White collar terrorism has taken root beyond traditional militant circles. The alleged involvement of doctors and other professionals in Red Fort Delhi blast has stunned investigators and exposed a disturbing transformation in the country’s terror ecosystem indicating a growing ideological penetration.
The radicalisation of educated professionals who use their intellect and access to technology to further extremist causes is a new kind of threat. These professionals don’t fit the traditional profile of a militant. They wear lab coats instead of combat gear and that makes them far more dangerous.
According to intelligence officials, the investigation into the Delhi Red Fort blast has exposed a shocking network of educated individuals involved in terrorism. Out of the 12 people arrested so far, six are doctors, many of whom were associated with reputed medical institutions and universities. It is to be noted that extremist groups now attract highly educated and skilled professionals from urban middle-class families for terror activities.
THE EDUCATED
White-collar terrorism refers to acts of violent extremism or radical activity planned and executed by educated, skilled professionals such as doctors, engineers or academics. Unlike traditional terrorists, these individuals exploit their intellectual and technical expertise to design sophisticated attacks, spread ideology, and evade detection — blending seamlessly into mainstream society while advancing extremist agendas.
The psychology behind doctors involved in terrorism deviates from typical assumptions about terrorists (e.g., lack of education, unemployment) and is primarily rooted in ideological commitment, a sense of moral superiority, and group dynamics, rather than a specific form of mental illness.
It is observed that umpteen educated individuals, including doctors, are not driven by a lack of opportunity but by a belief that they have perceived a moral failing in society that others ignore. This can lead to a sense of moral superiority, where they believe violence is a justified, or even necessary, response to a perceived injustice.
EMOTIONALLY UNSTABLE ATTRACTED MORE
Umpteen research studies consistently show that terrorist organizations tend to screen out emotionally unstable individuals because they pose a security risk. Instead, those involved are often psychologically “normal” in a clinical sense, but operate under a different, extremist, moral code that approves violence in pursuit of a given aim. Terrorists, including “white-collar” individuals like doctors, are generally not clinically psychotic or mentally unstable.
The phenomenon of medics in terrorism highlights that violent extremism is not solely a problem of poverty or lack of education, but rather a complex challenge involving identity, meaning, and group influence that can affect individuals from any background.
IMPLICATIONS OF WHITE COLLAR TERRORISM
1)Collapse of professional trust: Terror involvement by doctors or engineers erodes faith in elite professions.
eg: The Faridabad case deeply shook India’s medical community and public confidence.
2) Technological sophistication in terror: Educated extremists enhance planning, bomb-making, and online propaganda.
3) Intelligence detection difficulty: White-collar terrorists blend easily into society, evading traditional profiling.
eg: Urban professionals with spotless records rarely appear in security databases.
4) Their ideological arrogance deepens mistrust and glorifies violence as virtue.
eg: The Pulwama attacker’s affluent family celebrated him as a martyr, not a criminal.
5) Educated recruits exploit global academic and financial networks for coordination.
eg: UK- trained Sudanese doctors joined ISIS hospitals, merging skill with ideology.
MANAGING THE SITUATION
– Ethics-based education reform: Include moral reasoning and civic empathy in all levels of schooling.
-Community and family vigilance: Encourage early detection of radical behaviour through social counselling.
eg: Kerala’s Operation Pigeon integrates family awareness with digital monitoring.
-Targeted De-radicalisation therapy: Use psychological counselling and social reintegration to counter extremist pull.
eg: The UK Prevent Strategy combines mentorship and behavioural therapy.
– Digital monitoring with safeguards: Employ AI tools to flag extremist content while protecting privacy rights.
eg: Europol’s IRU tracks online radical propaganda across Europe.
– Strengthen professional accountability: Enforce strict ethical codes and disciplinary oversight in high-risk sectors.
eg: The National Medical Commission 2023 introduced mandatory ethics modules for doctors.
– Promote civic dialogue and inclusion: Provide legitimate forums for dissent to prevent ideological isolation.
eg: District-level youth councils in J&K reduced radicalisation through debate spaces.
(Dr Naresh Purohit is Disaster Mental Expert and Principal Investigator for the Association of Studies in Mental Care. The views expressed are that of the author)