by Lisa Putnam

Created on: July 31, 2010

Colleen Renee LaRose, aka Jihad Jane, has been held in prison since October of 2009 for recruiting men and women to kill Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks whose 2007 drawing of the prophet Muhammad as a dog had angered Muslims across the globe.  Colleen is not the average terrorist, however, as she was born and raised in the United States, lived in Philadelphia, and had never attended any Islamic services.  So why then would a 46 year old, white, suburban, American woman become mixed up with an extremist terrorist group?

Psychopath or Terrorist?

In order to decide whether LaRose is a psychopath or a terrorist we must first look at the definitions of both words.

What is a psychopath?

Although pop culture throws around the term “psychopath” in nearly every prime time criminal television show, the commonly used terminology is “Antisocial Personality Disorder”.  According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition, or the DSM IV for short, personality disorders are characterized the following traits:

-Thoughts and behavior that deviates radically from the individual’s culture

Obviously, LaRose’s thoughts and behavior do not line up with the average Pennsylvania suburbanite’s worldview.  After the events of 9/11 as well as the ongoing war with various Muslim extremist groups, it is clearly countercultural to want to “wage violent jihad in South Asia and Europe” because of her desperation to help Muslims.

-Failure to conform to laws that lead to arrest

Although the fact that LaRose has been charged with plotting to murder Vilks, conspiracy to provide support to terrorists, making false statements to officials, and attempted identity theft, more than satisfies this requirement; she has run into the law before.  In 1997 she was arrested for a DWI and for writing a bad check in Texas.

-Disregard for self or others

In December of 2008, LaRose was frequenting various extremist websites and chat rooms and was emailing a co-conspirator about becoming a “shahed” or martyr.  Coleen LaRose was not Muslim, and according to her boyfriend of five years had never attended an Islamic service.  Further, her lifestyle choices did not conform to traditional Islamic Law or “Sharia” which includes rules about marriage, praying, fasting, purification, as well as other aspects of everyday life.  In certain situations it is understandable

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