Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 2, No. 2, 2003, Page 59
bomber in Israel, for example, grew up in Britain, in relatively prosperous circumstances,
and attended college. (Scott Atran, New York Times, Internet, 2/5/03)
Al Qaeda and Others Indoctrinate Well
Al Qaeda, Hamas, and other terrorist organizations use intense indoctrination to turn
educated members into human bombs. They are able to do this in part by tapping recruits‘
religious faith, and by invoking religion to ―invest personal trauma with social meaning.‖ In
contrast, Bosnian Muslims, who also suffered through great violence, did not become suicide
bombers because they did not consider religion significant in their lives, according to Brian
Barber, who studied young adults among both Bosnians and Palestinians. (Scott Atran, New
York Times, Internet, 2/5/03)
Using Psychology with Suspected Terrorists
Subtle psychological methods may be more effective in gaining confessions from suspected
terrorists than physical and psychological coercion, according to police and other
interrogation experts. Indeed, force may harden a prisoner‘s resistance, and pain, drugs, or
sleep deprivation may cloud the prisoner‘s recall and lead to false, misleading confessions.
More effective approaches depend on the interrogator‘s perceptiveness about the prisoner‘s
personality, on imaginative role-playing, and on forming a common bond of humanity with
him so that he feels free to speak about himself and his ideals.
Christopher Dillingham, a former police officer and now adjunct professor at the University
of Central Florida, says that captured Al Qaeda operative Khalid Sheikh Mohammed may not
be moved by threats against him or reprisals against his comrades, but he may be
susceptible to intellectual flattery. ―You‘ll find oftentimes that crusaders want to speak about
their cause, and particularly when you‘re dealing with somebody in an upper-level hierarchy
...there is a tendency to boast and brag.‖ Unibomber Theodore Kucynski was such a
person. (Reed Johnson, Los Angles Times, E1, E24, 3/15/03)
Transcendental Meditation
No Tax Exemption
The North Carolina Supreme Court has ruled that the Transcendental Meditation center
near Boone is not tax exempt, thus upholding a lower court ruling that the Maharishi
Spiritual Center of America‘s primary purpose is the practice of meditation rather than
educational, charitable, or scientific work. (Emery P. Delsio, AP in Raleigh News &Observer,
Internet, 5/3/03)
Unification Church
Unification Church Forms Korean Political Party
The Unification Church (UC) has announced formation of a political party to work towards
the reunification of the two Koreas by teaching about God and peace. The UC said that while
it would not seek political power, or even run candidates for office, it aimed to create similar
parties in Japan and the U.S. (AGP, 3/10/03 in FAIR NEWS, London, 1, 2003, page 6)
Conference in Korea Draws Former Leaders
Rev. Sun Myung Moon spoke at a Unification Church-sponsored international peace
forum in Seoul in early February that drew hundreds of world leaders to discuss ways to
promote peace and stability on the Korean peninsula and to address world tensions. The
report of the forum, held annually in Seoul since 1987, comes from United Press
International [which is now a Unification Church-controlled company]. Attendees included
former Polish President and Nobel Prize winner Lech Walensa, East Timor independence
bomber in Israel, for example, grew up in Britain, in relatively prosperous circumstances,
and attended college. (Scott Atran, New York Times, Internet, 2/5/03)
Al Qaeda and Others Indoctrinate Well
Al Qaeda, Hamas, and other terrorist organizations use intense indoctrination to turn
educated members into human bombs. They are able to do this in part by tapping recruits‘
religious faith, and by invoking religion to ―invest personal trauma with social meaning.‖ In
contrast, Bosnian Muslims, who also suffered through great violence, did not become suicide
bombers because they did not consider religion significant in their lives, according to Brian
Barber, who studied young adults among both Bosnians and Palestinians. (Scott Atran, New
York Times, Internet, 2/5/03)
Using Psychology with Suspected Terrorists
Subtle psychological methods may be more effective in gaining confessions from suspected
terrorists than physical and psychological coercion, according to police and other
interrogation experts. Indeed, force may harden a prisoner‘s resistance, and pain, drugs, or
sleep deprivation may cloud the prisoner‘s recall and lead to false, misleading confessions.
More effective approaches depend on the interrogator‘s perceptiveness about the prisoner‘s
personality, on imaginative role-playing, and on forming a common bond of humanity with
him so that he feels free to speak about himself and his ideals.
Christopher Dillingham, a former police officer and now adjunct professor at the University
of Central Florida, says that captured Al Qaeda operative Khalid Sheikh Mohammed may not
be moved by threats against him or reprisals against his comrades, but he may be
susceptible to intellectual flattery. ―You‘ll find oftentimes that crusaders want to speak about
their cause, and particularly when you‘re dealing with somebody in an upper-level hierarchy
...there is a tendency to boast and brag.‖ Unibomber Theodore Kucynski was such a
person. (Reed Johnson, Los Angles Times, E1, E24, 3/15/03)
Transcendental Meditation
No Tax Exemption
The North Carolina Supreme Court has ruled that the Transcendental Meditation center
near Boone is not tax exempt, thus upholding a lower court ruling that the Maharishi
Spiritual Center of America‘s primary purpose is the practice of meditation rather than
educational, charitable, or scientific work. (Emery P. Delsio, AP in Raleigh News &Observer,
Internet, 5/3/03)
Unification Church
Unification Church Forms Korean Political Party
The Unification Church (UC) has announced formation of a political party to work towards
the reunification of the two Koreas by teaching about God and peace. The UC said that while
it would not seek political power, or even run candidates for office, it aimed to create similar
parties in Japan and the U.S. (AGP, 3/10/03 in FAIR NEWS, London, 1, 2003, page 6)
Conference in Korea Draws Former Leaders
Rev. Sun Myung Moon spoke at a Unification Church-sponsored international peace
forum in Seoul in early February that drew hundreds of world leaders to discuss ways to
promote peace and stability on the Korean peninsula and to address world tensions. The
report of the forum, held annually in Seoul since 1987, comes from United Press
International [which is now a Unification Church-controlled company]. Attendees included
former Polish President and Nobel Prize winner Lech Walensa, East Timor independence
