Chapter 13 International Terrorism Global Issue I

Introduction How can you define terrorism? What is your description of a terrorist? Is this something you think everyone would agree on? Why or why not?

Terrorism A strategy by which subnational groups not recognized as legitimate by the states they oppose seek to resist those states by targeting non-state actors – Meant to spread fear and disrupt flow of everyday life – Usually seek a political or military response

Definition of Terrorism There are many view points from which one can draw to describe terrorism – Not one definition is correct – Depends on where you stand on the situation Freedom fighter vs. Terrorist – One group claims terrorist, another claims freedom fighter – Goes back to cultural misunderstandings and culture

Roots of Terrorism Rise of Colonialism – European colonial powers were imperialist in their colonies – Insurgencies developed to combat this imperialism Anarchists – The most global terrorist movement of the colonial era – Between the 1870’s and World War I, assassinated three kings, two presidents, and two prime ministers – Bombed railway cars and financial districts in Europe and North America

Terrorism Today Widely distributed around the globe – Iraq is currently a leading site due to the United States’ occupation – Africa, South America, and Asia have seen an increased number of terrorist attacks Staggering numbers of casualties – In one year Africa suffered 5,379 deaths as a result of terrorist attacks, the highest per year of any country – The U.S. holds second place with 4,465 deaths in 2001

What Causes Terrorism? Activities by states – Most of the time, terrorism is an opposition to a state’s way of doing things – “State terrorism” refers to the use by states of retaliatory bombing, death squads, torture, etc. – “State-sponsored terrorism” occurs when states harbor and sometimes support terrorist enemies of another state

Globalization’s Role In Terrorism Globalization has opened up new opportunities for terrorists – Communication networks allow terrorists to more easily communicate with the public – Because people move from place to place for work and tourism so frequently, terrorists can slip through the cracks – Allows for relationships to be built between other illegal activity groups such as drug traffickers to benefit from one another

Misconceptions of Terrorism Terrorism is not an inherently religious act – No religion is more prone to producing terrorists Stereotyping occurs due to larger scale terrorist attacks that receive media attention