The Nature of Terrorism

•Topics covered — What is terrorism?

Where terrorists come from?

What causes terrorism?

What are the 3 Rs of terrorism?

Why do terrorists kill themselves?

What is to be done?

“Putting the horror in the minds of the audience, and not necessarily on the screen”

What is Terrorism?

Deliberately and violently targeting civilians for political purposes

• Has seven crucial characteristics —

1. Politically inspired (otherwise it’s simply a crime)

2. Violence or threat of violence (‘cyberterrorism’ is not terrorism)

3. Point of terrorism is not to defeat enemy-send a message

4. Act & victim usually have symbolic significance

5. Is act of sub-state groups, not states

6. Victim of violence & audience terrorists trying to reach are not the same.

7.Terrorism deliberately targets civilians. This distinguishes terrorism from guerilla warfare.

Terms:

separatist, freedom fighter, liberator, revolutionary, vigilante, militant, paramilitary, guerrilla, rebel, jihahi or mujaheddin, or fedayeen,

Types

Agro-terrorism

Propaganda of the deed

Bioterrorism

Christian terrorism

Cyber-terrorism

Communist terrorism

Eco-terrorism

Islamist terrorism

Narcoterrorism

Nationalist

Nuclear terrorism

Political

Racist

Other religious terrorism

State

State-sponsored

Understanding Terrorists

When terrorists act,

they are seeking 3

immediate objectives

(3 Rs):

•exact revenge•achieve glory• force adversary into reaction

History of Terrorism• Term “terrorism” coined

during French Revolution’s Reign of Terror (1793 – 1794)

• Birth of Government-sponsored Terrorism

• State terrorism goal to eliminate opposition & consolidate power

“ONE MAN'S TERRORIST IS ANOTHER MAN'S FREEDOM FIGHTER” David Brownlow

History of Terrorism• Anarchists were seen in late 19th century

• Individual terrorism– Use of selective terror against individual to bring

down a government– ie:Lincoln assassination

• Propaganda by deeds

History of Terrorism: Religious terrorism 20th century became more

frequent. Economic terrorism-destruction of industry and

agriculture system.

Terrorism is Asymmetric Warfare.

Asymmetric warfare is use of random & unpredictable violence by weak military against stronger military. Key of asymmetric warfare is using unexpected, unconventional tactics in combat. ie: suicide bombers

Types of Terrorism

• Domestic terrorism-terrorist activities directed at government without foreign involvement.

ie:Oklahoma City

• International terrorism-terrorist activities foreign-based and/or directed by countries or groups outside country

ie:Sept. 11

Example of Chemical Terrorism

• Sarin nerve agent attack on Tokyo subway system in March 20, 1995

• 12 people killed and 53 seriously injured

Phillip L. Coule, M.D. 11

Biological terrorism• Dispersal of microbes or their toxins to produce

illness, death and terror

• Paths of infection can be contaminated water, food, air and packages.

• Microbes –Bacteria, Viruses, Toxins

14th Century – Kaffa City on Crimean PeninsulaHurled plague infested corpses over walls of city to infest it

Is this something new?

18th Century French and Indian WarBritish Officers gave blankets from smallpox victims to Indians aligned with French

Risk of DyingSmoking 10 cigarettes a day One in 200

All natural causes age 40 One in 850

Road accident One in 8,000

Playing soccer One in 25,000

Homicide One in 100,000

Terrorism attack in 2001 One in 100,000

Hit by lightning One in 10,000,000

Terrorism attack in 1990’s One in 50,000,000

Death Rate of Various Causes in USA year 2000

Heart disease* One in 400

Cancer * One in 500

Cerebrovascular diseases* One in 2,000

Accidents * One in 3,000

Diabetes* One in 4,000

Suicide* One in 10,000

Homicide* One in 20,000

Terrorism in 2001 One in 100,000

Terrorism in 1990’s One in 50,000,000

What Is to Be Done?• Terrorism will continue to be

employed as long as it is deemed effective• Technological developments

will make it easier for ever smaller groups to employ weapons of ever greater lethality • Political, social, and

economic developments will continue to produce disaffected individuals• We will never be able to

prevent every attack, but we can control our reaction to those attacks

Conclusion• Unlawful act• History of being used to achieve

political, religious and ideological objectives

• Can be conducted through firearms, explosive devices,biological, chemical, nuclear materials

• Even after events of 2001,risk of dying from terrorism has remained much lower than that from motor vehicles, smoking, and alcoholic beverage.

Tony Blair Osama bin Laden

Tim McVeigh

Una Bomber Ted Kaczynski

Tim Smith killed in Iraq

Samina Malik

“Lyrical terrorist”

Uganda soldiers

Rwanda boys

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