TERRORISM

Cy-Woods HS World Geography

2011-2012

What is terrorism?• No official international definition as it

is politically and emotionally charged. Generally means using terror as a means of coercion to achieve group’s goal(s)

• Has been used by all kinds of groups in countries all over the world to get their points across

• Different types of terrorism from state-sponsored (Nazi Germany) to domestic (OKC) to religious (Crusades?)

• What one group might call terrorism, another might call “freedom fighting” – much depends on perception and group you’re talking to…

What is the cause of terrorism?

• Social and political injustice: People choose terrorism when they are trying to right what they perceive to be a social or political or historical wrong—when they have been stripped of their land or rights, or denied these.

• The belief that violence or its threat will be effective, and usher in change. Another way of saying this is: the belief that violent means justify the ends. Many terrorists in history said sincerely that they chose violence after long deliberation, because they felt they had no choice.

How might cultural diffusion

lead to terrorism?• Frustration by some groups who

believe that newly introduced ideas and customs damage their cultural and religious beliefs.

• Can you think of examples around the world?

• Who would be affected more? The older or younger generation? Why?

• Why would the U.S. be targeted by terrorist groups?

September 11, 2001

Pentagon Building Shanksville, PA

New York City

New York City, As seen from Google Earth,

September 11, 2001

United Flight 93 crashed in Shanksville, PA after a group of passengers

unsuccessfully attempted to overpower the hijackers

"Jack, pick up sweetie, can you hear me? Okay. I just want to tell you, there's a little problem with the plane. I'm fine. I'm totally fine. I just want to tell you how much I love you."

Message left by passenger Lauren Grandcolas. (Stratford, Class of ‘81)

2753 victims

Picture Slideshow

911 Hijackers

• 15 of 19 from Saudi Arabia

• Some trained at Al-Qaeda terrorist camps

• In U.S. for a few months and lived in either San Diego or South Florida

• Followed extreme version of Islam called Wahabism

• Most educated, middle class

The leader of Al-Qaeda, Osama bin Laden, the wealthy son of a prominent Saudi family with ties to the royal family, planned the attacks from his hideout in the mountains of Afghanistan. Killed by U.S. special forces in Pakistan May 2011

Causes of 9/11

• U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, especially its support of Israel

• Support of Middle Eastern regimes (Saudi Arabian royal family) seen as not truly Islamic by al-Qaeda

• Globalization of U.S. culture around the world – conflicting with other cultures

• Increased Islamic fundamentalism

Terrorist Attacks by Al-Qaeda

NYCWashington, DC

U.S. EmbassiesKenya, Tanzania

Yemen

Istanbul

Oklahoma City Bombing

• April 19, 1995• Upset over the previous

year’s incident with the Branch Davidian group in Waco, Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols detonated a bomb at the Murrah Federal building in OKC.

• Blamed FBI and ATF for Waco; anti-government group

Oklahoma City Bombing• Home grown terrorists

wanted to inflict damage on the agencies they saw as being responsible for the Waco tragedy.

• 168 lives were lost, including 19 children under the age of 6 with almost 700 injured

• McVeigh was sentenced to death

• Worst terrorist attack in U.S. prior to 9/11

School Shootings (Columbine)

• April 20, 1999• Two seniors upset over

what they considered being bullied and labeled social outcasts, massacred 12 of their fellow students and a teacher

• After the killings, issues like bullying, gun control and violent video games began to be spoken about more in society

Colombia and Peru• Anti-government

communist or far right paramilitary groups target government officials, journalists and politicians and the wealthy

• Kidnapping for ransom most popular method of terrorism used

• Claim to represent the poor and are anti-imperialists who want to set up agrarian society

Buenos Aires, Argentina

• July 18, 1994• Hezbollah, a terrorist

group supported by the government of Iran, was accused of setting off a bomb that killed 85 and injured hundreds at an Argentine-Israeli organization’s headquarters

Munich, Germany 1972 Olympics

• Members of the Israeli Olympic team were taken hostage by the Palestinian terrorist group Black September

• Group wanted release of German and Arab terrorists from jail

• Chose Olympic games to draw attention to message

• 11 athletes and coaches were killed

Northern Ireland• From 1960s until late

1990s• Various Protestant

unionist and Catholic nationalist groups fought over control of Northern Ireland

• IRA (Irish Republican Army – Catholic) wanted British out of Northern Ireland and Ireland reunited

• Groups like Ulster Unionists want to keep Northern Ireland as part of the United Kingdom

Madrid, Spain

• March 11, 2004• Rush hour 10

explosions on 4 trains killed almost 200 and injured more than 2,000

• An Al-Qaeda sponsored terrorist cell is thought to be responsible; wanted to punish Spain for helping US in War on Terrorism

Oslo and Utøya Island,Norway

• July 22, 2011• Angered over growing

multi-culturalism in Norway, a right wing fanatic targeted government buildings in Norway and a summer camp for young people interested in Norwegian politics.

• 77 were killed and more than 200 injured, the vast majority of whom were teenagers and young people on Utøya Island.

Chechnya and Moscow

• Attacks in Russia by Chechen separatist group who don’t want to be part of Russia and want Russian troops to withdraw from Chechnya

• European Russia primarily Orthodox, Chechen primarily Muslim and have different ethnicity

• Attacks have occurred at schools, airports, theaters

Bali, Indonesia• October 12, 2002• Bombings on popular

tourist island in South Pacific killed more than 200

• Islamic fundamentalist organization whose goal is to set up theocracy ruled by sharia law in Indonesia held responsible

• Targeted foreigners

Mumbai, India• November 26-29, 2008• Pakistani terrorist

group targeted hotel, train station, café and Jewish hostel

• Goal of group is to set up Islamic state in South Asia and free Kashmir from Hindu rule

• Almost 200 killed, more than 300 injured

• Targeted Hindus, Jews and foreigners

Tokyo, Japan

• March 20, 1995• Domestic attack by

Japanese terrorists who used sarin gas to kill 13 people and injured more than 1,000 others

• Chemical warfare on trains going between government centers

• Group wanted to hasten apocalypse and overthrow Japanese government and emperor

Summarize

• How would you characterize the causes of terrorism around the world?