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Terrorism
Terrorism includes acts of violence to spread a political or ideological message and create a state of terror among people. al-Qaeda, responsible for the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, is the most well known terrorist group.
1,289 Questions
In 1996 the General Assembly, in resolution 51/210 of 17 December, decided to establish an Ad Hoc Committee to elaborate an international convention for the suppression of terrorist bombings and, subsequently, an international convention for the suppression of acts of nuclear terrorism, to supplement related existing international instruments, and thereafter to address means of further developing a comprehensive legal framework of conventions dealing with international terrorism. This mandate continued to be renewed and revised on an annual basis by the General Assembly in its resolutions on the topic of measures to eliminate inernational terrorism.
The Ad Hoc Committee's mandate is further framed by the following two declarations adopted by the General Assembly:
the Declaration on Measures to Eliminate International Terrorism, Res. 49/60 of 9 December 1994 (E, F, S, R, C, A); and
the Declaration to Supplement the 1994 Declaration on Measures to Eliminate International Terrorism, Res. 51/210 of 17 December 1996 (E, F, S, R, C, A)
Current mandate of the Ad Hoc Committee
Under the terms of General Assembly resolution 63/129 (E, F, S, R, C, A) adopted on 11 December 2008 (operative paragraph 22), the Ad Hoc Committee shall, on an expedited basis, continue to elaborate the draft comprehensive convention on international terrorism, and shall continue to discuss the item included in its agenda by General Assembly resolution 54/110 concerning the question of convening a high-level conference under the auspices of the United Nations.
Product of the Ad Hoc Committee's work
Since its establishment, the Ad Hoc Committee has negotiated several texts resulting in the adoption of three treaties:
the International Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings adopted by the General Assembly in resolution 52/164 of 15 December 1997 (E, F, S, R, C, A) (status); and the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism adopted by the General Assembly in resolution 54/109 of 9 December 1999 (E, F, S, R, C, A) as corrected (status);
the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism adopted by the General Assembly in resolution 59/290 of 13 April 2005 (E, F, S, R, C, A) (status)
What is the difference between a terrorist and a soldier?
A Terrorist is someone who does damage for the sole purpose of inciting fear and "terror" in as many people as possible. A Soldier puts his life on the line to fight for his country and does not do harm on purpose.
Strictly speaking, to be a soldier, you must have the following characteristics:
- Be an outwardly identifiable member of an explicitly open military. That means, the military you belong to must be openly organized (i.e. it has to declare itself a military organization, and have open and obvious means of communication with outsiders), you must wear a uniform of some sort which makes it obvious that you belong to this specific military, and you must be visually distinctly different from other militaries or civilians.
- Your military ("army") must be part of an an organization that is recognized by the international community as being a "state-level actor". That is, the political command of your army must be recognized as a legitimate claimant to some nation's political leadership. This recognition does not have to be universal, but generally speaking, your political movement needs to recognized as such by at least several major powerful countries.
- You must adhere to the various Geneva Conventions on treatment of POWs, appearance and conduct of persons, treatment of civilians, etc. Those who fail to adhere to the Geneva Conventions might still possibly be considered "soldiers", but most countries now require combatants to follow the Conventions, or they will treat such individuals as NOT being soldiers.
- Your military must have a defined chain of command, with a defined pyramid of responsibility, and everyone must act within that command structure. Small independently operating groups working in loose cooperation with no overall command generally are NOT afforded "soldier" status.
Those not fulfilling the above requirement are not affording "soldier" status. They can be called anything from mercenary, to rebel, to revolutionary, to terrorist.
The defining characteristic of terrorists (besides failing one or more of the above "soldier" qualifications) is that they use violence targeted to generate maximal media coverage as a means to achieve their political goals. That is, rather than seek to defeat their opponent's military forces, they instead make attacks intended to spread fear and uncertainty via media coverage of their attacks, which they hope will apply pressure to their opponent's political structure, causing it to either collapse or give in to the terrorist's goals.
Generally speaking, "terrorists" have these characteristics:
- They belong to some "sub-state" actor - that is, the organization they belong to is not recognized to have any legitimate claim on being a political contender for control of a nation. In fact, many (if not most) explicitly do not claim to be attempting to take over a country.
- They do not wear visually distinctive uniforms; instead, they seek to blend in with civilian populations
- They explicitly use civilian populations as shields against attack, and not merely hiding places.
- They will explicitly target civilian populations for attacks
- Even when not explicitly targeting civilians, their attacks fail to take any sort of reasonable precautions to limit civilian deaths.
- Targets are either items of symbolic importance, or mass-casualty attacks.
- Attacks are calculated to appeal to mass media coverage, and generally timed as such. That is, the amount of media coverage is a key ingredient to the attacks. Fear, confusion, and doubt are the key goals of such attacks, not the immediate material losses or deaths (though the latter are usually the main ingredient for sowing such fear, etc.).
- They fail to follow pretty much all of the international conventions on the allowable conduct of war (e.g. Hague Conventions, Geneva Protocol and Conventions, various Weapons Conventions, etc.)
Hamas is a Palestinian state-sponsored terrorist organization whose stated purpose is to destroy the state of Israel. They have recently broadened this to also killing Jews and Americans wherever they are, as well as anyone who doesn't support them.
Their goal is not to negotiate a Palestinian state next to Israel - it is to destroy Israel. They have stated this clearly and repeatedly.
Their strategy is to kill as many Israelis as possible. Since civilians are usually easier targets than soldiers, they mostly kill civilians. Since public places are usually easier to target than military locations, they target public places. Since they have no respect for any life, their own or anyone else's, they send suicide bombers to public areas and shoot rockets at schools and hospitals (and from them as well).
They have gained control of Gaza, but spend their time, effort and money acquiring and shooting weapons at Israel rather than improving the lives of their people - they claim to have no food, yet they have plenty of weaponry.
Israel, on the other hand, has frequently been publicly denounced of killing innocent civilians, though the fact of the matter is that they have been attacking terrorist leaders who have been hiding in civilian buildings. It is also true that Israel has been destroying civilian infrastructure. This was done because members of the terrorist organizations have been using this infrastructure to support their attacks on Israel.
Clearly, the terrorists (including Hamas), are the attackers. Israelis are defending themselves from men devoted to destroying their homes.
Israel is innocent. Hamas is not.
What is a true statement about suicide bombers?
They usually die as a result of their missions.
There is no detailed profile.
They are muslim
Information analysis and Infrastructure protection develops systems to detect and mitigate the consequences of a terrorist attack.
Combatant Commander Initiative Fund (CCIF)
The basic philosophical question here is does the end justify the means. That question is up to the individual person to decide.
What is the death and injury toll of the Boston bombings?
Most sources say that the final total of the bombing itself was three dead and 264 injured. A fourth person was killed after the bombing, allegedly shot by the two perpetrators of the attack while they were on the run from authorities.
USSOCOM
Why are human rights organisations worried about the taliban?
because their stuck up freeks who have to control everything
Democratic governments can enhance security by investing in community-based policing and intelligence-sharing initiatives, which promote collaboration between law enforcement and citizens while respecting civil liberties. Implementing robust cybersecurity measures protects national interests without infringing on personal freedoms. Additionally, fostering public awareness and education on security issues can empower citizens to engage in safeguarding their communities, ensuring that security measures are transparent and accountable. Finally, involving diverse community voices in policy-making can help balance security needs with the preservation of individual rights.
Why is it hard to measure the effectiveness of terrorists?
Measuring the effectiveness of terrorists is challenging because their goals and objectives can be ambiguous and differ widely among groups. Additionally, the impact of their actions is often qualitative, involving psychological and social dimensions that are difficult to quantify. Moreover, the complex political and social contexts in which terrorism occurs can obscure direct cause-and-effect relationships, making it hard to assess whether specific actions achieved their intended outcomes. Lastly, the lack of consistent data and the clandestine nature of terrorist activities further complicate any evaluation of effectiveness.
How many categories of terrorist incidents are they?
Terrorist incidents are generally classified into several categories, with the most common being domestic terrorism, international terrorism, and state-sponsored terrorism. Additionally, incidents can be further categorized by their motives, such as ideological, political, religious, or social. Other classifications may include the methods used, such as bombings, shootings, or cyberterrorism. Overall, the categorization can vary based on the context and the specific frameworks used by different organizations or analysts.
Is an anti terrorist certificate a hoax?
An anti-terrorist certificate is not a hoax; it is a legitimate document issued by certain governments or organizations to verify that an individual or entity has undergone background checks or training related to anti-terrorism measures. However, the validity and recognition of such certificates can vary widely, and there have been instances of fraudulent claims or misuse. It's essential to verify the authenticity of the issuing authority and the certificate itself to avoid scams.
What is the preferred method of death and destruction by terrorists?
Terrorists often prefer methods that maximize fear and media attention, such as bombings, mass shootings, or coordinated attacks on soft targets like civilians or public gatherings. These tactics aim to instill terror, disrupt societal norms, and provoke a reaction from governments. The choice of method can vary based on the group's ideology, objectives, and available resources. Overall, the goal is to create a significant psychological impact and draw attention to their cause.
What contributed to the spread of domestic terrorism?
The spread of domestic terrorism can be attributed to a combination of factors, including the rise of extremist ideologies amplified by social media, political polarization, and economic disenfranchisement. Increased access to online platforms allows radical groups to recruit, organize, and disseminate their narratives more effectively. Additionally, social unrest and perceived threats to identity or values can provoke violent responses from individuals or groups feeling marginalized or threatened. These elements together create an environment conducive to the growth of domestic terrorism.
How Does A Terrorist Look Like?
There is no specific "look" for a terrorist, as individuals involved in such activities come from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and appearances. Terrorism can be motivated by various ideologies, and perpetrators may blend into everyday society, making it difficult to identify them based solely on appearance. Stereotyping based on looks can lead to discrimination and misunderstanding, as many people who may fit a certain profile are not involved in any violent activities. It's important to focus on behaviors and actions rather than physical characteristics.
Regional and local U.S. commanders assign terrorism threat levels based on assessments of potential threats to personnel, facilities, and operations in their areas of responsibility. These threat levels typically range from low to high, reflecting the likelihood of a terrorist attack and the potential impact on security. Commanders use intelligence reports, historical data, and current events to inform their assessments, ensuring that personnel are adequately informed and prepared for varying levels of risk. This tailored approach allows for adaptive security measures that align with the specific threat landscape.
