INTERNATIONAL
TERRORISM
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-ND
WHAT IS TERRORISM?
• A form of political violence that aims to achieve its objectives through
creating a climate of fear, apprehension and un-certainity.
• Historically, the term “terrorism” described State violence against
citizens during the French Revolution and the “Reign of terror”, 1793-
94 under the leadership of Robespierre.
• However, of late “terrorism” has come to mean the use of violence by
small minority aiming to achieve political change by means of terror.
• Terrorists do surprise and indiscriminate attacks on civilians, symbols
of power and political leaders.
• Common forms of terrorist action-
• Assassinations
• Bombings
• Hostage seizures,
• Plane hijacks
• Suicide killing
• Indiscriminate firing etc
Terrorism Features
• Tends to be used as a political weapons, implying that the group or
action to which it is attached is immoral or illegitimate.
• Terrorism is a “hearts and minds” issue.
• Terrorists for one may be “Martyr” or “Revolutionary” for others
• As “weapon of the weak” similar to a guerrilla warfare-hidden bases,
sudden sporadic attacks, supported by propaganda.
• Historically national/sub-national phenomenon which became
transnational and now Global in the age of globalization.
• Terrorist groups that are covert (hidden) and often operate in
small, loosely- organized cells.
• While terrorism is often portrayed as action by non-state
actors against State governments/States may also employ
terror against their own or other people called “State
Terrorism” and “State sponsored terrorism.”
CAUSES OF TERRORISM
• Culture and Ethnicity
• Extreme Left Ideology-Anarchism
• Revolution, National Liberation and National self-
determination
• Religious Fundamentalism
Types of Terrorism
• Revolutionary Terrorism- Naxal and revolutionary
communist-Maoist terrorism
• Single Issue Terrorism- Promotion of a single cause
• Nationalist Terrorism- Aims to overthrow colonial rule or
occupation, often with the goal of attaining
independence.
• Global Terrorism-aimed at inflicting damage and terror
on a global level.
GLOBALIZATION AND TERRORISM
• Modern terrorism is sometimes portrayed as a child of globalization.
• First, increased cross border flows of people, goods, money,
technology and ideas are exploited by the terrorist groups to build
organization and coordinate operations.
• Second, increased international migration- provide support and
sustain terrorist campaigns
• Third, rising inequality, cultural homogenization, hegemony of
western culture, values and western power etc has fueled
discontentment helping cultural/religious fundamentalism and
terrorism backed by such ideologies
• Fourth, ICT has helped terrorist groups in many ways-
planning, information sharing propaganda, coordination etc.
• Fifth, end of cold war and resultant excess supply of
arms/weapons are reaching to terrorists groups.
NEW TERRORISM
• Global phenomenon-strike anywhere, many places same time
• Majority of them Religious
• Amorphous international networks of loosely connected cells
• More radical, ruthless and devastating-catastrophic terrorism; hyper-
terrorism
• New methods: Suicide attack, serial bombing, indiscriminate firing,
using public transport as weapon and target
• High on Un agenda, Multilateral discussions, Global Politics and
International Relation.
International terrorism and its Impact
• World Peace, Security and Global Politics
• State take terrorism as war against State and threat to national
security
• If the terrorist groups are based in other States, the target State may
retaliate by attacking terrorist bases which may result into
international conflict or outright war.
• Politicizing Terrorism, by linking to specific culture or religion, or
using it as an excuse for furthering geopolitical interest, may further
threaten world peace and make global politics conflictual.
• Terrorism threaten the liberal democratic order- even the democratic
govts may curtail citizen’s right and freedom in the name of fighting
terrorism, may lead to authoritarianism.
• Major terrorist attacks causes crash of share markets, disruption in
economic activities and restrict the movement of goods, people
across boarders.
• Global terrorist groups are Non-State actors, but their bases are
specific states. This may led to allegation of “State Sponsored
Terrorism” resulting into conflicts in global politics
Combating Terrorism
• Strengthening State Capacity- Increase security, surveillance, extra-
legal methods to deal with terrorists
• Military Repression
• Political Deals
• Global Co-ordination
Eg. NATO’s work on counter-terrorism focuses on improving
awareness of the threat, developing capabilities to prepare and
respond and enhancing engagement with partner countries and other
international actors.
