| Despite the exponential growth in the number of publications in the field of terrorism, few of these studies are research-based, due to the secretive and dangerous nature of terrorists and terrorist groups. This study aimed to contribute the field by focusing on terrorist recruitment, because the continuation of terrorist activity depends on new recruits and surviving members. Central to this research was the following question: What selection criteria are used by terrorist groups when recruiting new members? To this end, the recruitment dynamics of two groups---the Turkish Hezbollah, which is a religiously motivated terrorist organization that has no ties with the Lebanese Hezbollah, and the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front (DHKP/C), which is a Marxist-Leninist terrorist organization operating in Turkey---were examined by using three important data sources: (1) handwritten self-reports, which terrorists submitted to their organizations in the form of a recruitment questionnaire, that were seized by the TNP in actions against terrorist groups; (2) statements made by convicted terrorists to departments of the Turkish National Police and subsequently submitted to the courts; and (3) semistructured interviews with Turkish National Police practitioners who specialize in specific types of terrorist organizations.;This research indicated that terrorist groups are selective in adding new members to their organizations. A terrorist organization targets certain groups and individuals for recruitment based on their characteristics; however, the major criterion for recruitment was found to be the potential recruit's ideological commitment. Although terrorist organizations do not specifically seek out violence-prone individuals for recruitment, the majority of terrorists were found to have criminal records, because terrorist organizations facilitate violent activity, especially during the recruitment process. Most terrorists were seen to be recruited by their friends and relatives. Additionally, recruitment was seen to be largely informal and an ongoing process.;This research demonstrates the importance of policy changes at the national level, such as improvements in socio-economic conditions, as well as the potential effectiveness of intelligence-based counterterrorism interventions. |
