The complexities associated with the definition of terrorism transcend the single-discipline approaches to understanding the motivations for terrorism. Within the context of terrorism, Bjelopera and Randol, (2011:3) define radicalization as a ‘…process of acquiring and holding extremist beliefs. … violent extremism describes violent action taken on the basis of radical or extremist beliefs’. Bjelopera and Randol, (2011:10) argue that radicalization stems from the exposure of individuals to ideological messages and the movement of those individuals from mainstream beliefs to extremist viewpoints. Rabasa, Pettyjohn, Ghez and Boucek (2010:1) define radicalization as ‘ …the process of adopting an extremist belief system, including the willingness to use, support or facilitate violence, as a method to effect societal change’, thereby purporting the connection between extremist beliefs and violence.