Religion, Modern Day Terrorism, And the Convert Phenomenon

The behavioural scientists from MI5 tried to pin down the profile of today's terrorists. While some of their findings go against the received and unquestioned aprioris about terrorists, they however confirm the strange convert phenomenon...

Far from being religious zealots, a large number of those involved in terrorism do not practise their faith regularly. Many lack religious literacy and could actually be regarded as religious novices. Very few have been brought up in strongly religious households, and there is a higher than average proportion of converts. Some are involved in drug-taking, drinking alcohol and visiting prostitutes. MI5 says there is evidence that a well-established religious identity actually protects against violent radicalisation.

Indeed...
There were converts in Madrid...
And then there were converts in the Toronto plot (this is a teenage group infiltrated by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police who provided them with fertilisers and training terrain. The only conviction in this plot may come soon on mostly an ideological basis with no evidence, and the would be convicted was a minor at the time of the events)...
Bin Laden's media 'brain' is a Jewish convert to Islam
Jewish Israeli converts in Lebanon's wars...

Another study pointing at the central role played by converts...

And aside from manipulating public opinion with the active collaboration of news media this story tells us one thing: We are all terrorists.