Fueling A Global Menace

The rising number of foreign fighters are of a grave security concern among national,regional and global institutions.They pose serious threats to global peace,security and stability.Hence,with the number of young Maldivians joining foreign terrorist groups on the rise,the aim of undertaking this research topic was to analyze the key drivers and vulnerabilities behind this phenomenon.Surely,a decision of this magnitude,to leave one's entire life,home and family behind comes after much deliberation and as a result of many intervening factors.This research attempts to understand the reasons why young Maldivians might join terrorist organizations through a wide array of factors ranging from religious,socio-economic,psychological and social networking theories.It then discusses the implications of these findings.Next,this research analyzes current policies regarding terrorism implemented in Maldives,the challenges they face and possible methods to address this issue nationally.For domestic policy makers,as well as regional and international actors,this research will aid in understanding recruitment patterns and underlying driving factors behind Maldivian youth joining terrorist organizations so that they can be countered more effectively and efficiently.