends and currents. At the same time, the theologian believes, there should be no fear of strong radicalization in Azerbaijan: "Azerbaijan has many traditional values of its own," he points out. "Our country has always been multi-ethnic and has preached the principles of living together and a tolerant attitude to everyone."

So, it is not enough just to physically pick out the victim of recruitment from any group, be they Islamists or fascists. If friends and family are extremely attentive of one another, the problem will be easier to prevent than to resolve. Communicate with one another, don't "escape" to telephones and gadgets, live a real life and not a make-believe one. After all, recruitment today has become as simple and easy as access to the Internet through phones and gadgets. Lift up your heads and look around you. Live in the real world - it's great!