IntroductionOne of the most complex aspects of counterterrorism (CT) for the intelligence community (IC), law enforcement (LE), and CT communities is the psychology of terrorism. In the broad study of the psychology of terrorism, a highly misunderstood and challenging topic is terrorist recruitment. A “normal” and rational person would wonder why an individual would engage in committing acts of terror that would inflict mortal or grave danger on innocent civilians for a politically motivated cause. When in reality, that rational person might also be susceptible to recruitment by a terrorist organization based on whatever anti-political ideology he may harbor against his respected government. There are many reasons why an individual might want to join a terrorist organization which includes aspects associated with an individual's psychology, ideology, theology, and state of mind. It also includes factors such as an individual's religion, culture, morals, influences, integrity, and environment. More specifically, terrorists go through a top-down or bottom-up process to enter a terrorist's life and have strategic choice or psychological forces that make them susceptible to terrorism and recruitment. For IC, LE and CT professionals the psychology of terrorist group recruitment is extremely important because it will allow them to identify indicators of individuals who are at a particular point in the recruitment process, who are already recruited and who may also be planning attacks against U.S. assets, infrastructure, and personnel. Terrorism is a serious threat to national and national security and it all starts with the recruitment of terrorists. If an individual is identified, exploited, or neutralized before… half of the document… an individual's entry into a terrorist's life includes environmental and religious issues. Works Cited CSIS (2007). Paths to Muslim radicalization. Retrieved from https://edge.apus.edu/access/content/group/security-and-global-studies-common/Intelligence%20Studies/INTL450/content/week3/450-wk3-CSIS_PathToTerror_Sep2007.pdf (accessed May 25 2014).Federal Bureau of Investigation (2014). Definitions of terrorism in the US code. Retrieved from http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/investigate/terrorism/terrorism-definition (accessed May 25, 2014). Jaber, H. (1997). Inside the world's most secret and deadly organization: Hezbollah Born with a Vengence. New York: Columbia University Press.Reich, W. (1998). Origins of terrorism: psychologies, ideologies, theologies, states of mind. Washington, DC: The Woodrow Wilson Center Press.