Terrorism Flashcards
THE TERM TERRORISM
“*ORIGINATED: French Revolution between 1793 and 1794 when it was synonymous with the “reign of terror” launched by the revolutionary government against the French people.
*Russian revolutionaries & European anarchists (1890s), Social Revolutionaries in Russia (turn of the century), nationalist groups in Europe, Asia and the Middle East (after World War I), “
FORMING A DEFINITION for terrorism
The complex and changing nature of terrorism has made it difficult for writers to agree on a universal definition.
MODERN TERRORISTS
“Moving into transnational criminal activity such as the manufacture and distribution of drugs (narco-terrorism) or making use of computer
technologies (cyber-terrorism)”
“TERRORISM ISNT ALWAYS
ILLEGAL”
Not so much a criminal as a hero – one man’s freedom fighter is another man’s terrorist.
ALWAYS SIMILAR ELEMENTS to terrorisnt activity
“Despite the controversy over definition, writers on terrorism appear to agree that there are a number of common elements to terrorist activity.
>First, terrorism involves random and indiscriminate violence against “generally innocent” people.
>Second, the terrorists’ aims are, in Amstutz’s words, more psychological than physical. They wish to draw attention to a cause or grievance, trying to make people look beyond their violent actions to consider their political message.
>Third, terrorism is usually undertaken by nongovernmental actors.
>Fourth and finally, terror is not the preserve on any particular ideology or movement. The point to emphasise is that terrorists seek to secure political change of some kind. “
KEY ELEMENTS of terrorism
“a) violence,
b) against innocent parties,
c) pursuit of a political cause. “
GENERAL DEFINITION of terrorism
“A method of combat in which the victims serve as symbolic targets. Violent actors are able to produce a chronic state of fear by using violence outside
the realm of normative behaviour. This produces an audience beyond the immediate victim and results in a change of public attitudes and actions.”
STATE SPONSORED TERRORISM
ORIGNATE: Middle East in the 1980s
WHY VIOLENCE?
“they believe that no other means, which will achieve the kind of change they desire. The change is desired so badly that failure to achieve change is
seen as a worse outcome than the sacrifice of the target of the act. “
Gaston Bouthoul
“Gaston Bouthoul argued three decades ago in a theoretical treatise on the subject, the ““anonymous, unidentifiable threat creates huge anxiety, and
the terrorist tries to spread fear by contagion, to immobilise and subjugate those living under this threat.”” “
Al Qaeda
Al Qaeda [ 9/11 ] - Intent to destoy national symbols / make people paranoid and xenophobic, fearful of venturing beyond their homes
Terrorists Generally (Bodero)
Trained, part of a group, commited to an ideology / religion and not necessarily for self-gain or escape
Criminals Generally (Bodero)
Opportunistic, undiciplined, untrained and oriented towards escape
Jerrold Post
“Argues that there is no one profile for a terrorist.
>rejected by society and thus the ideology becomes their reality
>group provides social rewards & acceptance
>reinforcement of extreamist views (radicalism)”
H.H.A Cooper
“Argues that there are a specific set of processes which a terroist undergoes in order to jusitify their actions.
>terroists cannot accept the work the way it is
>willing to use violence in order to make change
>reinforcement and positive interraction with like-mided people
>’doctorine of nessecity’ - the line that terrorists cross when there is no other alternative for change other than resulting to violence”
“Frederick Hacker
(Hacker’s Taxonomy)”
“Argues there is a simple taxonomy for terrorist types:
>CRIMINALS: criminal groups/sydicates attempt to terrorise citizens for monatary gain (generally spontaneous / very rare)
>CRAZIES: Loner or psycopath (shoe bomber - Richard Reid)
>CRUSADERS: Most likely group, aime to change society, willing to use violence”
Walter Laquer
“Resists the unversal profile for terrorists.
>states the nature and causes of terrorism change over time
>argues that terrors exploit the young and idealistic maximisaing their opinions on this social and culture upbringing
>POST AGREES - terorrists and true believers tend to congregate with others with the same opinions.”
Jeffrey Ross
“>Agrees that profiling terrorists is difficult
>Argues that if social structure, individual phychology and group dynamics are combined, w emay be able to understand the causes of terrorism
5 interconected processes in joining a terrorisn organisation
1) Joining the group (2) forming the activity (3) remaining in the campaign (4) leading the organisation (5) engaging in violent acts of terror”
Crenshaw
“Takes and organisational approach
>Terroism is not commited y an individual, instead it is a collective decision based on common beliefs
>individual comittment to the group and its beliefs varries”
David G. Hubbard
“>discusses the substances in the body produced during stress
>argues that these root terrorist behaivour in physiology, anwsers the question of the contagion effect (spreading of terrorism)”
Oots & Wiegele
“Argues for physiological contagion effect
> arrousal by the media presentations of terrorism
>argue that becoming a terrorist is pschological, physiological and political
>a neuropshysiological model of agression”
D. Guttman
States that terrorist action are more aimed at the audience than the immediate victims
