Terrorism Terrorism A Conceptual ReviewA Conceptual Review

Terrorism Terrorism First ImpressionsFirst Impressions

Overview of Extremism and TerrorismOverview of Extremism and Terrorism Terrorism at First GlanceTerrorism at First Glance Sources of Extremism and TerrorismSources of Extremism and Terrorism

Overview of Extremism and TerrorismOverview of Extremism and Terrorism

Extremism: A quality that is “radical in Extremism: A quality that is “radical in opinion, especially in political matters; ultra; opinion, especially in political matters; ultra; advanced.”advanced.”

Terrorism: Politically motivated violence Terrorism: Politically motivated violence usually directed against soft targets with an usually directed against soft targets with an intention to affect (terrorize) a target intention to affect (terrorize) a target audience.audience.

Terrorism at First GlanceTerrorism at First Glance

Perpetrators always claim to champion noble Perpetrators always claim to champion noble causes and values.causes and values.

Advocates always cite righteous goals to Advocates always cite righteous goals to justify their behavior.justify their behavior.

Perpetrators uniformly maintain that they are Perpetrators uniformly maintain that they are freedom fighters or champions of law and freedom fighters or champions of law and social order.social order.

Sources of Extremism and TerrorismSources of Extremism and Terrorism

Terrorist acts are grounded in extremist Terrorist acts are grounded in extremist beliefs arising from group identity, intergroup beliefs arising from group identity, intergroup conflict, and a chosen strategy.conflict, and a chosen strategy.

A subject of extensive discussion, debate, and A subject of extensive discussion, debate, and research.research.

Involves many disciplines: Sociology, Involves many disciplines: Sociology, psychology, criminology, political science.psychology, criminology, political science.

Political Violence:Political Violence: Mala Prohibita Mala Prohibita or or Mala Mala in Sein Se??

The Just War DoctrineThe Just War Doctrine

Political Violence: Political Violence: Mala ProhibitaMala Prohibita or or Mala in SeMala in Se??

Mala ProhibitaMala Prohibita: Acts that are “crimes that are made : Acts that are “crimes that are made illegal by legislation.”illegal by legislation.” Not inherently immoral, wicked, or evil.Not inherently immoral, wicked, or evil. Cases: Gambling, prostitution, and so forth.Cases: Gambling, prostitution, and so forth.

Mala in SeMala in Se: Acts “that are immoral or wrong in : Acts “that are immoral or wrong in themselves.”themselves.” Cannot be justified in civilized society and have no Cannot be justified in civilized society and have no

acceptable qualities.acceptable qualities. Cases: Murder, rape, and so forthCases: Murder, rape, and so forth.

The Just War DoctrineThe Just War Doctrine

An ideal and moralistic philosophy.An ideal and moralistic philosophy.

Jus in BelloJus in Bello: Correct behavior while waging war.: Correct behavior while waging war.

Jus ad BellumJus ad Bellum: Correct conditions for waging : Correct conditions for waging war in the first place.war in the first place.

Often used conceptually by extremists to justify Often used conceptually by extremists to justify violence.violence.

The Significance of SymbolismThe Significance of Symbolism The Oklahoma City BombingThe Oklahoma City Bombing September 11, 2001September 11, 2001 Reorganization of Homeland Security and Reorganization of Homeland Security and

IntelligenceIntelligence

The Significance of SymbolismThe Significance of Symbolism

A central feature of terrorism.A central feature of terrorism.

Central to terrorists’ public relations and Central to terrorists’ public relations and propaganda campaigns.propaganda campaigns.

Targets symbolize the righteousness of the Targets symbolize the righteousness of the terrorists’ cause and the evil of their opponent.terrorists’ cause and the evil of their opponent.

Cases: Oklahoma City Bombing. 9/11.Cases: Oklahoma City Bombing. 9/11.

The Oklahoma City BombingThe Oklahoma City Bombing

An “act of war” by Timothy McVeigh.An “act of war” by Timothy McVeigh. A devotee of the extremist Patriot movement.A devotee of the extremist Patriot movement. A believer in New World Order conspiracies.A believer in New World Order conspiracies.

Symbolism of April 19, 1995.Symbolism of April 19, 1995. 220220thth anniversary of the American Revolution anniversary of the American Revolution

battles of Lexington and Concord.battles of Lexington and Concord. Second anniversary of the assault on the Branch Second anniversary of the assault on the Branch

Davidian cult’s compound in Waco, Texas.Davidian cult’s compound in Waco, Texas.

September 11, 2001September 11, 2001

World Trade Center and Pentagon symbolized World Trade Center and Pentagon symbolized American and Western power.American and Western power.

Carried out by 19 Al Qaeda terrorists on a Carried out by 19 Al Qaeda terrorists on a suicidal “martyrdom mission.”suicidal “martyrdom mission.”

Done in response to perceived domination and Done in response to perceived domination and exploitation of Muslim countries.exploitation of Muslim countries.

Reorganization of Homeland Security and Reorganization of Homeland Security and Intelligence in the United StatesIntelligence in the United States

An attempt to unify the U.S. domestic security An attempt to unify the U.S. domestic security community.community.

A perceived failure to “connect the dots” to the 9/11 A perceived failure to “connect the dots” to the 9/11 attacks.attacks.

Massive reorganization of law enforcement and Massive reorganization of law enforcement and services agencies into a single Department of services agencies into a single Department of Homeland Security.Homeland Security.

Richard BaumhammersRichard Baumhammers

Low degree of criminal sophistication.Low degree of criminal sophistication. Neo-Nazi.Neo-Nazi. April 2000 “lone wolf” killing spree near Pittsburgh.April 2000 “lone wolf” killing spree near Pittsburgh.

Theodore “Ted” KaczynskiTheodore “Ted” Kaczynski

Medium degree of criminal sophistication.Medium degree of criminal sophistication. Anarchist “war” against technology.Anarchist “war” against technology. 18-year bombing spree, labeled by FBI as Unabom.18-year bombing spree, labeled by FBI as Unabom.

Ramzi YousefRamzi Yousef

High degree of criminal sophistication.High degree of criminal sophistication. Islamist jihadi.Islamist jihadi. February 26, 1993 bombing of World Trade February 26, 1993 bombing of World Trade

Center.Center.

AntiquityAntiquity Tyrannicide.Tyrannicide. Mass exile.Mass exile. Suppression of “dangerous” ideas.Suppression of “dangerous” ideas.

The Roman AgeThe Roman Age Crucifixion.Crucifixion. Extermination and slavery.Extermination and slavery. Regicide.Regicide.

The Ancient and Medieval Middle EastThe Ancient and Medieval Middle East Zealots and Zealots and sicariisicarii.. Assassins.Assassins.

The French RevolutionThe French Revolution Coined the word Coined the word terrorismterrorism.. Reign of Terror.Reign of Terror. Revolutionary Tribunal and mass executions.Revolutionary Tribunal and mass executions.

Nineteenth Century EuropeNineteenth Century Europe 1919thth Century revolutionary ideologies: Century revolutionary ideologies:

Anarchism and Marxism.Anarchism and Marxism. Luddites.Luddites. People’s Will (Narodnaya Volya).People’s Will (Narodnaya Volya).

The Modern EraThe Modern Era The “New Terrorism.”The “New Terrorism.” Cell-based, WMDs, politically vague or religious. Cell-based, WMDs, politically vague or religious.

asymmetrical, use of modern technologies.asymmetrical, use of modern technologies.