Michel Silver - The four face radicalisation model

Question 1

Who is Michel Silver?

Answer 1

• Intelligence analyst working at NY city police

Question 2

What is the four phases of Michel Silvers four-phase radicalisation model?

Answer 2

• Pre radicalization
• Cognitive opening
• Self identification proces/indoctrinating phase
• Jihadization phase

Question 3

What is the pre radicalization phase according to Michel Silvers four-phase radicalisation model?

Answer 3

• Not terrorist in this phase – you are just a normal, non-radicalized person.
• Something happens, so that you experience a very important psycological proces. This situation leads you to the next phase.

Question 4

What is the cognitive opening according to Michel Silvers four-phase radicalisation model?

Answer 4

• A specifical phase in your life, where you become open, for something new
• Cognitive opening is not dangerous, it just means that you are questioning the values you were previously living in. It is not only related to terrorism. It could also go the other way around - that you were already a terrorist, and started questioning these values.

Question 5

What is the self-identification process/indoctrinating phase according to Michel Silvers four-phase radicalisation model? And what are the four different triggers?

Answer 5

• You start identifying with the jihadi ideology
• Some trickers:
  f. Economy - for instiance Job-loss
  g. Political - namly international conflicts involving muslim people
  h. Social - racism, discriminasion and alimination. In many cases, the trickers can overlap. For instance people dont find a job due to racism.
  i. Personal - for instance the death of a close family member.

Question 6

What is the Jihadization phase according to Michel Silvers four-phase radicalisation model?

Answer 6

• Helped by a facilitator, who helps you from the indoctrination phase where you become familiar with the Jihadi, to become a terrorist.
• In this phase, the individual reach the conclusion, that participating in Jihad is an individual duty, they have to do something themselves.
• Afetr this phase, the group is ready to prepare and conduct an attack.

Question 7

Does Michel Silver find ideology important for radicalization?

Answer 7

• Yes, in the way that he thinks the Jihad ideology is the primum movens for radicalization. You have a cognitive opening, and then the ideology is there to fill this opening with nre values.

Question 8

What specific kind of terrorism is it, that Michel Silver focuses on?

Answer 8

• The one that happens in western cities