Lecture 2: History A Brief History of Terrorism

Historical examples Zealots – Sicarri (1st century) Murdered Romans in broad daylight in Jerusalem Muslim Assassins (11th & 12th centuries) Shia Muslim sect who attacked their enemies either covertly or in broad daylight, usually using a small blade like a dagger Hindu Thugee (13th-17th centuries) Originally a religious sect that strangled & robbed victims in ritual sacrifice

Historical examples French revolution Iraq Early terrorism in the U.S. Use of revolutionary tribunals to prop up the French republic. Rule by fear/terror – Robespierre’s “lists” Iraq Hussein regime uses chemical weapons to subdue uprising among Kurdish villages Early terrorism in the U.S. “Sons of Liberty” – provoked by Stamp Act, organized mobs to tar and feather colonists still loyal to the king, forcing many to flee the country and settle in Canada Klu Klux Klan – effective in spreading fear; forced federal govt. to end Reconstruction

A Brief History of Modern Terrorism 4 Waves, Each roughly 40-45 years (David Rapoport) Covers roughly 130 years of terrorism history Anarchist Wave Anti-Colonial/Decolonization Wave New Left Wave/Leftist anti-Western sentiment Religious Inspiration Wave Themes to consider for each wave: Doctrines of terror Technology (especially for communication/propaganda) Avenues of funding and support Organizations can transcend waves (e.g. IRA, ETA)

1) Anarchist Wave Roughly 1880s to 1920s Doctrines: Technology: seeking to provoke state to the point where the reaction leads to popular revolt Technology: communication and transportation patterns; telegraph; daily newspapers; railroads; technology shrank time and space weapons: mostly guns and knives; but invention of dynamite helped launch new terrorist capabilities Financing: Bank robberies, extortion, etc.

Anarchists Tsar Alexander II (1861) frees the serfs (1/3 of Russia’s population) and promises funds for them to use to buy land Unable to provide those funds, raised expectations lead to widespread anger, disappointment, unrest; violence, assassinations Narodnaya Volya (“people’s will”), Kropotkin’s “propaganda by the deed” Pre-cursor to Serbian group, Narodna Obrana (splinter: Black Hand), killed Archduke Ferdinand and helped spark World War I

Anarchists Other Examples: Assassinations of Pres. McKinley, Spanish Prime Minister, etc. Response of several governments was to create plain-clothes national police forces (FBI, Scotland Yard, Russian Okhrana, etc.); most are still in action today 1919: President Wilson authorizes round up of all Anarchists; ship to Soviet Union; Anti-American speech made illegal

2) Anti-Colonial Wave Circa 1920s – 1960s Examples: Irgun (precursor to Lehi), the “Stern Gang” and other Zionist extremists; ANC in South Africa; GIA and GSPC in Algeria Doctrines: Freedom for indigenous peoples to decide own system, structure Anti-racism, imperialism; fewer assassinations then previous wave; attacks mainly on police, military, colonial govt. targets Technology: Faster means of communication, transportation, money transfer Financing: Diaspora support, particularly from immigrants living in Western countries

3) New Left Wave Circa 1960s – 1990s Examples: Italian Red Brigades, ETA (Spain, France), Tamil Tigers (Sri Lanka), PLO (Middle East), Red Army Faction (Baader-Meinhof Gang) (Germany), Japanese Red Army, Sendero Luminoso (Peru) Doctrines: strategies for political change, Marxism, separatism Anti-Western political movements encouraged by Soviets, Libyans, Iranians, Syrians, North Koreans etc. Technology: cell phones, digital timers, radar guns and other types of devices that could be used as trigger switches for explosives Airplane hijackings Global television media Financing: Could include state-sponsorship (e.g., Soviet Union), hostage ransoms

4) Religious Inspiration Wave Current “wave” of terrorism Religious Cults (e.g., Aum Shinrikyo) Christian, Jewish and Islamist extremists Violent anti-abortion movement Doctrines: superiority of God’s rules oust “them” from holy lands; stop actions that “offend God” Fatwas against the West; sermons condemning abortion Technology: Increasing sophistication of IEDs Use of “ultimate smart bomb” (suicide terrorists) New “Weapons of Mass Disruption” The Internet Financing: Global trafficking in drugs & weapons Diverted charity funds Internet fraud, ID theft, etc.

Conclusion Themes to consider for each wave: Doctrines of terror Technology (especially for communication/propaganda) Avenues of funding and support Organizations can transcend waves (e.g. IRA, ETA) What do we think about the future of these things?

Questions?