Paris Suspects
What turns people into terrorists who kill without remorse like the brothers Cherif (L) and Said Kouachi (R) involved in the Hebdo attacks cannot be viewed as a mental illness but is more chilling, says a study. Getty

Militants involved in recent terror attacks could be people acting on overvalued ideas, suggests a study.

These are persons so obsessed with an idea that it defines their identity and leads them to commit violence with no remorse.

Sometimes loners and sometimes part of a group, their overvalued ideas cannot be looked at as a mental illness but as a savage, chilling violence.

Explored in the article 'Lone Wolf Killers: A Perspective on Overvalued Ideas', and published in the peer-reviewed journal Violence and Gender, the author suggests that the lone wolves will start uniting in packs as they plan future attacks.

Author Matthew H Logan, PhD, a 28-year veteran officer with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), as well as an RCMP Criminal Investigative Psychologist (ret.), Ontario, Canada, says that "in the future I believe we will see more 'packs' of these wolves as they unite on common beliefs and themes."

"The violence we witnessed in Paris just days ago shook the world," says Violence and Gender Editor-in-Chief Mary Ellen O'Toole, PhD, Forensic Behavioral Consultant and Senior FBI Profiler/Criminal Investigative Analyst (ret.).

"It was coldblooded, purposeful, and seemingly without remorse, driven by a unique self-righteous ideation of the killers… 'Overvalued ideas do not constitute mental illness,' according to Dr Logan, which makes this senseless, savage violence seem even more chilling and despicable."

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