The tendency among supposedly Westernized Muslims living in the United States to unexpectedly lash out violently in an act of self-initiated (and usually small scale) Islamic terrorism.

Also abbreviated to “SJS” or “S.J.S.” Examples include Mohammed Reza Taheri-azar who drove his SUV into a crowd at the University of North Carolina in 2006, Naveed Alzal Haq who shot people at a Jewish Federation Center in Seattle also in 2006, Hesham Mohammed Hadayet who murdered people at the El Al terminal in the Los Angeles Airport in 2002 — among many others.

In all of these instances, the perpetrators had no known direct connection to any established group, and because of this the authorities inevitably refrain from describing their actions as “terrorism” — hence the sarcastic term “Sudden Jihad Syndrome.”
CAIR spokesman: "Jihad means one's own INNER struggle. You are purposely misrepresenting the teachings of Islam!"

Anyone with eyes to see: "Well, when someone breaks out with a case of Sudden Jihad Syndrome, it looks more like an OUTER conflict against random third parties." (ROPMA)
by (I am) John Doe March 18, 2008
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A feeling of sympathy for al Qaeda that inspires local terrorists to carry out attacks on the U.S., even though there was no previous affiliation between the groups.

When the local terrorist group saw al Qaeda getting pounded on TV, they were overcome with an attack of sudden jihad syndrome (SJS), and decided to strike the nearest soft target.
by Joe Rodolico January 3, 2008
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