Applying the Violent Extremist Risk Assessment (VERA) to a sample of terrorist case studies

Purpose
– This paper seeks to evaluate the usefulness of the violent extremist risk assessment (VERA) by assessing how easily the criteria can be applied to case studies of five terrorists, and to determine whether it is more applicable to terrorists who work alone or as part of a group.

Design/methodology/approach
– Case studies of five terrorists were constructed through online research. Evidence of each factor outlined in the VERA was rated and a total score for each category was calculated.

Findings
– The majority of factors were easy to apply and were equally applicable to individuals within the sample regardless of whether they worked alone or as part of a group. The results tend to support theory and research about characteristics of violent extremists. This suggests that the factors are relevant and, therefore, that the VERA is a useful risk assessment guide.

Research limitations/implications
– As the research is based on case studies, the findings may not generalise beyond the sample selected. In addition, some sources used to construct the case studies may be less reliable. Future research should include larger, more varied and more recent samples.

Practical implications
– If future research confirms the present findings, the VERA may help to identify terrorists at risk of committing future offences. The factors may be incorporated into intervention strategies to prevent such offences.

Originality/value
– Currently, the VERA is mainly for consultation purposes. This study applies it to real individuals, as it could be of great use in the risk assessment of terrorists.