The Red Fort blast in Delhi, which tragically killed 13 people, and the subsequent seizure of 2,900 kilograms of bomb-making material in Faridabad have exposed a chilling evolution in India&rsquo;s terror ecosystem. What makes these incidents particularly alarming is the suspected involvement of three Kashmiri doctors, highlighting a phenomenon experts call white-collar radicalisation - the recruitment or participation of educated professionals in terrorist activities. White-collar terrorism is a concept that blends the realms of white-collar crime and terrorism. White-collar crime refers to illegal or unethical acts committed in professional or business settings for financial gain, such as fraud, embezzlement, or corporate deception. Terrorism, meanwhile, typically involves acts intended to create fear or influence societies for political, religious, or ideological goals. &nbsp;White-collar terrorism occurs when individuals, corporations, or institutions exploit financial, economic, or administrative power to cause large-scale harm, fear, or disruption without using physical violence. Examples include deliberate environmental destruction, large-scale financial fraud, or cyberattacks on critical infrastructure. Essentially, it is terrorism executed through economic, corporate, or administrative actions. This pattern is not unique to India. In Europe, research by the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation (ICSR) shows that a significant proportion of European jihadists had criminal pasts before joining extremist groups. According to Basra and Neumann in their study Criminal Pasts, Terrorist Futures, &ldquo;the convergence of criminal and terrorist milieus&hellip; is real, and has profound implications for how jihadist groups operate.&rdquo; They observed that prisons, urban underclasses, and social networks often become incubators where criminal skills from handling explosives to financial fraud are repurposed for terrorism. &ldquo;Many individuals continue their involvement in crime whilst radicalising,&rdquo; they note, emphasizing that radicalisation can coexist with professional or criminal expertise. Historical parallels exist worldwide. In the mid-1990s, members of France&rsquo;s Armed Islamic Group were dubbed &ldquo;gangster terrorists&rdquo; due to prior gang involvement. In the U.S. and parts of Africa, authorities have documented cases where educated individuals engaged in fraud, cybercrime, or fundraising schemes to support extremist agendas. The common thread is the exploitation of professional knowledge and networks to advance ideological violence. 
<div>Experts argue that this new crime-terror nexus challenges conventional counter-terrorism strategies. Basra and Neumann explain: &ldquo;Rather than being one or the other, criminal and terrorist groups have come to recruit from the same pool of people, creating synergies and overlaps that have consequences for how individuals radicalise and operate.&rdquo;</div>
India&rsquo;s recent case underscores the urgency of understanding this trend. The Red Fort blast module shows that radicalisation now extends beyond religious classrooms and prisons, infiltrating professional spaces and white-collar sectors. Counter-terrorism approaches must adapt to detect and mitigate threats that blend education, technical expertise, and extremist ideology. As Dr. Basra puts it, &ldquo;The new face of terrorism is no longer easily identifiable. It resides among those we least suspect professionals, educated individuals, and those with legitimate societal roles. Recognising and addressing this is critical for national and global security.&rdquo;

White-Collar Terrorism: The New Global Threat

From India to Europe, educated professionals are emerging as a hidden face of terror

White-Collar Terrorism: The New Global Threat

From India to Europe, educated professionals are emerging as a hidden face of terror

November 15, 2025 | 21:13 IST