Abstract
Gangs can serve as a “force multiplier” for terrorism; they are a source of recruits, weapons, and local knowledge. Terrorist organizations such as Daesh/ISIS are now skilled at recruiting disaffected youth, many with prior criminal records. Any country with significant numbers of gang members with the potential to be radicalized may therefore be a potential recruiting ground for fundamentalists. Several countries in the Caribbean appear particularly vulnerable, including Trinidad and Tobago, which has already suffered one attempted coup by jihadists, and Jamaica, which has nearly 300 violent gangs and many disadvantaged young men. There is a clear pattern of jihadist attacks on tourists, and the Caribbean is one of the world’s leading tourism destinations, so tourists may be the primary targets rather than Caribbean nationals.
Recommended Citation
Clayton, Anthony
(2017)
"Assessing the Threat from Terrorism in the Caribbean,"
Global Security Review: Vol. 1, Article 6.
DOI: 10.25148/GSR.1.009610
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/gsr/vol1/iss1/6
