Religiously motivated terrorism is considered the most alarming terrorist threat today.
Groups that justify their violence on Islamic grounds- Al Qaeda, Hamas, Hezbollah—
come to mind first. But Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism and other religions have given rise to their own forms of militant extremism.
The role of technology is in the forefront of contemporary terrorism. This notion is ostensible due to multifarious technological advances and innovations. Possibilities for widespread destruction and continuous propaganda open up to terrorists who choose to avail themselves of such technology.
One of such technological advances is the Internet. The Internet is widely used to spread propaganda and even garner new recruits for terrorist organizations through web sites and blogs. Many times, computers and computer networks are compromised via the means of cyber terrorism to destroy and/or obtain information (White, 2006). Another good reason to use cyber terrorism techniques is to obtain the necessary funding to support terrorist campaigns. This can be done by hacking, scamming, phishing and other methods which will successfully penetrate its intended target (i.e. bank web sites and other financial institutions). This would not be easily achieved fifteen or twenty years ago, but now it is, and it poses a definite threat.
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Another technological disadvantage to the humanity was the introduction of the weapons of mass destruction in the mid twentieth century. This innovation creates a high level threat to the world due to the inclination to cause massive destruction and life loss (White, 2006).
Further developments in technology have allowed for a torrent of communication. Cell phones, email, satellite com links, television, Internet, and other channels of communication have allowed for terrorist organizations to plan and execute in a much more organized and rapid manner. The use of cellular and satellite communications plays a vital role in the everyday life of a terrorist organization. Intelligence is gathered and the “message of intent” is spread with a click of a mouse. Suspicious meetings are arranged on Intranets with superb security features that can block even the most avid hackers. Terrorists train in how to use technology, and use it in order to stay ahead of the agents who try to eliminate them. Hence, terrorism may thrive within the present world and its technological marvels. Massive effort needs to be initiated to counter this force as the propensity for a future attack is high as the technology behind them will get better and more ground-breaking with time.
SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE
Trace the Evolution of Terrorism from the time of French Revolution to the Contemporary Era
4.0. CONCLUSION
The history of terrorism is a history of well-known and historically significant individuals, entities, and incidents associated, whether rightly or wrongly, with terrorism.
Scholars agree that terrorism is a disputed term, and very few of those labeled Terrorists describe themselves as such. It is common for opponents in a violent conflict to describe the other side as terrorists. Those called terrorists can often be referred to as militants, paramilitaries, guerrillas, resistance movements or freedom fighters. However, they are united in the range of tactics they commonly employ which involves non-systemic covert or semi-covert warfare, driven by an ideological basis often political religious or socially based. They often seek to use propaganda of the deed to cause a psychological impact alongside the actions themselves to drive the aspired change. A significant issue that has emerged from the discussion of the evolution of Terrorism is that the character of terrorism has changed over the years from being used as instrument of state policy to a potent weapon by dissident groups opposing the state policies.
121 5.0 SUMMARY
Terrorism has been used as a tactic for centuries but has become more pervasive since the 1960s. After World War I and II, colonial powers redrew the maps in many parts of the world and gradually reduced their colonies. This led to a rise in nationalist movements seeking self-determination, or seeking to replace rulers that had been imposed by the colonists. Many of the resulting conflicts have involved revolutionary warfare strategy and guerrilla tactics.
However, traditional guerrilla warfare is often inappropriate in urbanized countries. For instance, rebels cannot gain and hold control over land when opposed by superior forces and cannot employ overt hit-and-run attacks effectively, without large losses. What emerged was a new doctrine of urban guerrilla warfare, which has evolved to include terrorist tactics.
Until recently, terrorism has been most closely associated with ethnic and minority group struggles for independence and self-determination. The primary area of conflict could usually be defined, as could the adversaries and their various aspirations. During the 1990s a new form of international terrorism emerged that appears less rational, less focused, more international and more deadly – Islamist Terrorism.
In fact, many of the causes and motivations remain strikingly similar to what could be called traditional modern terrorism. What is different is the religious ideological foundation, the broad definition of adversaries, the evolution in terrorist tactics and the desire and potential for devastating levels of destruction. Islamist extremists appear willing to ignore taboos against killing innocents and able to rationalize their actions by distorting Islamic teachings. The potential to use chemical, biological, nuclear and radiological weapons of mass destruction has created a new level of terror that demands effective solutions.
6.0 TUTOR MARKED ASSIGNMENT
Examine the differences in the characters of ‘old terrorism’ and the contemporary terrorism
122 7.0 REFERENCES/FURTHER READINGS
Chaliand, Gerard (2007) The History of Terrorism: From Antiquity to al Qaeda.
Berkeley: University of California Press
Crenshaw, Martha (2007) “Terrorism and Global Security,” in Leashing the Dogs of War: Conflict Management in a Divided World, edited by Chester Crocker, Fen Hampson, and Pamela (Washington: United States Institute of Peace Press, 2007).
Diaz-Paniagua (2008) Negotiating Terrorism: The Negotiation Dynamics of Four UN Counter-Terrorism Treaties 1997-2005
Goldstein, D. (2007). Week 3: Religion and Modern Terrorism. Retrieved March 27, 2007, from Boston University, Vista Web site: http://vista.bu.edu/webct/
Hoffman, Bruce (1998) Review of Inside Terrorism (New York Times)
Hoffman, Bruce (2006) Inside Terrorism, Second Edition (Columbia University Press) UN General Assembly (1994) ‘United Nations Declaration on Measures to Eliminate International Terrorism annex to UN General Assembly resolution 49/60 ,"Measures to Eliminate International Terrorism," of December 9, 1994, UN Doc. A/Res/60/49
White, J.R. (2006). Terrorism and Homeland Security (5th ed). Belmont, CA: Thompson Wadsworth
123 UNIT 3: TERRORISM AND GLOBAL SECURITY CONTENTS
1.0 Introduction 2.0 Objectives
3.0 Main Content