Spotting the lone actor: combating lone wolf terrorism through financial investigations
| Pages | 637-642 |
| Date | 02 October 2017 |
| Published date | 02 October 2017 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JFC-08-2016-0052 |
| Author | Michael Tierney |
| Subject Matter | Accounting & Finance,Financial risk/company failure,Financial crime |
Spotting the lone actor: combating
lone wolf terrorism through
financial investigations
Michael Tierney
Independent Researcher, Innisfil, Canada
Abstract
Purpose –In 2014, Paul Gill et al. introduceda study of 119 lone-actor terrorismcases, and found that lone-
actor extremistscould be more accurately identified by their behaviouralcharacteristics and activities, rather
than their extremist ideologies.The study was said to have significant impact on intelligenceanalysis in the
field of counterterrorism. The purposeof this paper is to apply Gill et al.’sfindings to financial intelligence
investigations,to assist investigators with the detectionand prevention of lone-actor terrorist financing.
Design/methodology/approach –This article provides an overviewof the key findings provided by
Gill et al. It then discusses the indicators of lone-actor terrorism in the context of financial intelligence
investigations, and sets out methods to improve financial intelligence investigations to better identify and
stop lone-actorterrorism in the future.
Findings –By applying traditional financial intelligence techniques, which focus on assessing an
individual’s activity and behaviour, with open-source intelligence gathering, financial intelligence
investigatorswill be better equipped to identify lone-actorterrorism and its financing moving forward.
Originality/value –This article will be of value to investigators specializing in terrorism and financial
crime, as it will assistthem in the identification of a proliferating security threat,the lone-actor terrorist. While
the article relies on the findings provided by Gill et al., it takesa new approach by applying those findings
specificallyto the financial intelligence sector, to improve investigationsrelated to terrorism.
Keywords Terrorist financing, Financial intelligence investigations, Lone-actor terrorism
Paper type General review
Introduction
In March 2014, criminologists Paul Gill,John Horgan and Paige Deckert introduced a study
of 119 lone-actor terrorism cases, which analysed the socio-demographic profiles and
behavioural characteristics of various individuals leading up to their terrorist attacks. The
study broke new ground, as it shone light on the proliferating threat of lone-wolf and
homegrown extremism in the West. Indeed, there have been several lone-actor attacks
across the West in recent years, including in Canada,the USA and the UK1. The study was
also said to have brought forth a new kind of intelligence analysis when assessing the lone-
actor terroristthreat. As one commentator put it, the study shifted counterterrorism analysis
in intelligence and law enforcement circles away from traditional focus on who lone-actor
terrorists were or what theybelieved, towards how they behaved and what they did prior to
actually conducting violent attacks (Saunders, 2015). Additionally, it was one of the first
major studies to analyse the lone-actor brand of terrorism, rather than the typical focus on
larger networks such as Al-Qaeda, the Islamic State and others. In this way, given the
impact of the study conducted by Gill et al., it is now prescientto try and apply their work to
other kinds of intelligence gathering and analysis fields whichalso attempt to mitigate the
threat associated with terrorism. The purpose of this article is to apply the findings of Gill
et al.’s study to the financial intelligence (FI) realm. In so doing, it will analyse the activity
Spotting the
lone actor
637
Journalof Financial Crime
Vol.24 No. 4, 2017
pp. 637-642
© Emerald Publishing Limited
1359-0790
DOI 10.1108/JFC-08-2016-0052
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