If you have seen the film American History X, you’ll be struck at the similarities between white supremacist demagoguery and that of “Muslim” extremist demagoguery. The psychology of extremism transcends religion; fundamentally it is about hatred of the “other”.

The ingredients to motivating youngsters to extremism are universal. Take some disenfranchised youth, give them an “enemy” to blame for their problems and predicament. Add to that some twisted logic, back it up by selective statistics, de-contextualused scripture or some myths and hearsay about the other, re-enforce some identity (religion, race, ideology, tribe, etc.) and use a charismatic, eloquent and forceful frontman to deliver, using very heavy rhetorical devices, “solutions” to the “problems” that you have made people believe they have and you have a recipe for extremism that is both convincing and seductive.