by Peter Bergen
First published 2016
Since September 11th, over three hundred Americans born in places like Minnesota, Alabama, and New Jersey have faced terrorism charges. Peter Bergen examines what drives these homegrown militants to embrace violent extremism. He traces cases from Fort Hood and the Boston Marathon to Americans who joined ISIS overseas. Bergen profiles key figures including Anwar al-Awlaki, the New Mexico-born cleric killed by a CIA drone who mentored international terrorists, and Samir Khan, whose online magazine inspired the Tsarnaev brothers. Drawing on contacts throughout intelligence agencies, Bergen reveals how law enforcement tracks potential threats through mosque infiltration and mass surveillance. He shows how these tactics affect innocent Muslims and explores the role of social media in modern terrorism recruitment. The book offers readers an inside view of both the Americans who turn to militant Islam and the controversial methods used to stop them.
Genres: history, american, politics, non-fiction, 21st-century, current-affairs
Vibes: suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: investigative-journalism
Setting: Alabama, Boston, Fort Hood, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico
Period: September 11th
400 pages · Hardcover · Crown
Content warnings: violence