How Terrorist Trends Develop

Editor's Note: In a slight departure from our regular analyses, we are publishing this anecdotal piece written by Stratfor VP of Tactical Analysis, Scott Stewart, who was a special agent with the U.S. State Department for 10 years and involved in hundreds of terrorism investigations.

Developments in terrorism are driven by numerous factors. Some drivers, such as ideology and politics, are inherent to terrorism. However, there are other elements to consider, such as technology and counterterrorism tactics, which force terrorists to adapt their techniques to stay one step ahead of the authorities.