New Terrorism and the Islam Extremists Who Are the Most Radical Group - Coursework Example

Introduction Terrorism has no definite description but a thing that is of common view from all the people is that there is a connotation of evil and brutality and violence in the act of terrorism.1 It is an act that is carried by terrorists groups on legitimate governments and they seek to destroy the political systems of these governments and also to destroy the normal way of life. 2Terrorist attacks usually target civilians and they are indiscriminate in nature causing serious casualties among the civilians. Their main agenda especially in suicide bombings is to overthrow governments and also to stop fanatical religious groups from taking over power and even to stop communists from doing the same. Terrorism has several components which include political motives, it involves violence or threats of violence that are geared towards instilling fear in the target group and it is always performed by an identifiable organisation. 3The action of terrorism is also aimed or it always results into empowering the organisation undertaking the terrorism. This paper will address the topic of the new terrorism and it will especially put to light the Islam extremists who are the most radical group in this practice. This however does not mean that they are the only ones who are involved in this act. There are also Christian extremists and Japanese Buddhists extremists who would go to any height to defend their identity. Eras in terrorism Terrorism was in the past was practiced by groups of people who were in identifiable organisations which always had clear economic, political and even social objectives. These included such groups as the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and ethno nationalist terrorists’ movements.4 These traditional terrorist groups used to give explanations for their actions and the ideologies for the distasteful actions which they used to commit were comprehensible. The terrorist attacks that occurred mainly in the 1980s were politically inspired while in the 1990s the terrorist attacks were mainly inspired by religion. The new terrorist organisations embrace religions and have a diffuse membership and a diffuse structure. In the new wake of terrorism attacks, analysts have laid down some motivating factors that have led to these terrorist attacks and listed that religion is the most serious of these factors. 5As earlier noted, terrorism can be carried out to stop fanatical religious groups from taking over power. There are various religious groups who are all led by certain doctrines which are contained in their religious books. There has also been arising in the religious terrorist movements who are not limited to the Islam extremist. Religious groups across continents have violently resorted to religious terrorism. Motivational factors in religious terrorism The groups that implement these acts of violence carry out the terrorism as a Holy Act. 6Terrorism within these groups is known as sacramental act and it is carried out as a divine duty from the God of the religious groups. It is carried out as a theological demand from the religious groups. 7They carry out the act of terrorism only for themselves without any external influence which is totally unlike the political terrorist who carry out their activities as a means to achieving a particular end. The religious terrorism has therefore been noted to be more lethal and to be more violent due to the loyalty that these people have to their Holy calling of fulfilling these acts. The religious terrorists have therefore resulted to use of lethal chemical and biological weapons in fulfilment of their mandate. The different religious groups contain martial metaphors and their holy books have devoted whole sections to the topic of warfare. These groups seek power and dominion and each religious group holds the word as sacred truth. They therefore view other religious groups as not practicing what is right and thus each group craves for dominance and power against the other as a way of dominating the spiritual world. 8It is in this aspect that the groups term foe any person who does not practice their religious practices and this creates a sort of animosity among the members of the different groups. The main players Specificity is a key concept in identifying the true terrorists and thus personal characteristics such as age and religious backgrounds as well as socio economic factors are not put so much into consideration as far as recruitment is concerned. 9The national origin and education background as well as the sex of the individual are also not held very importantly within the organisations that carry out the terrorist attacks. However the specificity depends on one common factor which in the case of Salafi mujahedin is the link to the jihad.10 Islamic extremists are some of the main players in religious terrorism but at the new wake there are other new religious movements and groups. This notion has been swept under the carpet by many as they claim that it is just a mere threat but a good example happened in 1984 when Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh a leader of a then founded Rajneeshpuram ordered the members of the movement to put salmonella bacteria in food restaurant so as to influence elections. It is therefore clear that it not only a problem of Abrahamic faiths but also in Buddhism in Japan which is clearly portrayed by Aum Shinrikyo sect in the gas attack that occurred in 1995. Why religious groups undertake these attacks Islam and terrorism Many terrorist attacks have been associated with the Muslim Extremists who campaign for jihad or holy wars. 11It is however important to understand that there is a section of Muslims which advocate for the peaceful teachings of Islam. The western Muslims advocate for peace and they de emphasize the teachings of jihad. Muslims as per the teachings by Mohammed believe in the lesser jihad which is the warfare against the infidel and the greater jihad which is warfare that he advocates for each man to war against himself so as to conquer any acts of doing evil. The September 11 remains a memorable day in the entire world when there were a series of terrorist attacks in the USA. The investigations and interrogations that were carried out in this event revealed that Islamic extremists or the al-Qaeda were behind the lethal act of violence. 12The Muslim community in the United States was quick to deny responsibility while the Muslims in the parts of the world such as the Middle East cheered on loudly as they were captured in camera. Al-Qaeda is viewed as a terrorist political organisation but more largely it is a revivalist religious social movement. 13The same is true for the terrorist bombings that happened in the American embassy in Kenya and in Tanzania to which only one vague message was given that al Qaeda were taking responsibility for the bombings in defence of Holy places owned by Muslims in Medina and in Mecca.14 The senders of this message gave a word that they would pursue US forces and strike their interests in all parts of the world. These were also believed to have been funded by a Muslim al-Qaeda millionaire Osama bin Laden in similar campaigns against the US. His attacks are mainly due to the fact that the US was supporting Israel and it was also as an expression of offence for the presence of American Military in Saudi Arabia. 15His acts as earlier noted and the acts of al-Qaeda as a whole have a political as well as a theological connotation. His well skilled Muslim fighters who have gone through Jihad are estimated to be close to 5000.16This also contrasts the traditional terrorist groups who had utmost 30 hardcore members. Why is the new terrorism so religious? The new terrorists speak in divine absolutes and they make everything sound religious as terrorism is grounded on historical context.17Religion has highly been politicized by these groups and politics has been spoken at a higher frequency within the religious circles. 18They have made politics religious because in places where politics have been silenced religion can always offer a voice. The new terrorism does not have formal hierarchies like those that were in the old terrorism instead there are replaced by personal relationships. This is well illustrated by the membership in the jihad groups among the Muslims which could be through social affiliation like friendship where friends introduce their friends to the movement. Kinship where some families are totally dedicated to the jihad, is also another way in which the links are established. This thus fosters the members of these families to be enrolled into the Jihad when they are still young and the lineage continues in full time dedication to the Jihad movement. Discipleship is also a type of affiliation to the movement and it is usually employed in South East Asia. In these two locations they centre mainly around two boarding schools that are of Islamic descent.19These schools were founded by Abu Bakar Baasyir and Abdullah Sungkar who were the founders of Jemaah Islamiyah terrorist group. These two were imprisoned for the same but they fled to Malaysia where they founded a second school and they are clearly linked to the al-Qaeda though the link between them is not known clearly. These relationships make it hard for the convicts to tell the truth in court as they swear loyalty in their relationships. 20This was well illustrated by the fact that most arrested members do not cooperate with authority and they therefore do not confess much about their involvement with the movement. It is during the acts of worship that is a common act that the salafi mujahedin were recruited right in the mosques.21 It was in the mosques that the act of brainwashing and the people in these meetings would form bunches that would be made of close friends and these links would spell loyalty among the groups and the movement as a whole. Muslims who suffer as a result of war usually react by joining the jihad as a way of b ringing down their state of victimisation. They are prone to seeking these social affiliations due to significant changes in their lives that disrupt the normal living styles. As noted earlier in the introduction many of these extremists perform their duties as great loyalty to a higher calling. 22They believe in Martyrdom as one not wanting to gain much from earth. This has been demonstrated by Osama bin Laden by choosing to live in poverty in the name of sacrificing for the faith. Practices These people practice in rituals builds their faith and it generates the solidarity within these groups. People who are new listen intently to the messages and learn about ht rituals and eventually they embrace the faith as their own. It is also a very high cost for the people who to decide to join organisations such as the salafi and these sometimes include rejection by family and former friends who do not believe in the practices of such organisations. 23They main reason why it is so visible to al that one is a salafi is that their dressing code dictates it as they wear like the traditional Muslims and they also grow beards and they give up all the pleasures of the world in pursuit of their faith in God. 24The terrorist organisations are also transnational and they reach across borders and their social space is totally of an unheard of nature. This is because the traditional terrorists were always based in their homeland like in the case of IRA and ETA. The al Qaeda is de- terrorised in that they hardly reside where their families came from. The family where they become radical and the country where they get into action are all different. The choice of the country where the action prevails is said to be the country which their leader chooses based on where he thinks the highest success will be achieved. Statistics The National Commission on Terrorism has establishes in their statistics that religious fanaticism is the main driving force that the new terrorism is applying. 25This has also been the conclusion by many scholars who have argued out that political interests have ceased to be the motive behind terrorism acts. The same sources have said that the same groups have been so unrestrained as far as the methods of performing their targeted terror sights are concerned. 26The main reasons why they carry out these activities are as to destroy and cause chaos and that the only ends these fanatical groups want to achieve. These actions have been viewed as totally destructive as the new terrorists do not want to acquire what they are destroying but they have been viewed as wanting to destroy their target and everything to do with the target groups. As such the fallacy has been termed as a malicious act and policy makers are making every action to ensure that terrorist actions are averted. Right wing Christian Extremists are also not excluded and they like the Christian Extremists believe in the defence of their identity as well as their dignity. They do not believe in loosing the struggle and they term is as unthinkable mainly because they term is as unthinkable .They also believe that the struggle can not be worn in real terms as they believe it’s a war till eternity. Conclusion It is conclusive that the terrorists’ attacks have gone down in figures but increased in lethality. The organisers of the terrorist attacks have become more brutal and their actions have all been directed towards causing destruction to their opponents. They have been geared towards protecting their identities as well as their dignities. These groups profess their faith and they carry these roles as divine assignments as far as their religious duties are concerned. Some who carry out these terrorist attacks are willing to die in the blasts and they then consider their deaths as a result of these attacks as martyrdom. 27This act is also practised in real life where people will offer to live as martyrs by sacrificing to live in lack and foregoing the luxurious lives for the sake of their faiths. Martyrdom is also practised by the once who lost some of their body parts such as their eyesight and their limbs in war and they are still in the faith. It is therefore no doubt that religious activists are and have been behind the new and very brutal terrorism. Bibliography Books, chapters in books and journal articles: 1. Adam Dolnik and Keith M. Fitzgerald, Negotiating Hostage Crises with the New Terrorists (Routledge, 2008) 3. 2. Alex Peter Schmid, Albert J. Jongman, Political Terrorism: A New Guide to ActorsAuthors, Concepts.Databases. (Routledge.2008)14.18 3. Brian T. Bennett, Understanding, Assessing, and Responding to Terrorism: Protecting Critical Infrastructure and Personnel (John Wiley & Sons, 2007) 195. 4. Girma Yohannes, Europe: The Future Battleground of Islamic Terrorism (2010) 34. 5. Magnus Ranstorp, Mapping Terrorism Research: State of the Art, Gaps and the Future Direction (Routedge, 2007). 6. Marc Sageman, ‘Terrorism in the Age of the Internet’ in Marc Sageman (ed), Leaderless Jihad: Terror Networks in the Twenty-First Century, (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2008) 109, 123. 7. Max Abrahms, ‘What Terrorists Really Want: Terrorist Motives and Counterterrorism Strategy’ (2008) 32 (4) International Security 79, 80. 8. Mitchell D. Silber and Arvin Bhatt, Radicalization in the West: The Homegrown Threat (Police Department City of New York, 2007) 16. 9. Pamala L. Griset and Sue Mahan, Terrorism in Perspective (Sage publications, 2003) 114. 10. Sageman, M ‘Joining the Jihad’ in Understanding Terror Networks (2004) 6, 7, 9, 10-16. Other Sources: 11. Ali Alhudhan, Commissions of Advice are consisting of Three Main Committees: Scholars, Security and the Psycho-Social (15 September 2010) Alriyadh News . 12. Colonel Janet M. Harrington, Assessing National Guard Readiness to Respond to Weapons of Mass Destruction Terrorist Events (13 September 2010) Army Environmental Policy Institute . 13. Concepts of Terrorism Analysis of the rise, decline, trends and risk (12 September 2010) Transnational Terrorism, Security & The Rule of Law, 4 . 14. Jordan Reduces the Executions of People Convicted on Charges of Supporting Al-Qa'ida (14 September 2010) Aljazeera News . 15. Mathew.J(2004)The origins of new Terrorism(7 October 2010)Parameters 29,30. Read More