Radical Doomsday Organization example essay topic

6 April 2002 WHICH GROUPS POSE AN URBAN TERRORIST THREAT There is not one particular group that poses an urban terrorist threat as long as the spread of the message is the only goal of the movement. Many organizations wish to gain the understanding of "outsider Americans" and try to reach as many sympathizers as possible for their movement. The problem arises when an organization seeks to gain understanding or recognition through force. An organization becomes an actual threat when they start to build up arms, purchase biological or chemical weapon supplies, or cast threats to surrounding areas. The most dangerous type of organization, which poses the greatest urban terrorist threat, is the radical doomsday organization. The Branch Divi dian compound was an example of a doomsday organization that was building up arms for an attack in 1993.

Branch Davidians believed that they are God's chosen people and were preparing for the end of the world (John Mann). Although David Kore sh, along with his organization, had not began to attack outside of its Waco Compound in Texas; the buildup of arms demonstrated the threat. The right action was taken to control group, although many have complained about the result of the government's movement. During 1995 the Japanese experienced what could happen if a doomsday organization practices extreme measures to gain the audience of its fellow citizens. Members of the Aum Supreme Truth (Aum Shinrikyo) dropped sarin gas in the tunnels of a Tokyo subway system in March of 1995 killing 12 and injuring up to 6,000 more. The group's leader Shoo A sahara (AKA Chizuo Matsumoto) was trying to forcefully fulfill his own prophecies in order to gain the attention of the people (Kaplan, 12).

The same type of ill-fated incident could have been planned and executed by the Branch Davidians had they been allowed to continue to operate, and probably one day build a biological or chemical weapon of mass destruction. Timothy McVeigh was said to have been acting out of revenge for the Waco Compound seizure and attack by bombing the Murray Federal Building in Oklahoma City exactly 2 years later on April 19, 1995. There is little evidence that McVeigh was a member of any organization, and had only attended a few militia meetings (Gross cup, 117). The fact that the doomsday organization was preparing for the end of the world could very well have lead them to take an offensive action, just like McVeighs', to facilitate their goals. In my opinion the doomsday organizations pose the greatest urban terrorist threat. While other organizations do make isolated attacks as well, the doomsday organization has historically attacked the individuals within it's own backyard.

Other radical groups, such as the militant abortion foes, do participate in bombings of clinics and the like, but the doomsday organizations are more willing to participate in mass destruction and murder without prejudice.

Bibliography

Grosscup, Beau. THE NEWEST EXPLOSIONS OF TERRORISM. Far Hills: New Horizons, 1998.
Kaplan, David. The Cult at the End of the World. New York: Crown Publishers, Inc., 1996 Mann, John.
OUTLINE OF BRANCH DAVIDIANS TEACHINGS. web 1999.