Al-Qaeda and Hezbollah Terrorist Organizations - Research Paper Example

Al-Qaeda and Hezbollah Terrorist Organizations Content Introduction……………………………………………………………………...3 Origin ……………………………………………………………………………4 History…………………………………………………………………………….5 Tactics……………………………………………………………………………..7 Finance ……………………………………………………………………………9 Structure………………………………………………………………………….10 Concluding remarks……………………………………………………………..10 Introduction Terrorism is the criminal use of strength or violence in opposition to people or assets to threaten or force a government, the civilian populace, or any section in connection with political or societal objectives. It aims cultural or religious assemblage, administrations, political organizations, and media enterprises. Terrorism that takes place all through the world is known as worldwide terrorism. Not only it kills the populace, it annihilates source of revenue, financial system, and the civilized humanitarian order that has taken millenniums to shape it. The consequences of terror campaigns are about all the time catastrophic. Individuals or groups, which commend these crimes, are known as terrorists. Terrorists are present all over the globe. There are a small number of terrorists who operate unaccompanied, but generally they are fraction of one or many global terrorist organizations. Terrorism has been approximately since the commencement of time. It has caused realms to go up and to fall, and allowed certain people to obtain immensely destructive power. Terrorism by nature is difficult to define, roughly it could be said that “Terrorism as a word in its usual usage has a connotation of evil, indiscriminate violence or brutality.” (Lutz, 2008, p.7). Some groups those are not in any ways committing brutal acts but voicing out randomly for the commoners or for freedom of nation are also labeled as terrorist groups. This is really condemnable, because “People and organizations are degraded when labeled as terrorists, and political or religious movements can lose followers and funding as a result of the label” (Griset & Mahan, 2003, p. xiii). Terrorism involves ferocious and gruesome actions such as bombing, assassination of important people, mass killing or massacres, taking hostages by hijacking etc. Terrorism is directed towards the military sections, rather for religious or political entities. Several terrorist groups have shaken the world with their violent and horrible attacks and threatened the entire mankind repeatedly in all the parts of the world. Some infamous terrorist groups are working by encompassing global networking system, like Al Qaeda, Hezbollah, Chechens, Hizbool Mujahideen, Taliban etc. They have succeeded to terrorize the entire world. Al Qaeda and Hezbollah are extremely active terrorist groups that have created their unique history of terror throughout the globe. Origin: Al Qaeda is the most prominent and matured global terrorist organization in the global history of terrorism. Whenever the name of Al Qaeda comes, the name of Osama bin Laden come simultaneously. In the beginning of the 1980 s Osama worked with the Mujahideen terrorist group. In the year of 1988 Osama bin Laden formed his infamous terrorist group Al Qaeda. Al Qaeda could be described as “… a militant transnational network whose original backbone was Arab Mujahideen who fought the Soviets in Afghanistan.” (Zalman, n.d.). After almost a decade, bin Laden copied the Islamic Front for ‘Jihad’ in opposition to the “Jews and Crusaders” (Zalman, n.d.). Leagues of terrorist cluster aimed to announce war against the Americans and fight their respective “Middle Eastern military presence.” (Zalman, n.d.). Al Qaeda does not have any particular home ground. However, Al Qaeda has organized its “cells in different countries in Europe, the Middle East and Southeast Asia.” (Zalman, n.d.). This infamous terrorist group of Lebanon, Hezbollah means the “Party of God” (Zalman, n.d.). Hezbollah has been using the names like the “Revolutionary Justice Organization and Organization for the Oppressed on Earth, Islamic Jihad and the Islamic Resistance” (Zalman, n.d.) to execute a number of terror operations. Hezbollah was also founded in the years of 1980s in Lebanon (Zalman, n.d.). This group also has connective sources and units in Asia, North America and South America, Europe and Africa. “Hezbollah has cooperated with and supported Palestinian groups, including Fatah/Tanzim, Islamic Jihad, Hamas, and the Palestinian Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP)” (Zalman, n.d.). It is sustained by Iran and Syria. History: As already discussed that Al Qaeda’s backbone is Osama Bin Laden, so before delving into the terror accounts of Al Qaeda, the grounds of Laden’s fury should be mentioned at first. The initial spark of Laden’s rage came out, with the Peace Treaty that was signed between Egypt and Israel that was encouraged by American president Jimmy Carter (Margulies, 2003, p.22). The Egyptian extremists killed the Israeli president later. The second event, which infuriated Laden, was the 1979 Iranian revolution in which the Western supported leader Shah was dethroned. Following these two events, “The third event that Osama bin Laden mentioned as a motivation for his terrorist jihad was the 1979 soviet invasion of Afghanistan.” (Margulies, 2003, p.22). According to the religious laws of Islam any infidel or non- Muslim ruler cannot rule over the Muslim world. These were just few instances that Laden has held up as an explanation to his paving into the route of terrorism and building Al Qaeda. There may be many more reasons that he presents as the supporting factors to his terror attacks. A brief history of Al Qaeda’s actions could be provided. In the dawn of its establishment Hezbollah concentrated only on the limited issues such as, the military interference of Israel and other Western frontiers in Lebanon and surrounding regions of the country (Byers, 2003, 37). The continuous intervention and atrocities made by them on the civilians of the nation and the Hezbollah members. Hezbollah grounded its attacks on several issues such as French government’s decision in 1989 to provide aid to both the Muslims and the Christians, the US Marine Barracks issue, The Israeli invasion etc (Byers, 2003, p.36). The Hezbollah attacks have an elongated account. Al Qaeda Hezbollah US soldiers in Somalia got killed in Somalia. Al Qaeda initiates in the year of 1993, a bombing in the World Trade Center. Al Qaeda hits with bombing of U.S. barracks in Saudi Arabia in 1996. The 1998 bombing of U.S.A. embassies in East Africa which killed 224 people (mostly East African civilians) and wounded many others. An Al Qaeda bombing attempt gets blocked in 1999 plot to hit the millennium partying in Seattle, Washington. The bombing of Al Qaeda in the year of 2000, of the USS cole in a port in Yemen, killing 17 U.S. sailors. The attacks of September 11, 2001. From October 2001- February 2002 Al Qaeda deliberated a hit on West Coast of US Fizzles copying the September 11 attack. Al Qaeda plots attacks in the African Republic of Kenya. April 2002: violence in Tunisia. Al Qaeda planted train bombs that killed 191 in Madrid in Spain. December 2004, Al Qaeda attacked the US consulate in the republic of Saudi Arabia. 2007: Bombing by Al Qaeda kills 23 people in Algeria. 2008: Al Qaeda’s bombing killed 4 people in Yemen. July 19, 1982: Hezbollah abducts Davis S. Dodge, the president of the American University in Beirut. Hezbollah is alleged to be at the back of  the 30 other abductions of Westerners after that in next 10 years. April 18, 1983: Hezbollah attacked the U.S. delegation in Beirut. A car bomb is planted, that kills 63 people, 17 of them were American populace. Oct. 23, 1983:  Hezbollah attacked the U.S. Marine garrison by blasting a truck bomb, which kills 241 people. Another attack against French forces compound in Beirut killed 58. Sept. 20, 1984: The cluster of Hezbollah attacked the U.S. delegation, in Beirut, hits by a car bomb. It killed 2 Americans and 22 other people. April 12, 1984: Hezbollah attacks an eatery close to U.S. Air Force Base in Torrejon, Spain. This bombing action killed 18 U.S. servicemen and hurts 83 people. March 17, 1992: Using the aid of Iranian intelligence, Hezbollah carries out a bombing on the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires. This leads to the death of 29 and 200 people ended up getting hurt. July 18, 1994: Hezbollah bombs a Jewish group of people in Buenos Aires, with Iranian aid–kills 86 and injures more than 200. May 17, 1999: Hezbollah fires on the northern part of Israel with ample amount of rockets, hits numerous attacks on Israeli civilians in this action. Oct. 7, 2000: Hezbollah attacked an Israel martial post and raided Israel. They also kidnapped 3 Israeli soldiers. July 12, 2006: Hezbollah attacked Israel by Katyushas. This action killed many soldiers. (*Sources: Complete 911 Timeline, n.d.; Isseroff, 2006) The source of grudges has been common to a great extent between these two groups- Al Qaeda and Hezbollah. The fundamental similarity lies in the invasion of outsiders in their respective nations. However, the basic difference is in their positions in their countries and in their impression to the government. When Hezbollah is a part of the Lebanese government, no such concrete link about Al Qaeda has been exposed yet. Although it is obvious that such a huge organization like Al Qaeda certainly has the support of the authoritarian bodies. Tactics: Hezbollah first time organized the suicide terrorist attacks. The tactics of “Hezbollah is portrayed as the quintessential asymmetric force that confounded Israeli tactics and strategy through the use of its ‘asymmetric’ rockets and guerilla methods.” (Caforio, 2009, p.418). It takes quite a long time to prepare a suicide bomber. Hezbollah launched its training camps in the Beqaa valley in Lebanon. Besides suicidal attacks Hezbollah initiated “… guerilla tactics, which consisted of among other assignments, laying landmines, infiltration of enemy camps, how to use automatic weapons and rockets, and learning techniques of self- defence.” (Pedahzur, 2005, p.172). Later Hezbollah almost abandoned the method of suicide tactics. Rather they concentrated on the guerilla tactics that became their strongest mean of attacking. Physical skills are important undoubtedly, but mental preparation is a primary skill that is needed to execute a successful attack. Al Qaeda has been changing its techniques repeatedly. Guerilla warfare and suicidal attacks are common in almost all the terrorist groups across the world. Hijacking is another technique of terrorizing that they applied most furiously in the 9/11 terror attack in America. Al Qaeda has exhibited extreme methods of torturing. Al Qaeda literally published a torture book. It showed the different methods of tortures that the terrorists made on people. They used “electric drills and irons, meat cleavers and other devices to force victims to talk or harm them. Some of the drawings show how to drill hands, sever limbs, drag victims behind cars, remove eyes, put a blowtorch or iron to someone’s skin, suspend a person from a ceiling and electrocute them, break limbs and restrict breath and put someone’s head in a vice. Items found at the safe house include electric drills, hammers, blow torches, meat cleavers, pliers and wire cutters, chains, screw drivers, whips and handcuffs.” (?How To? Manual Found In Al Qaeda Safe House Shows Disturbing Torture Methods, 2007). Finance: In the years of 1980s Osama Bin Laden took the initiative to raise fund for the formation of his infamous terrorist group Al Qaeda and fight against the Soviet front. In the beginning of 1990s the finance structure improved a lot when the Arabs of Gulf started contributing into its fund following their strong dislike of Arafat’s support for the Iraqi invasion in Kuwait (Mannes, p.35). A major part of Al Qaeda’s fund financial support is still backed up by the rich Arab people and even the royal families. Another powerful resource of Al Qaeda’s fund comes from the Saudi Arab’s ministry of religious segment that allots billions of dollars for the global revolution of the Muslims. Al Qaeda regularly and systematically collects a large amount of money from the different charitable Muslim organizations (Mannes, p.35). Osama Bin Laden himself established chains of businesses that are a big financial support for the terrorizing activities conducted and executed by the Al Qaeda group. Al Qaeda extorts money from several rich Middle East businessmen in order to protect them from Al Qaeda’s own threat. They are also involved in the smugglings of gold, heroine, cocaine, ruby, sapphire, diamonds etc. (Mannes, p.36). It is evident that Al Qaeda’s sophisticated catastrophic attacks never fall apart due to these huge resources of money. Iran and Syria governments categorically support the sustenance of Hezbollah. Iran has been providing technological, financial, operational supports to the Hezbollah group with proper and continuous guidance system (Alexander, 2007, p.1221). The support system not only stopped there, it is believed that “… Iran and Syria’s non- humanitarian support for Hezbollah including financial, logistic, and military support – has not stopped since the cease- fire or the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1701” (Alexander, 2007, p.1221). Hezbollah has been acquiring funds from different rich Muslim organizations too. Structure: Several other terror groups have merged up with Al Qaeda. Groups from Egypt and Algeria have been co existing with the establishment of Al Qaeda. Some remarkable groups like al- Jihad, al- gama’a al Islamiyya, Armed Islamic Group (GIA) and the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) have become intricate part of Al Qaeda (Mannes, 2004, p.36). Roughly in every country Al Qaeda has different supportive terror groups that technically have strengthened the hands of Al Qaeda. Even with Hezbollah, Al Qaeda has its strong connections. This group has created a universal harmony of terror by adding up several other terror groups with it. There is a widespread belief about the fact that Hezbollah shares a strong connection with Al Qaeda; “Bin Laden is believed to have met Hizbullah’s Special Operations chief Imad Mughniyah in 1996.” (Mannes, 2004, p.37). Presently Hezbollah has become a strong part of the Lebanese government and a part of their administrative body. Hezbollah has a strong affiliation with both the Palestinian terror groups Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad or PIJ. Therefore there is no doubt that Hezbollah’s structural strength has been continuously in rise. Concluding remarks: The connection between AL Qaeda and Hezbollah has initiated a possibility of collaboration between these two terror groups. However, the relation between them has become a bit strained on the Shiite- Sunni issues in Iraq. Therefore, the direct joint collaboration in practical operation at present might not be possible, but the sharing of informative resources are more likely as both of the groups share the basic motive of channeling terror throughout the veins of global civilization. The incessant showering of innumerable wealth as mentioned before, actually provide them with a strong flow of power to continue on their terror journey in the global platform. Not a single country or continent have been exempted from the clutches of their terror. They continue with their activities with their activities sometimes with the help of government bodies, sometimes with the funds from rich businesspersons. The most striking thing is though the common people suffer most from these activities they are the ones to nourish it with their terrorized minds, because if people stop getting terrified, they have to cease from terrorizing them. However, this opinion at the present scenario seems a far cry from practical implementation of it. References: 1. Alexander, Y. (2007). Evolution of U.S. Counterterrorism Policy. California,USA: Greenwood Publishing Group. 2. Byers, A. (2003). Lebanon’s Hezbollah. New York, USA: The Rosen Publishing Group. 3. Caforio, G. (2009). Advances in Military Sociology: Seáis in Honor of Charles C. Moskos, Part 1. UK: Emerald Group Publishing. 4. Complete 911 Timeline. Retrieved on: July 21, 2010 from: http://www.historycommons.org/timeline.jsp?complete_911_timeline_miscellaneous_al_qaeda_issues=complete_911_timeline_alleged_al_qaeda_connected_attacks&timeline=complete_911_timeline . 5. Griset, P., L. & S. Mahan. (2003). Terrorism in perspective. California, USA: SAGE. 6. “How To” Manual Found In Al Qaeda Safe House Shows Disturbing Torture Methods. (2007) Retrieved on: July 21, 2010 from: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,275341,00.html 7. Isseroff, A. (2006). Timeline of Hezbollah Attack, Retrieved on: July 21, 2010 from: http://www.zionism-israel.com/dic/Hezbollah_timeline.htm 8. Lutz, J., M. & B. J. Lutz. (2008). Global Terrorism. Oxon, UK: Taylor & Francis. 9. Mannes, A. (2004). Profiles in terror: the guide to Middle East terrorist organizations. Maryland, USA : Rowman & Littlefield. 10. Margulies, P. (2003). Al Qaeda: Osama bin Laden’s army of terrorists. New York, USA: The Rosen Publishing Group. 11. Pedahzur, A. (2005). Suicidal terrorism. Cambridge, UK: Polity. 12. Zalman, A. Al Qaeda—Profile of Al Qaeda. Retrieved on: July 20, 2010 from: http://terrorism.about.com/od/groupsleader1/p/AlQaeda.htm 13. Zalman, A. Hezbollah - - A Profile of the Lebanese Militant group Hezbollah. Retrieved on: July 20, 2010 from: http://terrorism.about.com/od/groupsleader1/p/Hezbollah.htm 14. Zalman, A. Profile: Osama Bin Laden. Retrieved on: July 20, 2010 from: http://terrorism.about.com/od/groupsleader1/p/OsamabinLaden.htm Read More