Written for defense, intelligence and law enforcement professionals, True Believers: A Symbolic Anthropological Study of Islamist Culture
provides a comprehensive overview of the symbols, rituals, beliefs, customs, and
unfamiliar practices of Islamist culture. Ritualistic crime expert Dawn Perlmutter reveals
a heretofore unidentified Islamist Symbolic Code-a shame-based tribal honor code that
incites and justifies murder, mutilation, and acts of terrorism. The Islamist Symbolic
Code is a syncretic tradition that is a combination of tribal honor code, Sharia Law, and
Islamic rites of purity. This symbolic anthropological approach to counterterrorism
illustrates how traditions and taboos rooted in the Islamist Code are relevant to a variety
of strategic and intelligence operations.
A leading Hamas member stated, "We like to grow them from kindergarten through
college." This book explains exactly how that is accomplished with emphasis on
Islamist rites of passage, indoctrination, education, and initiation rituals. Readers are
introduced to the "symbolization" process-a form of repetitive symbolic conditioning
similar to the indoctrination techniques of cult and totalitarian groups that use words,
images, symbols, and rituals to embed ideals that resonate throughout life. This book
identifies the symbols, language, and images that trigger violence, hatred, fear, and
shame that are used to grow an army of true believers.


Seemingly inexplicable violent acts are explained-such as children joyfully participating
in the dismemberment of dead bodies, suicide bombers who are willing to self-detonate
for Islam, fathers killing their daughters, beheadings, mutilation, amputations, gouging
out eyes, stoning women, and literally crucifying enemies. It is demonstrated that the
primary motivation of Islamist atrocity is an irrepressible impulse to alleviate shame and
a sacred duty to restore honor, serve vengeance, preserve purity, maintain tradition, and
save face.


Perlmutter also introduces readers to "Symbolic Warfare," a form of psychological
operations and information warfare that exploits Muslim traditions and taboos to recruit
moderates, indoctrinate soldiers, and wage global war. Knowledge of the rites of purity,
traditional customs, what is held sacred, and what is designated taboo provides relevant
insights into the minds and hearts of Islamist True Believers. This book is a valuable aid
for strategic, tactical, and intelligence operations.



Dawn Perlmutter was interviewed by Robert Siegel August 29, 2014 on National Public Radio's All Things Considered in a segment about beheading as a modern warfare tactic.