CRIM B55 – TERRORISMMOTIVATIONS FOR TERRORISM

Delano CampusWednesday, September 16, 2009

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Bakersfield College

Terrorism Defined-previous class

Common Elements of Terrorism:1)Violent Illegal Act2)Socially or Politically Motivated 3)Targets Civilians 4)Intended to Coerce a Govt.

  

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Tribute to 9-11-01

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Government Response TODAY

•Vigilance

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Response – Counter Terrorism Operators

Government Response TODAY

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The Nature of Terrorism

Traditionally, terrorists have come from The weak The minority The oppressed

The Nature of Terrorism (continued)

Modernly, they were thought to be: Young, unmarried, middle-class, male with

some college An understanding of Left-Wing politics.

Today, anyone with a complaint can engage in terrorism, even if their cause is a popular one!

There is no true profile of a terrorist / extremist.

A Sad Truth . . .

For the first time in the history of the human race, the past few decades have seen the capability develop for a small group of dedicated people to perpetrate a catastrophic attack, killing thousands and causing multimillions of dollars in damages

Conceptualizing Terrorism Conceptualizing Terrorism

Social Process Psychological Process Political Process Religious Process

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Motivations Motivations

A unique or different view of the world•Unhappy about it

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Motivations Motivations

Conflict Theory • “Haves” versus the “Have Not’s”World is divided in three economic

groupings(upper class, middle class, lower class)

Conflict is based on the distribution of Wealth.

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Motivations Motivations

Ideological desire for social change Little Guy vs. Big Guy (inferior power

moves against a superior power).

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MotivationsMotivations

My God is bigger than your God

Religious Beliefs

Moral Justification – God is on “our” side.

Religious Mandate brings “God’s Will”

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Example of Religious Belief “Jihad” One of faith struggling with doing right.

Return to the Caliphate Spiritual Ruler of Islam

Expel the Infidels (Westerners) from the Holy Land.

Expel the Israelis from “Palestine” (Israel) War in Iraq & Afghanistan Eliminate corrupt secular Muslim regimes Eliminate Western influence in Muslim lands -

Arabian Peninsula (Mecha & Medina) Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Yemen and Saudi Arabia.

Eliminate and cleanse the evils of the Western World.

Distinctive Characteristics

Dedication to the “cause” Uncompromising Willing to give their lives to the cause Allowing their logic and sense of right

and wrong to be clouded by the cause Not allowing adversity, arrest, or

incarceration to dampen their objectives Willing to work with like-minded, but

possibly diverse, people (organization).

Terrorist vs. Ordinary Criminals

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Reality

It is not about what they believe, It is what they hate! Belief is the Vehicle Hate is the Fuel. Anger is the Driving Force. Anger often is the result when actions

differ from expectations. Most Religious Wars are of Religious Control not Religious Freedom.

Questions or Comments? 18