Homegrown Violent Extremism in Trinidad and Tobago: Local Patterns, Global Trends

• Published in: Studies in conflict and terrorism Vol. 40; no. 4; pp. 267 - 299
• Main Authors: McCoy, John, Knight, W. Andy
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington Routledge 03.04.2017; Taylor & Francis LLC
• Subjects: Attention; Case studies; Commuters; Criminality; Endogenous; Extremism; Global trends; Group research; Guerrilla forces; Intellectuals; Islam; Militancy; Oversight; Political violence; Radicalism; Terrorism; Terrorist organizations; Trends; Trinidad & Tobago
• ISSN: 1057-610X; 1521-0731
• DOI: 10.1080/1057610X.2016.1206734

The article examines the subject of homegrown violent extremism related to militant Islamism in the dual-Island Caribbean state of Trinidad and Tobago (T & T). It employs original research drawn from a series of semi-structured interviews and focus groups conducted between November 2015 and January 2016. Tracing the evolution of endogenous forms of radicalism and extremism the article considers how globalized-exogenous forms of militant Islamism associated with Al Qaeda and its offshoots, such as the so-called Islamic State, have impacted local patterns of violent extremism. The case study draws attention to a state and a region that have received scant attention in terrorism studies. As demonstrated by the article, this oversight is imprudent. There are a number of noteworthy findings from this case study for terrorism studies scholars: the unique historical legacy of radicalism, extremism and insurrection among T & T's Islamists; the country's markedly high levels of extremist travelers on a per capita basis and the high rate of religious converts among those travelers; the inter-linkages between criminality and political violence; and the potential threat posed by Trinidadian and Tobagonian militancy regionally.