Lone wolf terrorism

Lone wolf terrorism, or lone actor terrorism, is a particular kind of terrorism committed by an individual who both plans and commits the act on their own. The precise definition of the term varies, and some definitions include those directed by larger organizations and small cells. Other names for the phenomenon include lone operator terrorism, freelance terrorism, solo terrorists, and individual terror cells. It is similar to but distinct from the concept of leaderless resistance.

The name 'lone wolf' is derived from the notion of a lone wolf, a pack animal that has left or been excluded from its pack. The term was popularized in the late 1990s, from the FBI and the San Diego Police Department's investigation into the activities of white supremacists Alex Curtis and Tom Metzger, named Operation Lone Wolf, largely due to their encouragement of other racists to commit violent acts, which they dubbed "lone wolf" action. Compared to the general population and members of organized terrorist groups, lone wolf terrorists are more likely to have been diagnosed with a mental illness, though it is not an accurate profiler.