Terrorism Essay, Research Paper

Over the past Century, terrorism has evolved from random killings to massive

plans for terrorist groups. To understand terrorism you must first describe it.

There have been many different definitions of terrorism. The one that truly

describes it is; Terrorism can not specifically describe terrorism because

people will interpret it differently. Many experts believe that terrorism is an

abstract concept with no essence, a single definition cannot account for all the

possible uses of the term, many different definitions share common elements, the

meaning of terrorism derives from the victim of target. Even with no definite

conclusion terrorism can be divided into 5 categories: Simple Violence or

threatened violence intended to produce fear or change. Legal Criminal violence

violating legal codes and punishable by the state. Analytical Specific political

and social factors behind individual terrorist acts. State-sponsored Terrorist

groups used by small states and the Communist bloc to attack western interests.

State Power of the government used to terrorize its people into submission. With

the definitions described one can now put a terrorist organization into a

specific group. The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) is an analytical

terrorist group, even though they can be part of each. The PLO was created in

1964 during a meeting known as the Palestinian Congress. This was an effort to

give a voice to the many Palestinians that were located in refugee camps in

Lebanon. The leader of the group is one of the most recognized terrorists in the

world, Yasser Arafat. It did not take long for sub-divisions to break off of the

PLO. Most of these groups felt they could better achieve Palestinian liberation.

The most notable of these groups were the Popular Front for the Liberation of

Palestine, Popular Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Popular

Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine – General Command, and al-Fatah.

The PLO changed its main theory to the destruction of the state of Israel in

1967. This caused massive terrorist acts against Israel, which resulted in

hundreds of casualties on both sides. In 1974 the PLO changed into not just a

terrorist group to a group which included political elements. Some members of

the PLO did not like this idea and founded another sub-division called the

Rejectionist Front. At this time Arafat took over all control of the PLO. Arafat

provided support for highjacking a major cruise ship. With help from the PLF

they took the passengers hostage. In cowardly act members shot to death a

wheelchair-bound Jewish man named Leon Klinghoffer. This formed a new meaning to

the world terrorist. After many years of terrorism, Arafat ceased all terrorist

acts by the PLO on September 9, 1993. This was the end of the PLO and all their

sub-divisions. Another major terrorist organization is the Provisional Irish

Republican Army (PIRA). This group was founded in 1969 under the armed wing of

Sinn Fein. "Sinn Fein is a legal political movement dedicated to removing

British forces from Northern Ireland and unifying Ireland. Activities that the

PIRA carried out were bombings, assassinations, kidnappings, extortion, and

robberies. Before its 1994 cease-fire, targets included senior British

Government officials, British military and police in Northern Ireland, and

Northern Irish Loyalist paramilitary groups. Since breaking its cease-fire in

February 1996, IRA’s operations have included bombing campaigns against train

and subway stations and shopping areas on mainland Britain, British military and

Royal Ulster Constabulary targets in Northern Ireland, and a British military

facility on the European Continent." The PIRA had a few different names,

the Provo’s and the IRA. They, the Catholics, wanted Britain out of Northern

Ireland and were going to anything to achieve their goal. Here is the group

structure for many if not all terrorist organizations: I. Command II. Active

cadre III. Active supporters IV. Passive Supporters I. Command – the leadership,

makes policy and plans while provides general direction. II. Active cadre – the

terrorists, responsible for carrying out the mission of the organization. III.

Active supporters – largest internal group and most important. They keep

terrorists in the field by providing safe houses, intelligence, logistical

needs, and maintain communications channels. IV. Passive supporters – difficult

to identify and characterize, represent a favorable element of the political

climate. Most people think that most terrorist acts are taking people hostage.

This is not the case. Only 2 % of all terrorist acts are hostage situations. The

most acts terrorists participate in are bombings; they account for 46% of

terrorist acts. The rest of the numbers are like this; attacking – 24%,

assassinations – 10, highjacking – 12, kidnapping – 6. These figures were

accumulated from 1963-1993. Some may ask, what do people do to stop terrorism.

The most recognized form of counter-terrorism is the; The Naval Special Warfare

Development Group, formerly known as SEAL Team SIX and based in Dam Neck,

Virginia. They are responsible for US counter-terrorist operations in the

maritime environment. The NSWDG trains in both military and civilian facilities,

their motto was "Train as you Fight, Fight as you Train." The members

of NSWDG are trained hard in every aspect one can take. They know how and what

to do before they do it and their training takes after their motto. In the past

terrorist acts were mainly just bombings, highjackings or attackings of some

sort. As we move toward the millennium, we face a technological era. All most

every main city in the world is controlled and depends on computers and linked

information. The terrorist age will change to adapt to what we are most

vulnerable to. If a terrorist can threaten us by shutting down electronically

dependent devices which we need to survive. They will not assassinate or bomb as

much because the public will have a better understanding of how to prevent it.

Terrorism in the past years has been politically motivated, in the future; it

will be religiously motivated. This might cause a major problem in the future

because each year more and more people create or advance a religion to suit

their liking. They now will have a sense of what is supposed to be right and

will do anything to get that across. Terrorism will never end; it is up to the

human race to be better educated in the subject and to make the right dec

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