Examining the motives and interpersonal dynamics of the arsonists who destroyed a dozen homes in a Charles County on Dec. 6 2004 reveals a pattern not dissimilar to that of terrorist cells. The young men involved had known each other for many years and shared some particular bonds that brought them closer. They also nursed a variety of grievances - economic and personal - as well as a general desire for attention and excitement. Their anger focused on a large housing complex that had been controversial locally.

This is not to say that the arson should be considered terrorism per se - or even that hate crime laws should be applied (the scale of the arson guarantees that if found guilty the accused will go to jail for a very long time.) It is rather to note that - as Marc Sageman observes in his excellent Understanding Terror Networks - cliques of young men can reinforce each other's attitudes (for the better or worse) and ultimately push each other into violent behavior. The interesting and dangerous implication is that while it did not happen in the Charles County situation - such groups, often via the internet - can link up with established terrorist groups. These links could reinforce the clique's attitudes, and provide justification and operational direction to the clique. In short, these links could lead to much greater violence.

This is not hypothetical either. Former FBI agent Mike German recently wrote how neo-Nazi groups provided in ideological and operational framework, not only for Eric Rudolph and Tim McVeigh, but also for the Red Lake and Columbine murderers.