Terrorist Crimping - Essay Example

?CASE STUDIES ON TERRORISM I. Red Brigades The Red Brigades (Brigate Rosse) is an Italian terrorist group representing ideological terrorism. This group strongly adheres to the Marxist-Leninist perspective in political ideology wherein it started during the 1970, founded by Renato Curcio together with Alberto Franceschini and his lover Maargerita Cagol. The Red Brigades is primarily consists of two groups emerging during that time: the Trento group headed by Curcio that were believed to have been originated by the sociology department of the said university; on the other hand, the Reggio Emilia group, the one whom Franceshini belongs and a member of the Communist Youth movement. Basically, their objective during that time is to destabilize Italy through vehemence. Because the said group (red brigades) was adhering on the political beliefs of Marx and Lenin, they strongly rely on the fact that they could change the government system as well as structure through revolution, thus, it inevitably result to chaos and riots. During their early year of existence, they already damaged factory equipment and in their third year, they had done lots of felonious acts like robberies and kidnappings. In 1974, the terrorist group had already done high profiles of crimes like kidnapping and bank robberies which is sort out to be their source of living. This are the ways which they find means in acquiring their money for survival, though allegedly, they rarely kill person unless politically motivated, then, they just used other person as an instrument to gain money. One of their declared goal is to assault the heart of the state which is the State Imperalista delle Mutinazionali (SIMS) because their perceived their state as an imperial assemblage of multinational corporations. Because of this advocacy, they showed their protest though violent acts that could threaten the state’s security during the next years like the kidnapping of the NATO deputy chief of staff at Southern European land force, James Dozier and the assassination of Marco Biagi, an economic adviser. According to Martin (2003), the Red Brigade an approximate 14,000 number of violent acts with a total of 75 murders because of political reasons. Looking at the facts gathered, one of the reasons primarily why this group was established is because of an ideological influence of Marx and Lenin. As we have notice what was mentioned above, one of the founders belong to the department of sociology wherein political theories concerning state and society was prominent. This could be a factor that shaped the mind of Curcio and the other students to form groups that could change their society and it can be achieved faster through revolutions and violent actions. Thus, as Crenshaw (1981) state “individual psychopathological is often blamed to be the malefactor” (380). This could be a big and strong factor that could contribute to a social change through organization that can also attract other people. The mind-set of the leaders was already shaped by the circumstances and external influence that they perceived to be right and that would be the Marx and Lenin perspectives. For me, I do not personally disagree with someone who wants to adhere to certain ideas and perspectives, what may be somehow erroneous for this group is the exaggeration in the interpretation of violence. Though they rarely kill person, still, the other means employed to obtain their objective could not be also right. Like for instance, cases on drug trafficking, how could this group relate drugs on changing the political system that Italy had and also, to eradicate the Imperial Corporation that is believed to be the main component of their societal and political structure? Also, their high profile of crimes seems to be ambivalent with their main goals. As Crenshaw also identifies in his book ‘The Causes of Terrorism’ the phrase: “If we focus on terrorism directed against governments for purposes of political change, we are considering the premeditated use or threat of symbolic, low-level violence by conspiratorial organizations. Terrorist violence communicates a political message; its ends go beyond damaging an enemy's material resources.' The victims or objects of terrorist attack have little intrinsic value to the terrorist group but represent a larger human audience whose reaction the terrorists seek.” (379). Looking his statement here, it already contradicts the acts done by the Red Brigades whereas they do not do a little action with a high impact on mass but rather the other way around. They indulge to a bigger scenario and issue with a little impact on mass because their violence is not already being perceived as a political message rather more of personal deviation. II. KURDISTAN WORKER’ PARTY The Kurdistan worker’ party or the Partiya Karkeran Kurdistan (PKK) was founded by Abdullah Ocalan in 1987. This group was established because of the want to have a socialist society where everyone would accept and embrace social equalities that will grant the Kurds a permanent place to live with. It is known that Iraq’s population is a 23% of Kurds nationals. Thus, the Kurds would want an independent Kurdish State. They were, like the Red Brigade, inspired by Marx theories and state’ ideology on socialism and would want a system change through revolution to have a socialist society where everyone can have equality. As their group was established, they are being used by Syria, Iran and Iraq for their personal gains to strengthen their power to oppose their enemy because they know they have similar adversary and that would be the Turks. The PKK had established a training camps and also gained access to different departments in the government thus, making for them to easily perpetuate their plans. Not knowing that the support coming from these countries has something to do with their interests in the end, the Kurds continues to accept the aids coming from them. In 1979, they propagated an attempt to kill Mehmet Celal Bukak, a Kurdish tribal leader who they thought to be cooperating with the Turks – making it a period of intense urban rivalry between other fundamental political elements. The group had corroborated other groups to launched attack with their opponent as well as their partner’s opponent. The Syrian , had the PKK as their alliance in their anti-Turkish advocacy which led to the flight of their leader (Abdullah Ocalan) to support the Syrians. With this regard, the PKK does this as a means of their objective in having an independent state and a territory of their own. They have also launched a number of attacks and bombing like the lethal attacks on Pinarcik killing 31 Karucu (a village guard) which they thought to be an alliance of the Turks and the unexplainable kidnappings of foreign tourism. Because of this, they were coined as a terrorist group by the United States of America, European Union and of course Turkey as a Terrorist group because of this civilian and militant damages which they concurred. The Kurdistan Worker party even changed their name to Konga-Gel (KGK)/ Kurdistan People’s Congress and back to the first name of Kurdistan Worker Party. Well the aim of the group was good to have a territory and a permanent place to settle, this will prove their number of recruits which will show the relevancy due to the gathered support to the agenda that his group would want to obtain, in the early 199o’s 17,000 were recruited and that these number were all women, having it bear in mind, the gender equality that Marx also advocated.. But again, what would be flawed would be the unreasonable means that they have employed like the vagueness of the motivations on kidnapping foreign tourism. They should have at least also make sure that the fight is not between them and the people but them and the government and the system. And thus, going back to what Crenshaw which this group also somehow defies, that what they have to do is less intense action with a greater impact. Well, what is their situation in not great intense action with great impact or vice-versa but rather, they seem to have equated the intensity of their impact with their overt acts. III. Al-Qaeda Al-Qaeda is a religious group from the Sunni Muslim movement. This is also a militant group which is most capable of bomb and suicidal tactic attacks. The terrorist group was founded sometime 1988-1989. Though it is allegedly led by Osama bin Laden, being their “emir” or commander, still there is still no clarity on this fact. Al-Qaeda is a global network of groups of Muslims known as the Jihad. Their primary motive in having such group is to have a so-called complete freedom of religion wherein they had envisioned a society with a complete disruption from foreign influences in the Muslim regions. They want to be separated from other influences and want to live a life free of other intervening. They have ideally imagined a world wherein they could practice all the things which they thought to be right without being afraid to be questioned and contradicted because of pragmatic foreign teachings giving now rise to the radical ideology of Islamism. This group had become popular in the international arena wherein it is highly recognized because of the different tactics on killing like human bombs and other suicidal attacks. Though in their religion, it would be right, still, many contradicts these beliefs of the growing culture of “peace” and the western culture dictates it to be inhumane as the law would regard it as a human right offense. This group had been undeniably gone strong as it were built only through conspiracy, having now its own military solidarity as well as other committees regarding the group’s internal difficulties. They have organized and developed a group that is stable to protect their interests, whether it would be on matters of military security or not like the Law committee reviews on Islamic Laws which determines whether or not members conform to their law. The September 11, 2001 attack (9/11) on Washington, District of Columbia and New York would be the most controversial attacks that his group has – if they are. Some assumes that this group does not launch the attack and on the other hand, some also does. Well there are multi-factors that these 9/11 attacked had brought and there are many angles to consider. What happened to this attack in which the Al-Qaeda, without having that much evidence, was the one which they heavily suspected is the modes that the hijackers did –a suicidal attack which they used the planes to destroy the twin tower and kill a huge number of people. There are lots of allegations that this group has, like its real existence. The leaders who put up this group have a great strategy on how to effectively operate a group. The authorities could hardly distinguish this group if it really exists or it is just being fictitious or not. One thing they know is there is a terrorist group that had been there wanting to show a sort of message through violence. I can hardly say if their means in gaining their desired result would be just compatible with the violence they had concurred. This group were being inspired by revolutions by Marx and Lenin and the use of terror to achieve what they want which is a total freedom from foreign intervention to their religious beliefs what determine their action would be their religion itself and I think we do not have the right to question that because our religion to had gone through that stage wherein it also use violence to obtain its stability. What could be wrong for this group id the time wherein they had implemented this modes of gaining their religious steadiness because there are lots of organization opposing them like the UN, and other humanitarian organization. They had miss out the fact that we are already moving into a different world – an era where power can be gained not through war alone but through diplomacy and silent wars to overpower other countries. They do not see the fact that other states are also using now concepts of either economic or political to have dominated other states. We have the globalization, the law of comparative advantage, the open trade and alike that seems to have a juxtapose effect on countries especially on peripheries or the so-called third world countries. Al-Qaeda does things which they believe to be justifiable because of the fact that their religion said it was right. IV. Conclusion If we can notice the time frame where this groups had been established is during the 1970’s and almost all, if not all were being motivated by Marx and Lenin theories on good state. They use force to acquire what they want – a social or political change, and it can be achieved quicker says through revolutions. Well nice and good if they attain their desired result because this just imply the philosophy of Machiavelli that “the end justifies the means.” What seems to be lacking which I presumed is the time that these groups had employed. They must also see the situation and circumstances first before employing things that would affect the public. I for one can say, that the use of violence is already an ineffective action because it does not get sympathy rather incomprehension and the destruction of their image to the public that was backed up by their anomalies and alike. Instead of showing a political message, it had been interpreted in other ways in which they are depicted as a masochist. Well there are revolutions that are triumphant like the people power of the Philippines and the recent case in Egypt. As What Crenshaw would say, they have to do little action with a greater impact and impression on the people. References Crenshaw, Martha. ‘The Causes of Terrorism’. Comparative politics 13.4 (1981): 379-399. Print Augustus, Martin. Understanding Terrorism. Sage Publications Inc., 2003. Naim, Moises. ‘The Five Wars of Globalization’. Foreign Policy 134: 28-37. Print Olson, Robert. The Kurdish Nationalist Movement in the 1990s: it’s Impact on Turkey and the Middle East. Kentucky: University Press of Kentucky, 1996. Internet source http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/3372239.stm http://www.ansa.it/site/notizie/awnplus/english/news/2007-10-02_102120895.html http://www.merip.org/mer/mer204/weir.htm http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60C3E820100113?type=politicsNews Read More