Pathways of individual radicalisation: the profiles of Malaysian Muslim Violent Extremist (Ve) detainees and ex-detainees 2013-2020

Abstract: Since 2014, the Islamic State (IS) has remained the biggest threat to Malaysia’s national peace and security. According to statistics by the Royal Malaysian Police (RMP), as of 2018, 328 youths have been arrested in Malaysia for terrorism-related offences (E8, 2018). Hence, there is a dire need for an empirical study to identify the pathways of individual radicalisation in Malaysia for Muslim VE offenders between 2013 and 2020. The methodology adopted for this research is a qualitative approach. The qualitative approach uses content analysis to analyse books, court cases (MLJ), newspapers, articles in journals and DABIQ magazine. To achieve the aims of this study, the deduction of these theories involves three combined approaches: 1) Hogg, Terry, and Adelman’s social identity pathways, encompassing factors such as gender, age, marital status, and residency; 2) Gerwehr, Daly, and Borum’s group recruitment pathways, focusing on group expertise and group role; and 3) El-Muhammady’s framework of individual pathways, which include cognitive-oriented radicalisation, emotive-oriented radicalisation, faith-oriented radicalisation, and action-oriented radicalisation. These varied theories collectively contribute to the construction of the multi- context theories of pathways of individual radicalisation in Malaysia. In brief, this new understanding will aid in shaping strategic Malaysian Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE) interventions to prevent the recurrence of incidents like the recent Ulu Tiram attack in 2024. By addressing the specific individual, demographic, group recruitment, and belief system drivers identified in this study, these interventions can more effectively mitigate radicalisation risks and enhance Malaysia’s security and resilience against extremism.