The ability of terrorist groups to inflict death and destruction has markedly increased with technological advances in the areas of communication, transportation, and weapon capability. Using these new tools and networks, terrorists now seek to inflict mass casualties worldwide. Given these realities, it is essential to research the factors that underlie a terrorist group’s origins, grievances, and demands. Such insights might help others respond more effectively to insurgencies, especially when military campaigns to capture or kill every terrorist have proven unsuccessful.
The Freedom Fighter: A Terrorist’s Own Story explores why so many Kurdish people—especially young adults—join the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and conduct terrorist acts. Inspired by the ground-breaking classic, The Jack-Roller: A Delinquent Boy’s Own Story, by Clifford R. Shaw, the author explores the issue of radicalization into terrorist organizations through the life-history method, enabling a PKK terrorist—or “freedom fighter”—to tell his story. Over a five-month period, the author interviewed “Deniz,” a high-level PKK terrorist in a Turkish prison, who during his time in the PKK rose from the lowest level to near the top in terms of terrorist operations.
This riveting life history, told in Deniz’s own words, provides unique insights into why someone becomes a “freedom fighter” and what such a life entails. The account provides extensive information on the PKK, including the group’s recruitment, ideological and military training, armed strategies, internal structures and code of ethics, treatment of women, and goals for peace. Deniz’s story not only explains why more Kurdish “freedom fighters” will be recruited to engage in terrorist acts, but also facilitates understanding of how “normal people” can become involved in conflict and organizations that are designated as “terrorist groups.” A foreword by renowned criminologist Francis T. Cullen helps contextualize the material. This book will interest students of criminology, terrorism/counterterrorism, political violence, and security.
Foreword by Francis T. Cullen
Preface
PART I. Terrorism in Context
Chapter 1: Meeting Deniz
Chapter 2: The History of Kurds and the PKK
PART II. The Freedom Fighter’s Own Story
Section A: Becoming a Terrorist
Chapter 3: The Early Years
Chapter 4: Joining the PKK
Chapter 5: Mission Trainings
Section B: Being a Terrorist
Chapter 6: Rangers and My First Mission
Chapter 7: Turkish Oppression Toward the Kurdish Villagers
Chapter 8: The PKK Organization
Chapter 9: On the Way to Damascus, Syria
Chapter 10: War Against Barzani’s Peshmerghas
Chapter 11: Chaotic Situation at Central Headquarters
Chapter 12: The Women Guerillas of the Organization
Chapter 13: The War Against the YNK
Chapter 14: The Invasion of Iraq by U.S. Forces
Chapter 15: That’s All She Wrote!
Chapter 16: The Trip to Amed
Chapter 17: Recruiting New Guerillas
Chapter 18: Decision to Keep My Hands Off
Section C: Prison and Beyond
Chapter 19: Leaving the PKK
Chapter 20: The Prison and the General
Chapter 21: Penitence (Second Thoughts)
Chapter 22: The Turks, The Kurds and the Last Chance
PART III: Conclusion
Chapter 23: Lessons from a Terrorist’s Own Story
Appendix I
References
Index
Biography
Murat Haner received his Ph.D. in criminal justice from the University of Cincinnati. He is currently a Visiting Professor in the Department of Socials Sciences, Program of Criminology, at the University of South Florida, Sarasota-Manatee. He teaches courses in counterterrorism, homeland security, radicalization, the Middle East, criminal justice, and intelligence science. Previously, he was a ranked officer with the Turkish National Police, at various departments. He worked undercover on counterterrorism and similar areas across Turkey. He also traveled to Hungary, Israel, Sudan, Azerbaijan, Greece, Syria, and Germany for security training and education programs under the auspices of European Union and Turkish state funds.
The Freedom Fighter is a special book—a volume that could easily become a classic in the field. … The account presents detailed information on the [Kurdistan Worker’s Party’s] culture, organizational structure, military operations, and socio-political ties to the larger community. It reveals members’ daily lives and career patterns. And most of all, it provides deep insight into the perceived injustices and sense of honor that lead even a seemingly normal person to heartlessly murder others.
—Francis T. Cullen, Distinguished Research Professor, University of Cincinnati
