Terrorism
What is Terrorism?
Definition
Terrorism is to cause terror to a nation by destroying ionic or scared buildings and killing innocent people. This is usually done to frighten a nation into given in to the terrorist's demands.
Types of Terrorism
State-Sponsored
Terrorism by a government on its own people. Usually to express dominance.
An example is when The United Kingdom was accused of providing the paramilitaries that fought the IRA member that wanted independence from the UK with weapons. They used these weapons on for events such as Bloody Sunday. They helped kill their own people because they were rebellious.
Bloody Sunday Memorial
Religious
Terrorism inspired by ones religion
One example of religious terroism is Baruch Goldstein's (Jewish martyr) attack on the Ibrahim Mosque killing 29 people and woulding 150. This was him acting on the Jewish story of Mordechai who destroyed the enemies of the Jews. He claimed he was carrying out God's order's. Goldstien was beat to death during his attack.
Goldstein's Tomb
Ibrahim Mosque
Anarchist
Terrorism from the people to their government as a form of revolution
An example is the assassination of Tsar Alexander II in 1881. He was the ruler of Russia. He was attacked by the Narodnaya Volya. They believed that he was a tyrant.
Tsar Alexander II
Nationalist
When ones terrorizes an outside country for the benefit of their country.
The most notable example of this is the attack of 9/11 on the World Trade. This attack happended because the U.S. troop were in Pakistan and Osama bin Laden warned them to leave but the didn't.
*More on 9/11 under "September 11th".
Terrorism vs. Freedom Fighting
Freedom Fighters
A freedom fighter is one who fights for their own personal freedom. This may involve using force.
The Difference
What makes a terrorist different from a freedom fighter is that terrorist target innocent people and destroy things that mean a lot to a nation. A freedom fighter will atack what is taking their freedom from them. A terrorist attacks to frighten and get something from a nation. A freedom fighter fight knowing that they will get their independence. Terrorism is a crime and so may be freedom fighting but, freedom fighting can be justified.
September 11th
What Happened
Terrorists crashed planes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
How?
19 Terrorist hijacked four planes. One plane hit the North tower, another hit the south, one hit the Pentagon, and the four was brought down by the passengers.
Crash of Flight 93 (The last plane)
Who was responsible?
The Terrorism group al-Qaeda led by Osama bin Laden was responsible for this attack. This because American troops didn't leave Pakistan so Osama took what he believed to be the necesary actions.
Memorial
A memorial has created in honor of those who died in this devastating attack. It is two man made waterfalls in place of where the towers once stood. All who died has their name ingraved into the frame of the waterfalls
There was also a memorial made for those died on flight 93 who fought the terrorists to prevent them from crashing the plane into another building driving it into the ground. This is only part of the memorial.
Evolution Of Terrorism
Modern Terrorism
Terrorism began to become big after World War II. What was believed to have brought life to it was the hostage situation at the Munich Olympics in 1972.
What happened was that "Black September" which was a Palestinian group, took Israeli athletes hostage during the Olympic games. They demanded that 234 Palestinians were released from Israel's jails and a safe passage to Eygpt which Israel declined eventually leading to the death of 11 hostages
A member of Black September during the hostage situation
Strategies Of Terrorism
Terrorism is generally a bombing of some sort because bombs are capable of causing mass destruction and killing lots of people.
Other types may include shootings, hostages situations, suicide attacks, or a release of a deadly gas.