Terrorism

Learning Objectives To explain the main types of terrorism To explain the difference between ‘old’ and ‘new’ terrorism To evaluate the significance of Islamist terrorism

Starter How many terrorist organisations can you name, with their main area of operations?

Insurrectionary Terrorism Aimed at the revolutionary overthrow of a state E.g. anarchist and revolutionary communist terrorism

Loner or Issue Terrorism Aimed at promoting a single cause E.g. bombing of abortion clinics in USA, Sarin nerve gas attack in Tokyo

Nationalist Terrorism Aims to overthrow colonial rule or occupation Often has goal of gaining independence for an ethnic, religious or national group FLN in Algeria, Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka, Hamas and Hezbollah in Israel

Global or ‘new’ Terrorism Aimed at inflicting damage and humiliation on a global power, or at transforming global civilizational relations E.g. Al-Qaeda and other forms of Islamist terrorism

Global or ‘new’ Terrorism Has terrorism moved from secular to religious? By 1995 almost half the 56 terrorist groups believed to be in operation could be classified as religious Terrorism became ‘sacred duty’ and altered the moral context in which violence was used Violence became increasingly symbolic – a sign of ‘total war’

Global or ‘new’ Terrorism Constraints on use of violence fell away More likely to embrace indiscriminate and lethal violence WMD and suicide attacks Organisation became looser Al-Qaeda as an ‘idea rather than organisation’ Terrorist cells There has been some criticism of these distinctions between old and ‘new’ terrorism

Nature of Islamist Terrorism Islamist, or ‘Jihadist’ terrorism From 1970s onwards Growing number of Muslim states experienced crises in government (seen to have apostate rulers) US influence in Middle East expanded – came to be seen as the ‘far enemy’ Growth in politically engaged forms of religious fundamentalism

Nature of Islamist Terrorism Domestic jihad was paramount in 1970s and 80s. Hostility to USA was a backdrop In 1990s this changed – jihad went global Strategies realigned to ‘far enemy’ and a global struggle Al-Qaeda emerged: transnational goals To purify and regenerate Muslim society Overthrowing apostate leaders Expelling Western (particularly US) influence Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Kenya, USA, Spain, UK Appears to have massively increased its potential targets

Critiques Islamist movement is not a single, cohesive entity Temptation is to link events that have no connections Vast majority of attacks take place in a small number of countries with political instability Idea of Islamist terrorism = global terrorism may result from how others have seen it. (i.e. the ‘War on Terror’ has created the idea that there is such a thing as global terrorism)

Tactics and methods

Significance of global terrorism Real and great threat Exaggerated fears September 11th showed the scale of the threat (3,000 people were killed) Terrorism is not militarily effective It is impossible to protect against – tactics and methods mean that the threat can never be eradicated The risk has been exaggerated and the ‘politics of fear’ are being used – the ‘war on terror’ is another sign of the politics of the hostile ‘other’ Groups have acquired WMD and use indiscriminate methods (MAD does not apply) There is limited support for religious militancy – where terrorism has succeeded in the past there has been popular support

Plenary Can you talk for 60 seconds about the difference between ‘old’ and ‘new’ terrorism?

Homework Construct a diagram/mind map using pages 296 to 301 of the red book on ‘Countering Terrorism’ Focus on benefits vs. costs of different counter-terrorism strategies