Terrorist Attacks In Several Other Countries example essay topic

Terrorism is the use or threat of violence to create fear and alarm. Terrorists murder and kidnap people, set off bombs, hijack airplanes, set fires, and commit other serious crimes. But the goals of terrorists differ from those of ordinary criminals. Most criminals want money or some other form of personal gain.

Most terrorists commit crimes to support political causes. The word terrorism first appeared during the French Revolution (1789-1799). Some of the revolutionaries who seized power in France adopted a policy of violence against their enemies. The period of their rule became known as the Reign of Terror. Features of terrorism. Terrorist acts are committed for various reasons.

Some individuals and groups that use terrorism support a particular political philosophy. Others represent minority groups seeking liberation from governments in power. Dictators and totalitarian governments also use violence to frighten or eliminate their opponents. Most terrorist groups are small. They believe the threat or use of violence to create fear is the best way to gain publicity and support for their causes. Generally, terrorists attack people who oppose their cause or objects that symbolize such opposition.

Common victims of kidnappings and assassinations include diplomats, business executives, political leaders, police, and judges. Terrorists also attack churches, mosques, and synagogues, as well as oil refineries and government offices. At other times, terrorists choose any target certain to attract media coverage. Some terrorists hijack airplanes. Then they hold the passengers hostage and make demands to further their cause. They often threaten to kill the hostages if their demands are not met.

Some terrorism involves the intentional release of toxic chemicals, poisons, germs, or other harmful substances. Bombings make up about half of all terrorist acts. Terrorism may cross national boundaries. A quarrel in one nation may produce terrorist attacks in several other countries.

Some governments secretly support certain terrorist groups by providing weapons, training, and money for attacks in other countries. Most terrorist groups fail to achieve their long-range political goals. Governments fight terrorism by refusing to accept terrorist demands and by increasing security at airports and other likely targets. Some countries train special military units to rescue hostages. All terrorist acts are crimes under international law. History of terrorism.

Terrorist tactics have been used for centuries. An American group, the Ku Klux Klan, used violence to terrorize blacks and their sympathizers in the late 1800's and the 1900's. In the 1930's, the dictators Adolf Hitler of Germany, Benito Mussolini of Italy, and Joseph Stalin of the Soviet Union used terrorism to discourage opposition to their governments. In Northern Ireland, Roman Catholic and Protestant extremists have used violence to push for, respectively, the end of, or the continuation of, British rule.

Some terrorist groups in the 1960's sought the destruction of the political and economic systems in their home countries and the development of new systems. These groups included the Red Brigades in Italy, which was active until the late 1980's, and the Red Army Faction in West Germany, active until the early 1990's. Before the independence of Israel in 1948, a Jewish group used terror to speed the end of British rule in Palestine and create a Jewish homeland. Since 1960, Palestinian groups, including Hamas and Hezbollah, have carried out campaigns of terrorism aimed at establishing an independent Palestinian state.

In 1993, a bomb exploded in the parking garage of the World Trade Center in New York City. The next year, a federal court convicted four men, including two Palestinians, of planning the bombing (see New York City (Problems) ). Another major terrorist bombing occurred in Oklahoma City in 1995. Two Americans were convicted for their role in the attack (see Oklahoma City (History) ). On Sept. 11, 2001, about 3,000 people died as a result of the worst terrorist attack in United States history.

Terrorists in two hijacked commercial jetliners deliberately crashed into the two towers of the World Trade Center. Less than an hour later, another hijacked plane crashed into the Pentagon Building just outside Washington, D.C. Shortly after that, a fourth hijacked airplane crashed into a rural area in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. The U.S. government named Osama bin Laden, a Saudi-born millionaire and radical Muslim leader, as a prime suspect behind the attack. In response to the attack, U.S. President George W. Bush called for a worldwide campaign against international terrorist networks. He announced that the effort would involve tightened security, widespread intelligence efforts, economic restrictions, and military action.

He targeted terrorist organizations and any governments that supported them. Several weeks after the hijackings, authorities found that a number of U.S. companies and government offices had been mailed envelopes containing anthrax bacteria. Anthrax is an infectious disease that can be fatal if not treated promptly.