Modeling Terrorist Networks, Complex Systems at the Mid-range

Abstract: In this paper, we develop the themes presented at the 2003 Joint Complexity Conference at the London School of Economics and subsequently published in The Intelligencer (2004) and O Tempo Das Redes (2008). Following the data analysis of the 9/11 high-jacker network developed by Valdis Krebs from open sources, we apply social network theory to examine salient arguments regarding terrorism as seen from the standpoint of complex adaptive systems theory. In particular, we explore the concepts of group cohesion, adhesion and alternative network mappings derived from node removal.