Principle of Terrorism

Terrorists always justify the means by the end

1) No matter how horrific the act it is justifiable to the terrorists as a means to achieve their goals.
2) Common concepts of law, ethics, morality, logic or religion do not apply to terrorists.
3) The creation of terror, mass hysteria and to demonstrate the powerlessness of government are all designed to force submission to the terrorist goals.
4) Terrorists do not view themselves as terrorists.

21 July 1972 - "Bloody Friday"

An IRA bomb killed 11 and injured 130 people in Belfast, Northern Ireland. 10 days later 3 car bomb attacks in the village of Claudy left 6 dead.

5 September 1972 - "Munich Olympic Massacre"

8 Palestinian "Black September" terrorists seized 11 Israeli athletes in the Olympic games being held at Munich, West Germany. In a bungled rescue attempt by West German authorities 9 of the hostages and 5 terrorists are killed.

Terrorists may or may not have the ability to carry out their act.

1) If the terrorist does not have to have the ability to carry out the act they only need to convince you that they have the ability (hoax).
2) May result in backlash against the terrorist group if the attack is too horrific.
3) Sometimes by forcing the government to take protective measures the terrorist can gain publicity and effect the public without actually launching an attack.

Effects of September 11th

1) ARNG guards the airports and the borders.
2) Numerous terrorist threat warnings issued by the FBI and Dept of Transportation.
3) Restructuring of the entire US Intelligence community.
4) Created Bureau of Homeland Defense.
5) Mass hysteria in response to Anthrax attacks.
6) US launches the Global War on Terrorism.
7) Preoccupation with Weapons of Mass Destruction.

Terrorist calculations and planning demands above-average intelligence and cunning

1) Very few terrorists are ever taken prisoner or if taken prisoner cooperate with authorities.
2) Very few terrorists ever face trial.
3) Most terrorist leaders are well educated and come from middle class families.
4) Most terrorists, if captured, consider themselves POWs and not criminals.

23 February 1997 - "Sniper Attack"

A Palestinian gunman opened fire on tourists at an observation deck atop the Empire State Building in New York City, killing a Danish national and wounding visitors from the US, Argentina, Switzerland and France before killing himself. A handwritten note carried by the gunman claimed the attack was punishment against the "enemies of Palestine."

11 October 1995 "Sons of the Gestapo"

Unknown terrorists derailed a passenger AMTRAK train in the Arizona desert. One person was killed and over 80 injured. Notes found at the scene referred to 'Waco" and "Ruby Ridge."

Publicity - Terrorists seek Publicity

1) Terrorists seek recognition and acceptance for their cause.
2) The objective is concession with or without negotiations.
3) Most terrorist organizations have a legal / public branch for negotiations and public support.

27-29 January 1975 - "Wall Street Bombing"

Puerto Rican nationalist bomb a Wall Street Bar killing 4 and injuring 60. Two days later, the Weather Underground claimed responsibility for an explosion in a bathroom at the US Department of State in Washington.

There are always victims and targets in terrorism

1) Sometimes the target and the victim are not the same.
2) The target may be the government that is being coerced into changing its policy.
3) The victim is the family member who is injured and later puts pressure on the government.

20 November 1979 - "Grand Mosque Seizure"

200 Iranian Shiite Moslem terrorists seized the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, taking hundreds of pilgrims hostage. After 5 days Saudi and French security forces retake the shrine after an intense battle in which 200 people are killed and 600 wounded.

The motive of the planner may not be the same as the terrorist carrying out the terrorist act

1) The terrorist planner is usually not willing to be caught in an operation, rather they send expendable members to carry out the attack
2) The terrorist planner may lie to the terrorist member in order to inspire them.
3) There is usually many motives to any single act, I.e. religious, political, social or financial.

6 October 1981 - "Assignation of President Sadat"

Soldiers who were secretly members of the Tak fir Wal-Hajira Sect attacked and killed Egyptian President Anwar Sadat during a troop review. The soldiers were motivated by President Sadat's peace treaty with Israel and a recent Egyptian government crackdown on Moslem radicals.

Ethnic cleansing (depopulation), war crimes and crimes against humanity are all forms of terrorism

1) All terrorist acts are violations of human rights.
2) Terrorists do not recognize human rights, freedom of speech, etc except their own, unless it serves a purpose.
3) Basic human right is the right to live free from fear and oppression.

1991 - "Collapse of Yugoslavia'

The collapse of the Yugoslavian Federation in 1991 resulted in civil war and ethnic cleansing. Unknown thousands of people died and were made refugees as a result of massacres, depopulation, establishment of concentration camps with denial of medical and sanitation supplies, wide spread murder, rape and torture.

Summary

1) Terrorism demands above-average intelligence.
2) Terrorists have the ability to carry out acts.
3) Publicity.
4) There are always victims.
5) The motive of the planner may not be known .
6) Ethnic cleansing (depopulation), war crimes and crimes against humanity are terrorism.
7) Terrorists always justify the means by the end.