Terrorism in Today’s World

Definition, History, Root Causes and Strategy

Dr. James Forest, Director of Terrorism Studies

Defining Terrorism

• Definitions– Many– Ambiguous– Are terrorists “freedom fighters”?– Matter of perception?– What is the relationship between insurgency

and terrorism? Are all insurgents terrorists? Are all terrorists insurgents?

– AW/UW, 4GW and terrorism

Defining Terrorism

• Certain aspects are fundamental

• Political act– Desire for political change– Terrorism is typically non-state in character

• (Note the separate but related topic of state terrorism, for whom political change is usually not desired)

• States can terrorize, but they are not terrorists.

– Terrorists do not abide by norms• They target innocents• They seek psychological trauma

Terrorism: Key Terms

• Vision• Power• Ideology• Duty• Self-sacrifice• Strategy• Tactics• Will to kill• Skill to kill

• Indoctrination• Radicalization• Rationalization• Moral Disengagement• Facilitators/Causes• Enabling Environment• Learning Organization• Counter vs. Anti• Hard/Soft Power

Elements of modern Terrorism

Brian Jenkins (2007) :

• Terrorism has become bloodier

• Terrorists have developed new financial resources, so that they are less dependent on state sponsors

• Terrorists have evolved new models of organization

• Terrorists can now wage global campaigns

• Terrorists have effectively exploited new communications technologies

Elements of modern Terrorism

• Increasing number and lethality of attacks– Less by Al Qaida, more by regional or local

affiliates and wanna-bes– Shifting from small groups to motivated and

resourceful individuals (e.g., Madrid, London)

• Info Ops – role of technology– From DVDs and web videos to Al Jazeera– Availability of info on government security, CT

efforts, public sentiment, transit systems– EW – another role of technology

Elements of modern Terrorism

• Taking instruments from our daily life—the backpack, the car, the shoe, the cell phone—and turning them into weapons. Goal – damage the trust necessary for a successful open society

• Use of children and female suicide bombers by terrorist organizations

Conclusion

• Defining terrorism: not as easy as some might assume

• There is no real ‘profile’ of a terrorist.

• Potentially anyone can be radicalized, indoctrinated, taught why and how to murder others in pursuit of some broader vision.

Defining Terrorism

• Definitions– Many– Ambiguous– Are terrorists “freedom fighters”?– Matter of perception?– What is the relationship between insurgency

and terrorism? Are all insurgents terrorists? Are all terrorists insurgents?

– AW/UW, 4GW and terrorism

Department of Defense

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.

Department of State

Premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against noncombatant targets by sub-national or clandestine agents, usually intended to influence an audience.

Federal Bureau of Investigation

The unlawful use of force or 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.

Defining Terrorism

• Certain aspects are fundamental

• Political act– Desire for political change– Terrorism is typically non-state in character

• (Note the separate but related topic of state terrorism, for whom political change is usually not desired)

• States can terrorize, but they are not terrorists.

– Terrorists do not abide by norms• They target innocents• They seek psychological trauma

Terrorism: Key Terms

• Vision• Power• Ideology• Duty• Strategy• Tactics• Indoctrination• Facilitators/Causes• Enabling Environment

5 Goals of Terrorist Groups

According to Walter and Kydd:1. Regime Change (Sendero Luminso)

2. Control of Territory (LTTE)

3. Policy Change (al Qa`ida)

4. Social Control (KKK or Army of God)

5. Maintain Status Quo (United Self Defense Forces of Colombia)

Defining Terrorism

Primary Types

• Left-wing

• Right Wing

• Ethno-nationalist (separatist)

• Religious

Left-Wing Terrorism

• Driven by liberal or idealist political concepts• Prefer revolutionary anti-authoritarian anti-

materialist agendas• Typically target elites who symbolize authority• Examples

– Red Brigades (Italy)– Red Army Faction (Baader Meinhof Gang)

(Germany)– MRTA (Tupac Amaru movement) (Peru)– Sendero Luminoso (Peru)– Weather Underground (United States)

Right-Wing Terrorism

• Often target race and ethnicity

• Examples

Christian identity USA Creativity movement USA Combat 18 England Ku Klux KlanNeo ConfederatesNeoNazismSilent Brotherhood White Aryan Resistance (WAR) USA World Church of the Creator

Aryan Republican Army USA Aryan Nations USA The Boeremag South Africa The Aryan Republican Army SkinheadsNeo-Nazi Skinheads American Nazi Party USANational Alliance USA National Association for the Advancement of White People (NAAWP) USA

Ethno-Nationalists

• Usually have clear territorial objectives– Liberation/separation– Popular support usually along ethnic/racial lines.

• Examples– ETA (Basque Separatists)

– Irish Republican Army

– Lashkar-e Taiba (& other Kashmir groups)

– Moro Islamic Liberation Front

– Tamil Tigers (LTTE)

Religious TerroristsLargest category of groups today

• Ideologies are supremacist (believers assume superiority over non-believers) & absolutist (you are with us or you are an unbeliever or an enemy “an infidel, an apostate”)

• “God is on our side – we are acting on the desires of a diety” (audience is thus not necessarily human; “we are unconstrained by man’s laws”)

• Adherents believe they are involved in a struggle of good vs. evil; Piety and persistence in the faith will lead to rewards in this life and the next

• Polarizing values in terms of right and wrong, good and evil, light and dark can lead to a complete alienation from existing socio/political order

Religious Terrorists

• Examples

HizballahLEHI, Stern Gang and Zvi Irgun (Jewish extremists)Al QaidaJemaah IslamiyaAum ShinrikyoEgyptian Islamic JihadAQ in the Islamic Maghreb

Algerian GIA and GSPCSyrian Muslim BrotherhoodHizb ut-TahrirAl Qaeda in IraqIslamic Movement of UzbekistanChristian IdentityThe Sword, Covenant & Arm of the Lord

Elements of modern Terrorism

• Increasing number and lethality of attacks– Less by Al Qaida, more by regional or local

affiliates and wanna-bes– Shifting from small groups to motivated and

resourceful individuals (e.g., Madrid, London)

• Info Ops – role of technology– From DVDs and web videos to Al Jazeera– Availability of info on government security, CT

efforts, public sentiment, transit systems– EW – another role of technology

Elements of modern Terrorism

• Taking instruments from our daily life—the backpack, the car, the shoe, the cell phone—and turning them into weapons. Goal – damage the trust necessary for a successful open society

• Use of children and female suicide bombers by terrorist organizations

Conclusion

• Defining terrorism: not as easy as some might assume

• There is no real ‘profile’ of a terrorist

• Potentially anyone can be radicalized, indoctrinated, taught why and how to murder others in pursuit of some broader vision.

• Ideologies, targets, tactics may differ

• Enabling environments, facilitators are often similar

Questions?

The Combating Terrorism Center

at west point

http://www.ctc.usma.eduhttp://www.ctc.usma.edu

Lincoln Hall, 122

Dr. James Forest, Director of Terrorism Studies