...Terrorism Terrorism: A general definition Terrorism is the deliberate and organized use of violence against the state. The single important objective behind the act of terrorism is to create fear and spread insecurity among citizens of the state. By striking the unarmed and hapless citizens, terrorists aim to disrupt governance. Such attacks show the government in poor light. i.e. as one that cannot guarantee security of life and property, one of the most basic function of the state. In Angels & Demons, Dan Brown writes: “terrorism is not an expression of rage. Terrorism is the political weapon. Remove a government’s façade of infallibility, and you remove its people’s faith”. Types of Terrorism There are three types of terrorism. They are (a) State Sponsored Terrorism. (b) State Terrorism. (c) Organizational Terrorism. (a) State Sponsored Terrorism is always directed against another state, often by proxy, with the aim to destabilize it. A good example to drive home this idea is Pakistan sponsored terrorism against India. (b) State Terrorism is directed against a State’s own citizen. The reason could be numerous, chief among is the tussle between majority and minority group (both demographic and religious). A case in point is the 1994 Rawanda Genocide where majority ethnic Hutu tribe militia butchered nearly 8 lakhs Tutsis in 100 days of carnage. (c) Organizational Terrorism is used by groups to realize divergent aims including political, social, and economic...
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...usually a member of a group that uses or advocates terrorism. An assassin is one who murders by surprise attacks, and is also someone who carries out a plot to kill a prominent person. They are both motivated by their beliefs, the will to terrorize the population of which they despise, and their political or personal agendas. The nature of a terrorist and assassin is sometimes considered to be acts of insane men trying to achieve a particular goal; their methods are known to have a drastic impact of society because of all the innocent people that are killed and hurt. Terrorist and assassins have had a major impact on society throughout history and definitely in the 20th century. They are said to be different in many ways but similar in some, and one thing they have in common is that their actions have the same effect on society. Terrorist’s and assassin’s actions are considered one of the most powerful influences in society because they are motivated by causing chaos and upheaval in society. Both parties believe in their cause and will stop at nothing to get what they want. Terrorist are very manipulative people that do what they feel is best to get their point of view across, their actions are solely to intimidate and persuade people to believe that their cause is right and just. A terrorist act is called terrorism, and terrorism is considered to be an act of violence in pursuit of political or religious goals. The word terrorism was...
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...Terrorism: the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion. (Merriam Webster, 2013) Terrorism has been around since the beginning of time, but wasn’t defined until the 1930’s. Ethnic separatist violence in the 1930s provoked the League of Nations, formed after World War I to encourage world stability and peace, to define terrorism for the first time, as: All criminal acts directed against a State and intended or calculated to create a state of terror in the minds of particular persons or a group of persons or the general public. (Zalman) Although this was never enacted it was the first recorder definition of terroeism. Since then, many definitions have surfaced and vary in terms. Terrorism does not discriminate. It comes in all shapes forms and can happen anywhere, anytime to anyone. Terrorism is a worldwide problem and continues to get worse. Individuals, small groups and even whole countries can be affected. There are many different reasons terrorism begins. It can be as simple as a name or as complicated as religion. Different forms of terrorism occur at all times. Terrorism may be happening in your neighborhood without you even realizing it. Individuals or groups decide that they do not like something or someone and terrorize them. The terrorism may include scare tactics such as: burning a cross nearby, killing, bombing, kidnapping and many other tactics. The ultimate goal is to have things their way without anyone opposing them. Works Cited ...
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...governments themselves, organized crime syndicates or common criminals, rioting mobs or persons engaged in militant protest, individual psychotics or lone extortionists -- is often labelled `terrorism'. “a violence or the threat of violence calculated to create an atmosphere of fear and alarm – in a word, to terrorize- and thereby bring about some social or political change” Terrorism has been described variously as both a tactic and strategy; a crime and a holy duty. Terrorism has often been an effective tactic for the weaker side in a conflict. As an asymmetric form of conflict, it confers coercive power with many of the advantages of military force at a fraction of the cost. Due to the secretive nature and small size of terrorist organizations, they often offer opponents no clear organization to defend against or to deter. Terrorism as “the calculated use of unlawful violence or threat of unlawful violence to inculcate fear; intended to coerce or to intimidate governments or societies in the pursuit of goals that are generally political, religious, or ideological.” "Terrorism is the unlawful use of force and violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives." Terrorism is a criminal act that influences an audience beyond the immediate victim. The strategy of terrorists is to commit acts of violence that draws the attention of the local populace, the...
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...TYPOLOGIES OF TERRORISM Just as there is no one good definition of terrorism, typologies do not account for all forms of terrorism. Typology development in criminology and criminal justice scholarship seems to exist for the ease of teaching. Prof. Eskridge's Terrorism Page, from his course on terrorism out in Nebraska has some graphic examples of typologies, but it should be noted that typologies of terrorism are usually NEITHER motive-based NOR behavior-based, like they are in other areas of criminological study, such as the areas of profiling and street crime (the exception being Hacker's typology of terrorists by traits, included below). This is evident from the following examples commonly found in textbooks and/or in the strangely confused way the media reports what is going on in times of terrorist-related crisis or war (Hess & Kalb 2003). In the following typologies, notice in the headings how the types are classified in different ways. |Terrorism Classified by Place | |1. Domestic -- by residents of a country within that country | |2. International -- by representatives of a country against another country | |3. Non-state -- extremism and revolution for its own sake | |4. State-sponsored -- by a government against its own people or in support of international | |terrorism against...
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... The History of Terrorism: From Antiquity to Al Qaeda. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2007. Change plus vite, hélas! que le coeur d'un mortel. The form of a town changes more swiftly alas! Than the heart of a mortal. Charles Baudelaire, Le Cygne (The Swan) In The History of Terrorism: From Antiquity to Al Qaeda, edited by Gérard Chaliand and Arnaud Blin, readers will find an excellent compilation of essays regarding the history of terrorism. Beginning with the earliest recorded manifestations of terrorism to the present day, the editors provide not only detailed accounts of terrorism through the ages, but valuable historical context that helps the reader understand the complexities of the terrorism we face today. Overall, the purpose of this book is to show that terrorism is used for political purposes, that it is psychological in nature, and that this has been the case throughout history. The editors organize this collection of essays into a roughly chronological order that provides continuity to the argument that terrorism has evolved throughout history, while maintaining signature characteristics that distinguish it from other types of warfare. Beginning with the Zealots and Assassins of pre-medieval history, readers will soon begin to make connections between the various eras of terrorism. Additionally, this chronological arrangement lends itself to understanding that from its earliest stages, terrorism has always been a tactic that “…is the most...
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...Secular and Religious Terrorism Michelle Garcia Mr. Evans Kaplan University Terrorism Today December 1, 2011 There are many different forms of terrorism, but I will be talking about secular terrorism and religious terrorism. Nowadays religious terrorism is more common and poses a bigger threat. Some think that all terrorism is the same, but this is not true. All forms of terrorism are different and have different goals. Secular terrorism has no dealings with religion at all. These terrorists mainly target individuals and political figures. They don’t kill on a massive scale, but on a more individual basis. Their goal is mainly assassination and once they have achieved this goal, or whatever goal they set, then they are done. Religious terrorism is just what it says, religion, and this is why they pose the bigger threat. There are so many different religions and you never know who is a terrorist or not because you can’t narrow it down to any one person, religion, or race because anybody could be a terrorist. Religious terrorists set their eyes on massive group killings and use suicide bombers. A perfect example is September 11, 2001, a day we will never forget. When violence is a sacramental act rather than a tactic for achieving political goals, there are no moral limits to what might be done — and seemingly little chance for a negotiated settlement. When violence is designed to eliminate an enemy from the face of the earth, genocide can’t be far...
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...Justice Terrorism has never been in the States; only in third world countries. Since 9/11-2001 is has been a reality and ongoing nightmare and hit close to home. The attack on the World Trade Centers in New York was a wakeup call. United States has been on high alert ever since, waiting for the next possible Terrorists attack. This paper will explain why terrorism is a law enforcement concern as well as how terrorism is considered a crime. At last the paper will state some recommendations that the American Criminal Justice should do, to better prepare for future crimes. Why is terrorism a law enforcement concern? In the Criminal Justice System law enforcement is one of the agencies that are dedicated to enforcing the laws as well as maintaining order, and control crime within the community. Law Enforcement police officers are the most visible representative of the government in American society; therefore police agencies are responsible for a wide variety of services (Fagin, 2005). Some of those responsibilities include traffic enforcement, accident investigation, patrol and first response to incidents, property crime investigation, violent crime investigation as well as investigating deaths and murders (Fagin, 2005). In other words law enforcement agencies are the ones that physically interact with the community most of the time. After the attack that happened on September 11th on the WTC and the Pentagon, “the criminal justice system assumed new roles on terrorism” (Fagin...
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...Russian Terrorism The devastating defeat of Russian forces in the Crimean War exposed the backwardness of Russia. In response, Tsar Alexander II passed a series of reforms, which were intended to liberalize Russian society. They included the abolition of serfdom, the modernization of the government, the opening of universities to people of all socioeconomic classes, the granting of semi-autonomy to the Russian territory of Poland, and the relaxation of some laws that were punitive to various religious groups (Burleigh 27). While these reforms had good intentions they failed to have the intended effects. The educational reforms did allow more people to be admitted to universities, but they did little to change life conditions for these new people. For example, women left universities with no new societal roles in which they could utilize their education. In addition, educated people of lower classes had few employment opportunities available for them upon graduation (Alexander and His Times). The tough situation for the newly accepted students caused students to rise up and take control of their professors (Burleigh 28). The emancipation of the serfs was also not entirely successful. This is because it left awkward agreements between former serfs and landlords that forced serfs to reimburse their former masters for the financial loss of losing them as unpaid workers. These agreements caused tension and some unrest in rural areas. Even in Poland, the limited self-rule...
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...As we continue to progress into the 21st century, the threat of terrorism has continued to progress as well. Throughout the years, the world has seen many different tactics used to fight against terrorism. These tactics can range from highly volatile to non-combative. Some countries share the belief that more non-combative tactics are the best method to deal with the issue. However, the United States has not been of this belief. The United States has been a leading force in the fight against terrorism with their full military incursion into the middle east. In relation to the United States, these tactics have leaned more towards a strong military response that is intended to completely destroy the groups in question, rather than use a tactic...
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...especially in recent years, those geopolitical cycles have intersected with changes in the way the tactic of terrorism is employed and in the actors employing it. The Arab terrorism that began in the 1960s resulted from the Cold War and the Soviet decision to fund, train and otherwise encourage groups in the Middle East. The Soviet Union and its Middle Eastern proxies also sponsored Marxist terrorist groups in Europe and Latin America. They even backed the Japanese Red Army terrorist group. Places like South Yemen and Libya became havens where Marxist militants of many different nationalities gathered to learn terrorist tradecraft, often instructed by personnel from the Soviet KGB or the East German Stasi and from other militants. The Cold War also spawned al Qaeda and the broader global jihadist movement as militants flocking to fight the Soviet troops who had invaded Afghanistan were trained in camps in northern Pakistan by instructors from the CIA's Office of Technical Services and Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence directorate. Emboldened by the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan, and claiming credit for the subsequent Soviet collapse, these militants decided to expand their efforts to other parts of the world. The connection between state-sponsored terrorism and the Cold War ran so deep that when the Cold War ended with the Soviet Union's collapse, many declared that terrorism had ended as well. I witnessed this phenomenon while serving in the Counterterrorism Investigations...
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...2000), the last three decades of terrorism is reviewed. However, the most important decade that is viewed in the movie (Setton et al., 2000) is the 1970’s. During the 1970’s, terrorist activities rose dramatically around the world almost crumbling capitalism. However, the most valuable part of the first freight decade, was the cooperation and shared funding between terrorist groups. During the first freight decade, terrorism struck throughout the eastern hemisphere. Specifically, Italy, Germany, and Ireland were prime geographical areas for terrorist activities. For example, on the morning of March 16, 1978, the former Prime Minister of Italy,...
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...In modern society, the term Terrorism, carries with it a nebulous connotation. The term, tainted by its perception, is inherently misconstrued and demonized. In public dialogue, it is immediately sensationalized by the media, hotly discussed by the people, quickly vilified by politicians, and overly generalized by the masses. Its mention and increasing global occurrence triggers an intense negatively charged emotional response that is forever associated with the 2015 November Paris Attacks, the London Bombings, 11 September Attacks, the “War on Terror,” Jihadists, and numerous stereotypes and mischaracterizations. Yet, nowhere in the discussion is the rhetoric being examined. Nowhere in the discourse do questions arise about the roots and branches...
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...Terrorism has no internationally agreed-upon definition, but essentially, terrorists are ideologically motivated and use violence against civilians to create panic and fear, in hopes of changing policies or laws. While there is no international definition of terror, there are many different types, and the following will demonstrate the dizzying array terrorist practices. Firstly there is civil disorder. It can range from protesting legally to illegally lambasting the government. Different countries allow for different levels of dissent, but in some peaceful assembly is considered terrorism. Truly destructive forms of terrorism are political, quasi political, and religious. Political terrorists attack in hopes of changing policies, usually in reference to color, creed, or profession. Quasi political terrorism is the use of terrorist tactics for personal gain. For instance, taking a hostage is terrorizing someone, but it is not an action designed to enact wide scale change. Lastly, religious terrorism focuses on proliferating ones belief at the cost of others. Overall, terrorism is unjust and cruel; we must take stand against it. Terrorism flies in the face of diplomatic process, purposefully disrupting peace and safety in order to achieve a goal. Many terrorists consider a mission successful if hundreds of helpless, innocent women and children lie bloody in the street. A popular terrorist attack is to set off a relatively small bomb, and kill say, 30 people, and detonate a far...
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...Domestic Terrorism Domestic Terrorism Domestic terrorism has continued to reemerge throughout history. From the late the birth of America to the present day 20th century, the threat of terrorism continues to be a fact of everyday life for millions of people. From the unsuccessful assassination attempt on President Truman to the topping of the Twin Towers in New York, the United States continues the war on terrorism, except this war isn’t abroad, but here at home. Armed with the latest technology, intelligence, manpower, and unrelenting intestinal fortitude, the most powerful nation in the world, continues to do what they can to eliminate terrorism (Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2011). Terrorism is the use of violence to instill fear in a person or a group of people for ideological, religious or political reasons. Terrorist usually target public places or public officials. Their targets are something or someone who would get the attention of the people so that it could strike fear into the masses of people. Some of the public entities could be famous people, government buildings or monuments, or military members. This type of military tactics is known as guerrilla warfare strategy. Many experts agree that one person’s terrorist is another person’s freedom fighter. Experts also agree that random violence against civilians (non-combatants) is the type of actions taken by terrorists for achieving a political goal, on a scale smaller than full scale warfare. Political...
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