Analyzing Boston Bombings - Terrorism or Not Terrorism - Essay Example

? Analyzing Boston Bombings - Terrorism or not terrorism? At the 117th edition of the Boston Marathon that took place in the city on April 15, 2013 two back-to-back explosions rocked the vicinity close to the finish line, causing the death of 3 innocent citizens while, wounding 282 people (Reuters). Preliminary investigation into the matter by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) concluded the involvement of two suspects in the Boston Marathon bombings who were later identified and confirmed as brothers Tamerlan Tsarnaev and Dzokhar Tsarnaev. On April 19, 2013 the suspects, Tamerlan and Dzokhar Tsarnaev participated in a shootout with the Watertown police, the aftermath of which led to 26-year-old Tamerlan’s death. The deceased’s younger brother, 19-year-old Dzokhar fled the scene in an illegally possessed SUV and was discovered in a severely injured state later that evening by law enforcement personnel and shifted to a medical facility in Boston. Schmitt and Schmidt reported that the wound on the suspect’s neck indicated that Dzokhar had tried to kill himself at some point during his escape from the shootout scene at Watertown. Dzokhar Tsarnaev was charged with exercising the use of a weapon of mass destruction to cause death along with initiating malevolent devastation of property. Both these charges were levied on April 22, 2013 against the suspect in relation with the Boston Marathon bombings. If the charges against the suspect are proven to be true, it is expected that he would face the death penalty. The atrocity that was committed against the people of Boston on April 15, 2013 which claimed 3 innocent lives and injured over 260 people has raised several important questions for the state, the society and concerned authorities alike. Initial reports have concluded a possible religious motivation behind the attacks, Pearson, however has reported that the bombers could have been incited to conduct the attacks due to the U.S wars against terror in Afghanistan and Iraq. Building on the aforementioned information this part of the paper will assess and analyze the event at an International System level. This discussion entails an examination of the involvement of international and external organizations or institutions that may have influenced and shaped the mindset of the suspected bombers, Tamerlan and Dzokhar Tsarnaev to conduct such an atrocity as the Boston Marathon bombings. It is imperative to the discussion to outline the profile of the suspected bombers in order to explore their intentions and motivations with pertinence to the involvement of international forces and organizations. Born to Muslim parents, the suspects belong to Chechen-Avar ethnicity and their family emigrated from Kyrgyzstan in 2002. Reports on Tamerlan’s early life in the United States do not indicate any involvement or association with Islamic fundamentalism. The deceased’s educational background suggests that his failure to perform well in his studies led him to concentrate on a career in boxing (Finn). According to Waxman, Tamerlan supposedly experienced a drastic religious transformation in 2009. As suggested by the late suspect’s uncle Ruslan Tsarni in an interview, Tamerlan’s customary presence at various Islamic societies across Boston critically aided his transition towards the path of radicalization which was reflected in dramatic changes in his behavior and actions such as one incident in which the slain suspect assaulted his girlfriend and demanded that she veil herself and accept Islam (Kenner). Researchers have highlighted how accessibility to media such as videos, literature, websites and books that preach Islamic fundamentalism can immensely affect the psyche of an impressionable mind. The evidence of an influence of radical media such as the teachings of radical clerics on the psyche of Dzokhar and Tamerlan is quite evident. Fundamentalist leaders and preachers such as Osama Bin Laden have released several literature and books to incite and provoke their followers to commit atrocities against the West who they consider to be the enemy of Islam. Osama Bin Laden states: “Muslim should rise up and defend his religion. They [the Americans] have come with their men and their horses, conspiring against us until even the countries that belong to Islam joined their side against the group [the 9/11 attackers] who came with their religion to God Almighty, refusing to abandon their religion.”  The period following 2011 was particularly decisive in shaping Tamerlan Tsarnaev’s fundamentalist ideology. Goldman and Sullivan stated that the FBI was informed of the slain suspect’s radicalization by the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (FSB) however, the bureau’s investigation into the case concluded that the slain suspect was not involved in any extremist or terrorist actions. It should be stated that Tamerlan’s January, 2012 visit to Russia which included travels to Chechnya, Dagestan and North Caucasus is a major focus of investigation into the suspect’s background and possible affiliation with Chechen jihadist groups. According to Speckhard and Ahkmedova terrorists of Chechen origin have conducted twenty-eight suicide attacks between the period of 2000-2006, the researchers have also noted that Chechen jihadist organization are known to enlist potential recruits who are motivated to be a part of terrorist activities as a consequence of painful experiences or to seek revenge from the West (1). These recruits are then trained and radicalized into becoming suicide bombers and terrorists. In his paper titled The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism, Pape notes that: “Terrorism involves the use of violence by an organization other than a national government to cause intimidation or fear among a target audience.” This view suggests that violence, coercion and hostility lie at the very core of terrorism, and the concept postulates that the only way to spread a particular ideology is through the use of force and that is what the practitioners of terrorism intend to teach their followers. It could be asserted that slain suspect Tamerlan may have acted as the ideal recruit for jihadist organizations as he fit the profile of having been a victim of war in Soviet Russia and an individual who sought revenge from the West for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Chechen jihadist groups also equip, train and prepare fighters by exposing them to fundamentalist ideologies (Speckhard and Ahkmedova 2) and the House Homeland Security Chairman believes that Tamerlan was in fact trained during his 2012 trip to Russia. Details regarding the deceased suspect’s travels to the North Caucasus and Dagestan also include an account of his regular visits to a Salafi mosque, Moore and Tumelty note that clashes in the North Caucasus have largely been a consequence of the spread of Salafi-Jihadist ideologies (1) which advocate a puritanical rather than a moderate view of Islam. This part of the paper will conduct an analysis of the event at the State level, by focusing on how different constituents of the government reacted to the Boston Marathon Explosions. Additionally, this part of the paper will also assess the reaction of the media to the bombings. In his address to the nation, President Barack Obama described the Boston Marathon Explosions as an act of terrorism and declared that the government will invest all its efforts to capture those responsible for the bombings. From the day of the bombing till 20th April, flags at all federal buildings flew at half-staff as a sign of respect for those who were impacted by the act of violence in the city of Boston. The investigation into the massacre was taken over by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). By April 18, 2013 the FBI made public the video and images of the alleged bombers who were recognized immediately with public assistance. Despite of the success of preliminary efforts taken by the FBI in identifying the alleged masterminds behind the plot, several media outlets began to report that the agency had prior information regarding the suspicious and radical behavior of Tamerlan, but these claims were dismissed. This resulted in the Congress to demand more answers from the FBI regarding the availability of prior information on the suspects of the bombings and why the agency did not share the findings on Tamerlan’s involvement in radical Islamists activities from 2011. More drastic and rather contradictory measures were also called for by various U.S lawmakers in the wake of the bombings. Rep. Steve King demanded that a reform on an immigration bill be ceased immediately as initial reports suggested the involvement of a Saudi national in the incident. In a statement released by Republican Senator John McCain, the lawmaker proposed that the immigration reform should in fact move forward as it would ensure that the U.S is safeguarded from any future attacks such as the Boston Marathon Explosions on its soil. Rep. Peter King called for an investigation into the radicalization of Muslims, especially those raised in America in order to inspect elements within the community and the American society itself that may contribute towards the spread of Islamist ideology amongst Muslim youth in America. Judge has criticized the media coverage of the Boston Marathon Bombings stating that the media’s reaction to the incident is evocative of what he believes is a ‘lynch mob mentality’ that intends to sensationalize every facet of information that comes from reliable or unreliable sources. Furthermore, the writer also asserts that the overall strategic response of the media in the light of the bombings suggested that the electronic media specifically failed to exercise any degree of morality or responsibility in reporting the massacre thereby, failing to live up to its commitment of providing the truth to the public rather than mere speculations. Numerous Behavioral scientists have devoted their studies to the comprehension of personal and individual characteristics that can be attributed to the creation of a radical and fundamentalist mindset. Borum notes that the distinctiveness of violent activities that are regulated by political and religious beliefs and affiliations can drive individuals to the extent of engaging in terrorism for the sake of safeguarding their beliefs, perceptions, values and most importantly their ideologies (2). Furthermore, Borum also observes that psychological disorders and mental illnesses are seldom responsible in inciting such individuals to take lives of innocent civilian victims. The activities of the alleged suspects do not show evidence of prolonged radicalization. Moreover, no evidence corroborates that either of the two individuals were suffering from any mental illness or psychological disorder. This notion makes the interpretation of religious motivators that are associated with Islamist extremism even more complex. A critical evaluation of the claims that have been made so far in this paper lead to the establishment that the most concrete factor for explaining the situation which followed the Boston Marathon bombings is the radicalization of Muslim youth in America. The alleged suspects of the plot, 26-year-old Tamerlan Tsarnaev and 19-year-old Dzokhar Tsarnaev were provided refuge by the U.S when they fled their war-torn country along with their family, but the radicalization process that was aided by the accessibility of Islamist and fundamentalist media and possible links to jihadist organizations in Chechnya was able to generate a far more profound impact on the minds of the alleged bombers which contradicted with their American upbringing. This suggests that the impact of ideologies motivated by religion is greater than expected in shaping the impressionable minds of youth. The government must work towards the establishment of laws and legislations that have the ability to counter the spread of fundamentalism. This requires an integration of all groups in society to make sure that the accessibility and availability of radical ideas is made scarce by regulating the information which is available on the internet, as it has been reported that the alleged suspects created the bomb which was used in the Boston Marathon explosions after following instructions published in the Al-Qaeda run online magazine titled Inspire. The Boston Marathon bombings also raise serious questions regarding the duties of agencies such as the FBI, as the bureau was aware of Tamerlan’s possible links to Chechen jihadist organizations as reported by Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (FSB). Despite of this information, the FBI failed to conduct subsequent checks on the status of Tamerlan Tsarnaev within the U.S thereby, failing to know that the slain suspect had made a trip to Russia and specifically to places such as the North Caucasus, Dagestan and Chechnya which are known to be safe havens for Islamist groups and jihadist organizations. This raises the question of information hoarding by intelligence bureaus and a lack of cooperation between US-Russian intelligence agencies in identifying potential individual and organizational threats and dealing with them in effective cooperation. Works Cited Adam Goldman and Eileen Sullivan. "FBI got information from Russian FSB that Tamerlan Tsarnaev was radical Islam follower". The Washington Post. Web. April 25, 2013. Borum, Randy. "Understanding terrorist psychology." (2010). “Boston officials say 264 injured in marathon bombing”. Reuters. Apr 23, 2013. Web. April 25, 2013. Finn, Peter. “Tamerlan Tsarnaev and Dzokhar Tsarnaev were refugees from brutal conflict”. Washington Post. April 19, 2013. Web. April 25, 2013. Judge, Anthony. "Strategic Implications of 12 Unasked Questions in Response to Disaster." (2013). Kenner, David . “Who is Tamerlan Tsarnaev”. Foreign Policy. April 19, 2013. Web. April 25, 2013. Laden, Osama Bin, and Bruce B. Lawrence. Messages to the world: the statements of Osama Bin Laden. Verso Books, 2005. Moore, Cerwyn, and Paul Tumelty. "Foreign fighters and the case of Chechnya: a critical assessment." Studies in Conflict & Terrorism 31.5 (2008): 412-433. Pape, Robert A. "The strategic logic of suicide terrorism." American political science review 97.3 (2003): 343-361. Pearson, Michael. “Official: Suspect says Iraq, Afghanistan drove Boston bombings”. CNN. April 23, 2013. Web. April 25, 2013. Schmitt, Eric; Michael S. Schmidt. “Suspects seemed set for more attacks beyond boston”. The New York times. April 21, 2013. Web. April 25 2013. Speckhard, Anne, and Khapta Ahkmedova. "The making of a martyr: Chechen suicide terrorism." Studies in conflict & Terrorism 29.5 (2006): 429-492. Read More