The Lesser Jihad Recruits and the al-Qaida Network

Despite many countries' successful efforts to capture and kill al-Qaida members, the al-Qaida network remains one of the most viable threats to international security. To combat this threat, we must understand why individuals continue to join the network. This insider's look at recruitment will help policymakers, government officials, academics, the press, and citizens to understandand combatthe pushes and pulls that motivate individuals to join al-Qaida.

Elena Mastors is associate professor at the Naval War College Alyssa Deffenbaugh is a program analyst with ManTech International Corporation