Terror Its Origin and the Big Picture - Term Paper Example

International Terrorism Terror – Its Origin and the Big Picture The world has been living under a constant threat of terror attacks since many decades now. A relatively new form of society, the terrorism fraternity has grown from various sources like religious factions, terror camps in Middle East, Africa and Asia. Terrorism and its potential damages was first realised as early as the cold war when nations engaged in espionage and silent attacks on the backbone of the economy was carried out by hired “dons” “mafias” or international terrorist as we popularly know them. International Terrorism is a dark and sinister industry that is financed and funded by people with vested interests, political groups, religious and extremist groups (often referred to as fanatics or fundamentalists), individuals representing religious or ethnic communities. It has been glamorised by the film world, sensationalised by the media, discussed on international forums and conventions like the UNO peace forum, NATO conferences, ASEAN summits and various other bilateral or multi-party peace talks. International Terrorism is terrorism at a greater scale, spread across a larger geography posing a threat to countries instead of communities or smaller regions. The first signs of a terrorism system capable of going international in its operations and consequences was realised as early as the 1980s during the cold war. The possibility of waging brutal war through terrorist forces between the Allied and Axis powers and Russia was discovered. Since then terrorism has spread from Asia to the US and Europe to Africa Europe, an origin of the “mafia” has to deal with a well organised and sometimes even deadly left-wind terror campaign (Cox, Falconer, and Stackhouse 1). Underworld nexus between power-lords having access to wealth and a variety of illegal businesses of arms, drugs and banned products and politicians gradually strengthened. As time passed it evolved and found justification of its actions through religion (Islamic fundamentalism), regional (Anti-secular Principles), sectarian (Anti-Sectarian principles), anti-nationalistic (Against a particular nation) communities. These communities came to be called as the Terrorist Groups. These terrorist groups turned out as the dark-economies flowing under the legitimate system of government with its only aim being to disrupt normal life and break down governments, communities and nations through brute forces. Religious terrorism is seen as a transcendental fact. (Chaliand, Blin, 4) Terror-brands emerged, each one having its own principles and premise of existence and operations. One of the oldest terrorist groups is the Taliban, who claim to be a group of religious minded and god fearing community, committing grave atrocities against people without discrimination: men, women, children, infants, citizens, and outsiders, almost anyone that came in their way and chose not to swear allegiance to them. Early terrorism existed but not to a far reaching, multi-geographic extent. Pirates of Somalia had conducted several terrorist activities on sailing ships, the recent most being the MV Faina which ended in February 2009 when a ransom of 3.2 million US dollars was placed at Faina’s table. (Eichstaed 3) Emergence of International Terrorism – Stateless, Multinational Terrorist Outfits As early as the 1980s during the soviet war in Afghanistan, the concept of international terrorism was born in the radical religious organisations in the Islamic countries in Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe. A new concept it was fire-tested during the soviet war by an organisation that was headquartered in Afghanistan – Al Qaida. Lead by Osama Bin Laden who founded this radical Islamic militant organisation in the year 1988 or early 1989, AL Qaida started its operation against non-Muslims and campaigned for global jihad. They had a strict interpretation of Sharia Law and called upon the Muslims of the world to unite against non-Muslim forces. First Jolt of International Terrorism The first jolt of international terrorism in its most practical enormity and potential was felt by the citizens of North America, USA, in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington DC. The three sites have been bombed out of which the bombing of the twin towers in New York, Lower Manhattan, proved to be the biggest economic and political jolt in entire American history. International Terrorism in its truest sense with people working from the base station in Afghanistan, camps in and around the Tora-Bora regions in the hills and suicide bombers in USA was witnessed by the global audience as hundreds of thousands of people were affected with the loss of lives of near and dear ones travelling in the airplanes. International Terrorism – A consequence of radical fundamentalist Islamic outfits The stage was set for what came to be known as stateless, multinational, improvised and orchestrated “International Terrorism”. Organisations like Al Qaeda, Lashkar-e-Taiyyaba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), Hamas, Hizb-ul-Mujahiddeen, Harkat-ul-Mujahideen etc were the emergent generation of terrorist outfits representing the radical fundamentalist Islamic sect of people. Even though they were minority they were powered by finance, fuelled by “jihadi” literature, sanctified by so –called priests and motivated by beliefs which said that fighting Jihad will lead them to an eternal life of pleasure, glory and fulfilment. This is how International Terrorism came about. Jihad and the Young Blood The Jihadi organisations based out of nations like Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Turkey, Sudan, Egypt etc banked on fresh blood, that symbolise the heated restlessness of such organisations for destruction and killing. Places like mosques, “madarssa” i.e. Islamic school were chosen as a place for ritualisation and formal induction of young uneducated and unemployed youth into this blood game of terrorism. Some of the major events around the Sept 11, 2001 bombing of the twin towers include Bali Bombings and Bombing of the US Embassy in 1998. These bombings shook the core belief of people that they were safe under the protection governments and national security forces provided them. Terrorist lurked everywhere in the form of students, professors, flight trainers, tourists and several other professions, guised to launch ghastly attacks. They were brainwashed individuals not belonging to a particular religion, nation, agency or group – they were unemployed people who were lured in with money and the prospect of attaining “moksh” i.e., salvation through their martyrdom for the cause of “Jihad” or the holy war. Conclusion Through the joint exercises between economic powers as US, UK, European countries and India, International Terrorism is being clamped at its neck. The killing of outfit leaders like Osama Bin Laden, Mad Al Zawahiri, and Saddam Hussein signify a global community learning to revolt against the organised establishment of international terrorism. Through intensified military operations, better education, eradication of poverty, a balanced society, the prospect of having a future generation of terrorists and terror outfits can be nipped right at the bud. Works Cited: 1. Dan Cox, John Falconer, Brian Stackhouse. “Terrorism, Instability and Democracy in Asia and Africa”. Northeast University Press. 2009.. 2. Peter Eichstaedt. “Pirate State inside Somalia’s Terrorism at Sea”. Lawrence Hill Books.2012. 3. Gerard Chaliand, Arnaud Blin. “The History of Terrorism”. University of California Press. 2007 Read More