This paper is a theoretical examination of terrorism using aspects of strain, control, and learning theories. This paper argues that, despite difficulties in defining terrorism within the confines of the criminological discourse and identifying terrorists as criminals, these theories can explain the formation and continuation of terrorist groups, as well as why an individual may decide to become a terrorist. Specifically, strain and control theories apply to terrorism recruitment and why

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... uals join terrorist groups or become active in terrorism. Learning theories are used to examine the role of both formal and informal terrorist training camps and school. They can also be applied to the prevalence of information-sharing through the Internet, both for members of terrorist groups and for those individuals who seek to become involved in terrorist activity without membership in an organization. ISSN 2219-1933, 2219-6021 (Online) ©Center for Promoting Ideas, USA www.ijbssnet.com 196 This romantic view of terrorism is out of place with the devastation, disorganization, and lack of concern for human life demonstrated by terrorist groups and individuals employing terroristic means to suit a personal agenda. Rosenfeld (2008) highlights Black"s theory of social control as the only theory of terrorism in the discipline of criminology, but is quick to highlight Black"s contention that criminology is not suited for a discussion or theoretical examination of terrorism. However, Rosenfeld also highlights the most distinct flaw in Black"s theory of terrorism as social control: the decision to ignore "the criminal or predatory component of terrorist violence." (Rosenfeld, 2008: 22). Rosenfeld (2008) does not, however, offer an alternative to Black"s theory of terrorism as social control. Hamm (2007) provided a basis for examining terrorism through other criminological theories by examining the pre-event criminal behavior of individual terrorists and terrorist groups. Using the American Terrorism Survey (a twenty-year database of trial transcripts and court records relating to terrorism cases in the United States, compiled by Smith and Damphousse), Hamm examined trial transcripts related to six terrorist events and the key players involved in those events, which included three international events and three instances of domestic terrorism. Hamm (2007) highlights the individual criminal acts that occurred prior and during each terrorist event. He examines each act committed by the individual terrorists within the group and how these actions drew the attention of law enforcement (Hamm, 2007) . In one case study, Hamm (2007) examines the Aryan Republican Army (ARA), a domestic terrorist group best known for their use of president masks and FBI baseball caps during bank robberies across the Midwestern United States. Long before they decided to form a terrorist organization, the founders of the ARA had criminal records for, among other things, robbery, assault and grand theft auto (Hamm, 2007) . The ARA planned to rely on the profits of bank robbery to fund terrorist attacks that fit their anti-government and anti-minority agenda (Hamm, 2007) . Due to the flamboyance of their bank robberies and consistent taunting of the FBI, the ARA was caught and tried before they could indulge in their terrorist agenda (Hamm, 2007) . However, rumors remain that members of the ARA assisted Oklahoma City Bomber Timothy McVeigh in funding and planning his operation (Hamm, 2007) . Hamm (2007) argues that "by focusing on the broad spectrum of crimes committed by terrorist groups and by acting on solid intelligence, the FBI and other policing agencies may forestall larger conspiracies designed to kill hundreds if not thousands of citizens." (Hamm, 2007; 221). Though Hamm (2007) does demonstrate that terrorists are involved in a wide range of criminal activity, his analysis falls short in its use of routine activity theory and social-learning theory to explain this behavior as proposed in the book"s introduction. Though this paper does rely on the same anecdotal examination of terrorism, using historical examples and case studies similar to those presented by Hamm (2007) , it examines terrorism in a broader context. Rather than focusing on individual cases, this paper links three types of criminological theories to a variety of terrorist groups and individuals. Examples are drawn from both domestic and international events. Special attention is given to the motivations, ideology, recruitment, training and activity of the various groups discussed. In order to address how the discipline of criminology is well suited for a discussion or theoretical examination of terrorism, this paper broadly examines three types of criminological theory that can serve as a solid basis for a criminological explanation for terrorism and terrorist action. Each of these theories addresses a different aspect of terrorism. Strain theories help explain the process of terrorist recruitment. Control and learning theories are essential to explaining individual behavior. This includes what factors influence an individual"s choice to become a terrorist or the situations and conditions that foster an increase in a terrorist group"s membership. Control theory explains the process of joining a terrorist group and indoctrination. Learning theory highlights the importance of education and information-sharing within and between terrorist groups. A variety of examples are provided in order to illustrate the breadth of the reach of criminological theories to explain these acts and organizations. This paper does not analyze every adaptation of these theories and does not argue that these theories are the only ones among the myriad of criminological and sociological theories that examine crime and criminal behavior that could be applied to the study of terrorism, nor does it argue that these theories are better than others that have been applied to terrorism. It is instead a jumping-off point to introduce criminologists to ways in which they may use these theories to examine terrorism and expand the discussion of terrorism from a criminological perspective. This paper begins with a discussion of terrorism as crime. Each subsequent section examines one of the three categories of theory that will be applied to terrorism. These sections include general discussions of terrorism and terrorists. The paper concludes with a series of case studies linked to each of the theories and theorists discussed. This paper expands on the use of case studies as a viable option for examining terrorism and fills in the gaps left by previous examinations of terrorism using social learning theory and anomie theory that relied on either general extrapolation or did not link the theory back to the case studies presented.