Terrorism in globalization era
Terrorism – history and definition
TERROR – Latin word meaning „fear”
Method of political war since the
beginning of the world history:
 Ancient history (case of Ceasar)
 French revolution (Jacobins)
Terrorism – history and definition
Terrorism in prime: XIX/XX century
 attacks on heads of states
Tsar Alexander II (several attacks, last
successful one in 1881)
President of the USA McKinley (1903)
Prince Francis Ferdinand (1914)
Terrorism – history and definition
1930 -1940ies
– era of terror in Germany and USSR
1960ies
– era of diplomatic terrorism
– beggining of the Islamic terrorism
1980ies
– idea of suicide bombers
 Development of the terrorist organizations
What is terrorism?
109 different definitions of terrorism
(Schmidt and Youngman „Political Terrorism”)
Words appearing in definitions:
 violence, force
 political
 fear, emphasis on terror
 threats
 psychological effects
 discrepancy between
the targets and the victims
 intentional, planned,
organized action
83.5%
65%
51%
47%
41.5%
37.5%
32%
Different definitions

Webster's University Dictionary:
systematic use of violence, terror, and intimidation to
achieve an end (goal)

FBI :
unlawful use of force or violence against persons or
property to intimidate or coerce a government, the
civilian population, or any segment thereof, in
furtherance of political or social objectives.
General concept of terrorism
Terrorism is the intentional use of,
or threat to use violence
against civilians or
against civilian targets,
in order to attain political aims
Boaz Ganor, Director of the International Policy Institute for Counter-Terrorism
International terrorism

US State Department
International terrorism is terrorism
conducted with the support of a foreign
government or organization and / or
directed against foreign nationals,
institutions or governments
Why is it so difficult to define terrorism?
One man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter
Types of terrorism

Political terrorism: based on governmental, state,
political, territorial problems

Criminal terrorism: based on material motivations
(ransom, blackmail)

Individual terrorism: aimed at an individual, specific
person (politician, businessman)

Collective terrorism: aimed at accidental
community (metro stations, buildings)
Major organizations
considered terrorist organizations
Hamas
Hezbollah
Al-Qaida
ETA
IRA
Hamas - Islamic Resistance Movement
„hamas” means „enthusiasm”
Palestinian movement
- established in 1987
by Sheikh Ahmed Yasin
- against any agreement with
Israel
- goal: to establish an Islamic
theocracy in the area that is
currently Israel, the West Bank
and Gaza.
-
Hezbollah – Party of God
founded in 1982 by
Libanese Shia groups
- Leader: Hassan
Nasrallah
- goal: to establish a
united Islamic republic
- cooperates with
Hamas against Israel
-
Al-Qaida
-
-
„Al.-Qaida” means „base”
established by
Usama Bin Ladin in
the late 1980s
bringing together
Arabs who fought in
Afghanistan against
the Soviet Union
serves as an umbrella organization
for a worldwide network
goal: to establish a pan-Islamic
Caliphate throughout the world
ETA – Euskadi Ta Askanasuna
ETA means Basqu Country
and Freedom
-
-
established by the young
nationalists in 1959
affiliated with Basque
Nationalist Party
goal: to create an
independent socialist state
for the Basque people,
separate from Spain and
France
IRA – Irish Republican Army

Established by Michael Collins
 Secret army of the Sinn Fein
Party
 fought the Irish War of
Independence against British
rule, 1916 - 1921
later on – fought for the North
Irland to join the Republic of
Ireland
 1969 – divided into Official IRA
and Temporary IRA (radicals)
 other subdivisions: Real IRA,
Continuity IRA)

United Nations and terrorism
AIR CONVENTIONS:
1963 Tokio Convention – safety in aviation
1970 Hague Convention – aircraft hijackings
1971 Montreal Convention - acts of aviation sabotage such as
bombings aboard aircraft in flight
OTHER CONVENTIONS:
1973 – crimes against internationally protected persons
1979 – hostages convention
1980 – nuclear materials convention
1999 – financing terrorism
Council of Europe and terrorism
Two new conventions open to
signature in 2005:
1. Council of Europe Convention on the
Prevention of Terrorism
2. Council of Europe Convention on the
Laundering, Search, Seizure and
Confiscation of the Proceeds from Crime
and on the Financing of Terrorism
Important vocabulary
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head of state
suicide bomber
threat
violence
force
targets
victims
intimidation
fighter
ransom
blackmail
hijacking
hostage