Fuelling the fire: Al-Shabaab, counter-terrorism and radicalisation in Kenya

ABSTRACT

In the last decade, facing an increase in Al-Shabaab’s activities on its soil, Kenya has tightened up its counter-terrorism policy, intensifying security operations in vulnerable areas. However, Kenyan counter-terrorism measures have been criticised for overstepping legal boundaries, often degenerating into practices of indiscriminate repression against suspect communities. Adopting a social movement theory approach, this article investigates whether, and above all how, such practices may have detrimental effects, increasing radicalisation. The article shows that, by exacerbating frictions and widening socio-political divisions in the country, indiscriminate repression has increased a motivation to mobilise into terrorism among targeted groups while, at the same time, shaping conducive conditions enabling them to do so through emerging connections with Al-Shabaab. Such findings have substantial implications, highlighting the need for more targeted strategies tackling terrorism without setting in motion dynamics of violent interaction further undermining national security.

KEYWORDS:

• Indiscriminate repression
• radicalisation
• social movement theory
• counter-terrorism
• Kenya

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. Such an understanding of radicalisation places the focus on its behavioural aspect. Over time, the term “radicalisation” has been used with two meanings. The first one, generally called “cognitive” (Neumann 2013, 873; Hafez and Mullins 2015, 961) or “non-violent” (Bartlett and Miller 2012, 2) radicalisation, denotes a change “towards more ‘radical’ political beliefs or demands” (Malthaner 2017, 371), culminating with the acquisition of a radical mindset that although may facilitate involvement in violence in certain contexts, does not necessarily lead to it. The second type of radicalisation, termed “behavioural” (Neumann 2013, 873) or “violent” (Bartlett and Miller 2012, 2), focuses on dynamics culminating with involvement in violence.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.

Notes on contributors

Simone Papale

Simone Papale is a PhD candidate at the School of Politics and International Relations, University of Nottingham, focusing on contemporary warfare and the emergence of non-state political violence.