Past Terrorist Use of Weapons of Mass Destruction - Research Paper Example

Past terrorist use of weapons of mass destruction While nothing is easier than to denounce the evildoer, nothing is more difficult than to understand him. – Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky Introduction: The use of weapons of mass destruction by terrorists around the globe is a matter of grave concern and the reasons behind the same have been assessed, debated and analyzed by researchers by way of extensive literature reviews (Goldstein, 2002; Gressang, 2001; Panofsky, 1998). However the psychological, social, political and cultural factors which prompt such aggressive and hostile acts on their part are highly complex and difficult to understand. The fundamental assumption behind the reasons why terrorists and terrorist organizations use weapons of mass destruction in executing their evil designs can be understood by assessing the background of the past events and analyzing the psychological and cultural backgrounds of the terrorists and the organizations they belong to. The U.S. Law (18 USC §2332a) defines the term WMD (Weapons of Mass Destruction) as ““(A) any destructive device as defined in section 921 of this title (i.e. explosive device); (B) any weapon that is designed or intended to cause death or serious bodily injury through the release, dissemination, or impact of toxic or poisonous chemicals, or their precursors; (C) any weapon involving a biological agent, toxin, or vector (as those terms are defined in section 178 of this title)(D) any weapon that is designed to release radiation or radioactivity at a level dangerous to human life.” (FBI, 2012). Terrorism is a multi-causal phenomenon (Sommer, 2010) and involves a combination of varied factors including psychological, social, cultural, political, economic, as well as religious. Hence explaining the act in a concise and restricted definition would be highly erroneous and disillusioning. For the purpose of this study the term WMD would be defined to include any act of terrorism by an individual or an organization carried out on a large scale using chemical, biological or other weapons intended to cause irreparable damage to the property and lives of human beings; and disrupt the economic and social structure of the targeted region. Researchers have suggested various factors as key causes behind such acts of aggression, in a bid to understand the psyche of the terrorists. These factors range from local ethnic clashes to public outrage and dissent against international forces mainly arising due to differences in religious and cultural ideologies (Cordesman, 1989; DiGiovanni, 1999). Most of the researchers are of the opinion that most of such acts are carried out by individuals or groups belonging to terrorist organizations with a view to achieve their organizational missions (Gambetta, 2006). The use of WMD by terrorists has been in existence since several decades now, and continues to remain as a potential threat to the United States as well as rest of the world. This paper aims to assess and analyze the use of weapons of mass destruction by terrorists by way of various case studies. Case Studies: For the purpose of this study the case studies proposed to be discussed and analyzed include: The London Bombings of July 7, 2005 and the The Aum Shinrikyo's biological weapons terrorism in Japan, 1995. 1. The Aum Shinrikyo's biological weapons terrorism in Japan, 1995 The Aum Shinrikyo is an ambiguous Japanese apocalyptic religious cult group which gained widespread public attention after its successful execution of a chemical attack on the Tokyo Subway in the year 1995, killing as many as thirteen people and injuring thousands of others in the process (Lifton, 2000). The modus operandi of the group, the systematic procurement of WMD, and the affluent and meticulous use of financial and human resources in a well-organized manner with an intention to harm the civilians; serves an exemplary case study which describes the transition of a peaceful religious group into a full-fledged terrorist organization (Lifton, 2000; Kaplan and Marshall, 1996). The founder of the group, Shoko Ashara displayed relentless obsession with Armageddon and went on to harm not only the members of the society but also those of his own group. In his devilish pursuit he directed and promoted the use of WMD against the Japanese society and thus bring about a complete social breakdown (Brackett, 1996). Under the direction and leadership of Ashara the cult group launched its own weapons development program and began acquiring and developing WMD using hazardous chemicals (Kaplan and Marshall, 2000). The Tokyo Subway Sarin Attack, 1995 The Tokyo subway is one of the largest subway systems in the world, and the choice of the target was deliberate to cause maximum possible damage to the civilians. Furthermore the vulnerability of the chosen area provided a sound basis for the team to execute their devious plan successfully. The time of the attack was meticulously planned considering the timing of the trains which converged at the Tokyo station, in order to maximize casualties and inflict maximum possible damage. The Sarin gas was proposed to be released in and around the Tokyo station (Kaplan and Marshall, 1996). The attack was executed under the guidance of trained professionals, some of them were identified as scientists and chemists with adequate knowledge regarding the extent of damage it could cause, once released. As planned, the team boarded the subway and spread into different carriages carrying plastic bags wrapped in newspapers with an intention to release it at a pre-determined time. The assault resulted in the death of thirteen people and over five thousand injuries who suffered substantial damage to their cardiovascular systems (Kaplan and Marshall, 1996). Analysis: The Japanese social structure can be primarily held accountable for the unprecedented use of WMD by obscure cult groups such as Aum Shinrikyo. This is mainly because the Japanese government has persistently displayed reluctance to investigate and question religious organizations due to the provisions in the constitutions which allows freedom of religious practice to its citizens (Swaine, 2008). As a result, organizations such as these; gain complete freedom to preach and influence groups to indulge in acts of hostilities against the society, and act with impunity. This case study indicates the insane resolve of a self-proclaimed religious organization to save the world, and indulge in hostile behavior against the common public. The organization was able to successfully acquire the hazardous chemicals and execute the attacks as planned, thus displaying its capabilities despite being an independent organization. The success of the organizational mission lies in the fact that most of the members of the group were skilled and trained in developing sophisticated chemicals required for the attack, some of them being scientists, chemists and even virologists and microbiologists (Lifton, 2000). It is also observed that the procurement, development and movement of biological and chemical weapons are far more easier as compared to that of nuclear weapons. Hence it provides more opportunities of success to the terrorist organizations. On the basis of the above discussions it is apparent that in order to prevent such attacks and the resulting long-term damage inflicted on the society, it is imperative for government organizations to develop and implement strict regulatory policies to keep the growth and formation of such shady organizations, in check. There is an urgent need to improve the governance structures and generate awareness within the scientific communities in particular, to help prevent their mindless participation in promoting mass casualties. Furthermore the society can greatly benefit by ensuring close co-ordination and support from intelligence agencies and voluntary vigilante groups. There is also an urgent need to introduce and re-emphasize the significance of exercising ethical prudence within the scientific community in a bid to dissuade them from participating in terrorist activities. 2. The London Bombings of July 7, 2005 The London Bombings which took place in London on July 7, 2005 marked the beginning of a new era in the history of Western Europe – a first of a kind public attack on a massive scale where the country’s very own citizens executed a planned attack on its fellow countrymen, resulting in chaos and bloodshed, witnessed never before by the world. The fundamental objective behind the attack was, as is evident from other similar attacks, to cause maximum possible casualties and disrupt the social and economic harmony of the society. Key Facts: The attack was carried out by four suicide bombers who attacked central London killing about fifty two people and injuring hundreds of others in the process. The attack was described as one of the worst atrocities in Britain (BBC, 2011). The attack was planned and executed by the suicide terrorists, in a manner that enabled it to trigger off in a continuous series of bombings at three subway trains which were to depart into tunnels of the London Subway system. The first attack was carried out at 8:50 and shortly after the first bomb went off, the second attack took place at 9:47 A.M. The magnitude of the explosions caused the double-decker bus to rip apart in a highly populated and busy London Street (CBC News, 2005). The bombings caused chaos and alarm among the citizens and disrupted the capital's transport network for hours together. Furthermore the city's cellular networks were jammed resulting in panic and chaos among the public. Analysis: This case study highlights the large scale disruption caused by the terrorist attacks to the city’s public transport system as well as the potential challenge it posed to the country’s homeland security. The magnitude of the hostile act also indicates the vulnerability of the department of homeland security to such attacks and threatens to cause irreparable damage to thousands of innocent lives, and challenging the democratic security of the nation as a whole. The attacks served as a rude awakening to the government regarding the growing threat posed by terrorist organizations such as al-Qaeda. It helped the world to associate the group with similar attacks conducted across the globe and acknowledge it as a probable threat to the nation’s security in the years to come. Furthermore the profile of the suicide bombers indicated a recognizable pattern whereby seemingly educated and harmless youth were observed to be easily influenced by hardcore religious organizations with hidden agenda to terrorize the world. The dramatic impact of the bombings brought to the fore the deadly face of religious extremism and compelled the world to take notice regarding the undeniable association between religion and terrorism. As observed in the case of Shoko Ashara of the Aum Shinrikyo cult group, the heads of Islamic terror groups posed as religious leaders delivering discourses on religion and furthering their illegal cause under the guise of ‘jihad’ or religious wars. One of the key reasons behind the choice of London for executing the terror plot was the growing participation of United Kingdom in the Iraq war and the overwhelming presence of the British coalition forces along with its strongest ally, United States on Iraqi soil. This step was viewed by Islamic religious leaders as a threat to their religious freedom and resulted in growing dissent among them against the country. The attacks on the UK and U.S. soils were hence perceived as acts of vengeance. The purpose of the attack was similar to that of other terrorist organizations – to disrupt, even if momentarily, the social and economic structure of the country. As expected the attack not only caused the public transport system to come to a complete halt, but also resulted in a growing sense of anxiety and panic among the public, who began to grow more and more apprehensive of other similar attacks. Conclusion: The above case studies indicate that there is an urgent need for those at the helm of affairs to make conscious attempts to enhance their cultural awareness. Since the fundamental purpose of terrorist acts is to demoralize the public and cause potential physical as well as psychological harm to the unsuspecting civilians, efforts must be made to bridge the cultural divide. Although terrorist attacks results in damaging the morale of the public it may, at times, strengthen their resolve to fight against such extremism, as was observed by the large scale public outrage in London. The reaction to the terrorist acts is largely influenced by the cultural makeup of the country in which such acts are executed. The cases discussed above offer various significant conclusions regarding the background and purpose behind such acts and the use of WMD to realize their illegal goals. As the world continues to shrink and geographical boundaries are blurred the threat of terrorism is likely to grow and co-exist, if not dealt with in a strict and diplomatic manner. Appendix: Figure: Timeline of London bombings Source: BBC UK (2011) Figure: Location of the blasts Source: CBC News (2005) http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/london_bombing/map/london_blasts.html References: Brackett, D. W., (1996). Holy terror: Armageddon in Tokyo. New York: Weatherhill Publication Cordesman, A. H., (1989). Creating weapons of mass destruction. Armed Forces Journal Inernational, Feb. 1989, p. 54-55 DiGiovanni, C., (1999). Domestic terrorism with chemical or biological agents: Psychiatric aspects. American Journal of Psychiatry, Oct. 1999, Vol. 156 (10), p. 1500-1505 Gambetta, D., (2006). Making sense of suicide missions. New York: Oxford University Press, p. 233-237 Goldstein, L. J., (2002). Lessons of the early cold war or understanding WMD proliferation today. Journal of Slavic Military Studies, Vol. 15 (4), December 2002: p. 1-23 Gressang, D. S., (2001). Audience and message: Assessing terrorist WMD Potential. Terrorism and Political Violence, Vol. 13 (3), Summer 2001: p. 83-106 Kaplan, D. E., Marshall, A., (1996). The cult at the end of the world. New York: Crown Publishing. Lifton, R., (2000). Destroying the world to save it. New York: Owl Books Publishing. Panofsky, W. K. H., (1998). Dismantling the concept of weapons of mass destruction. Arms Control Today, Vol. 28 (3), April 1998: p. 3-8 Sommer, D., (2010). Terrorist modus operandi. Dan Sommer Publishing, p. 50-55 Swaine, L., (2008). The liberal conscience: Politics and principle in a world of religious pluralism. New York: Columbia University Press, p. 128-129 BBC (2011). 7 July London Bombings [Online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13301195 [Accessed: November 17, 2012] CBC News (2005). CBC News (2005). London blasts timeline [Online] Available at: http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/london_bombing/timeline050707.html [Accessed: November 17, 2012] FBI (2012). Weapons of Mass Destruction [Online] Available at: http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/investigate/terrorism/wmd/wmd_faqs [Accessed: November 16, 2012] Read More