jihadist
Religious extremist fighter
A jihadist is someone who wages jihad—Islamic holy war or spiritual struggle.
In contemporary usage, the term almost always refers to militant Islamists who use violence to advance their interpretation of Islam: The attack was claimed by jihadist groups.
Western media apply the label broadly to Islamic extremists, though many Muslims object that it distorts the concept of jihad, which can refer to any earnest striving in God's cause.
Ideology beyond accepted norms
- radicalizationShift toward extreme ideology
- martyrdomSuffering for conviction
- caliphateIslamic successor-led government
- fundamentalismStrict adherence to core tenets
Salafism · Wahhabism · holy war · indoctrination · recruitment · propaganda · militancy · fanaticism
Islamist militant organization
- ISISLevantine jihadist organization
- TalibanAfghan Islamist movement
- Boko HaramNigerian jihadist organization
- Al-ShabaabSomali terrorist organization
Hezbollah · Hamas · Islamic State · cell · sleeper cell · affiliate · splinter group · network
Lethal self-detonation attack
- beheadingRemoval of head
- hostageCaptive held as security
- kidnappingUnlawful seizure of person
- insurgencyArmed uprising against authority
guerrilla · ambush · IED · car bomb · attack · massacre · execution · assassination
Remotely piloted aerial attack
- surveillanceSystematic observation of subjects
- intelligenceMental ability, cognitive capacity
- FBIU.S. domestic intelligence agency
- CIAU.S. foreign intelligence service
Interpol · watchlist · deradicalization · detention · Guantanamo · interrogation · informant · sting operation
extremism
Ideology beyond accepted norms
- radicalizationShift toward extreme ideology
- martyrdomSuffering for conviction
- caliphateIslamic successor-led government
fundamentalism · Salafism · Wahhabism · holy war · indoctrination · recruitment · propaganda · militancy · fanaticism · zealotry
Al-Qaeda
Islamist militant organization
- ISISLevantine jihadist organization
- TalibanAfghan Islamist movement
- Boko HaramNigerian jihadist organization
Al-Shabaab · Hezbollah · Hamas · Islamic State · cell · sleeper cell · affiliate · splinter group · network · faction
suicide bombing
Lethal self-detonation attack
- beheadingRemoval of head
- hostageCaptive held as security
- kidnappingUnlawful seizure of person
insurgency · guerrilla · ambush · IED · car bomb · attack · massacre · execution · assassination · hijacking
drone strike
Remotely piloted aerial attack
- surveillanceSystematic observation of subjects
- intelligenceMental ability, cognitive capacity
- FBIU.S. domestic intelligence agency
CIA · Interpol · watchlist · deradicalization · detention · Guantanamo · interrogation · informant · sting operation · no-fly list
- holy warriorscrusader, paladin, holy knight, jihadi, mujahideen
- insurgentsinsurgent, guerrillas, guerrilla, rebel, resistance fighters
- nonstate actorsmilitia, insurgent, rebel group, guerrilla, paramilitary
- War on TerrorOsama bin Laden, IED, Guantanamo, regime change, troop surge
- extremistsextremists, extremist, fanatics, fanatic, radicals
- believersbeliever, believers, adherent, devotee, theist
jihadistpacifist
Anti-violence believer
peace activist · nonviolent · peacemaker · conscientious objector · dove
jihadistsecularist
Advocate for nonreligious governance
apostate · infidel · atheist · reformist · Westernizer
jihadistpeacekeeper
One maintaining calm between rivals
diplomat · civilian · mediator · noncombatant · counterterrorist