IntroductionA United States citizen turning against his own government and adopting an ideology aimed at killing another citizen or committing an act of violence is a growing phenomenon commonly referred to as homegrown terrorism. This process of transition or radicalization which transforms the individual into an adversary has intensified since the attacks of September 11, 2001 against the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. The problem continues to persist in other parts of the world such as Canada, the United Kingdom and even Saudi Arabia, a non-Western country. This form of extremism has shown its propensity in the United States since the turn of the century, when Muslim extremism began as a means of supporting a black separatist movement. Today, the threat appears more generalized with the accessibility and excess of information technologies; as well as the political and socio-economic environment which influences many spectrums of perception and intention. Brian Jenkins, senior advisor to the Rand Corporation, a policy research think tank, defines radicalization as the "process of adopting in oneself or instilling in others a commitment not only to a belief system, but also towards their imposition on the rest of society” (Gartenstein-Ross and Grossman, 2009, p. 7). McCauley and Moskalenko (2008) describe radicalization as “changes in beliefs, feelings, and behaviors in directions that increasingly justify intergroup violence and require sacrifices to defend the group” (p. 416). In the context of radicalization, an individual discovers a new revelation about their perception of the world. Radicalization does not occur suddenly but is a complex process influenced by personal experiences, environment, personality character... middle of paper ...... ion associated with peace and tranquility has a long history of violence. Mark Juergensmeyer in his book Terror in the Mind of God argues that religion provides the ideological resources necessary for an alternative vision of law and order (Juergensmeyer, 2003). This confirms the previous definition stated earlier by Brian Jenkins who emphasized that radicalization consists of imposing one's beliefs on society (Gartenstein-Ross and Grossman, 2009). Juergensmeyer further stated that all religions are inherently revolutionary and have elements of public violence to support their justification in the name of God and a higher being (Jergenmeyer, 2003). Understanding the motivations, reasoning and influences of the radicalization process will help mitigate religious violence while identifying a proactive approach to prevent conversion to terrorism in the country..