Outside observers, especially those unwilling or unable to analyze individual groups in depth, often miss evidence of infighting and fractionalization among members. This is hardly surprising: the public image of a terrorist group is crafted so as to be a clear and uncomplicated expression of the group’s ideological aims. An image of unity is essential. But it is a mistake to accept such a picture whole and uncritically, as it often papers over serious divergences of view that can lead to a group’s end.
