U.S. Terrorism: Operations, Media Relations, and Domestic Threats

Introduction and Brief History

Long before September 11, 2001, terrorism was a deeply troubling subject in the United States. Dating back to the 1800s and the Old West — with its bands of outlaws, renegade factions, and citizen militias — terrorist attacks made themselves a monumental part of American history. In the 1900s, nationalist terrorism, fueled by allegiances to particular groups or nations, made the world conscious of its destructive power with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914, a terrorist act that drew the world into war.

Closer to home, President William McKinley was assassinated by a terrorist associated with anarchists, and a series of homegrown bombings occurred, including the so-called "Mad Bomber's" campaign in New York. Probably two of the most memorable terrorist attacks on the United States in the years before September 11, 2001 were the 1993 World Trade Center bombing — planned by a group of Islamic terrorists, killing six and injuring thousands — and the Oklahoma City bombing of 1995, in which Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols executed a plot that killed 168 people and injured over 800. Both of these tragic events, however, paled in comparison to the September 11 attacks of 2001, which left approximately 3,000 dead and left the United States deeply wounded. The event and the subsequent war that followed have been considered a defining moment in U.S. history, inspiring some to join the armed forces, others to become antiwar activists, and still others to undergo a political realignment (Powell 2004).

Regardless of the personal and patriotic changes that the attacks inspired, preventing a recurrence of September 11 has been a top priority for most government agencies ever since. For this reason, governments and the public now know more about terrorists and terrorism than ever before. Some of the most important facets of that new knowledge include an understanding of terrorists' operations and training, their interactions with the media, and the phenomenon of homegrown terrorism. By exploring these three issues, both government agencies and the public can expand their understanding of the current state of terrorism in the United States.

Operations and Training

According to the Journal of International Law, a foreign terrorist organization is defined as one that is foreign, "engages in terrorist activity," and whose activity "threatens the security of United States nationals or the security of the United States" (Jinks 2000, 397). The Federal Bureau of Investigation defines domestic terrorism as:

activities that involve acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any state; appear to be intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population; to influence the policy of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping; and occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States (2004).

Based on these two definitions, groups that conduct such operations are considered terrorists by the United States. Although these definitions have led to the capture and conviction of a variety of domestic and international terrorists — including Timothy McVeigh and a number of the September 11 plotters — they also apply to a variety of extremist groups not immediately associated with terrorism in the popular imagination. These include eco-terrorists and animal-rights activists, whom the FBI described as "the number one domestic terrorism threat" as recently as 2005 (Schuster 2005). From bombings to attacks that cause monetary damage and violence toward citizens and police, the definitions of international and domestic terrorism allow for a rather wide degree of interpretation.

Just as terrorists' operations vary widely, so do their methods of training. According to Global Security, "there is no present evidence of a worldwide terrorist training apparatus," and terrorist training is conducted along "regional ethnic and religious lines" (1995). Despite this, certain aspects of training apply to virtually all terrorist organizations. All terrorists must be prepared mentally, physically, and spiritually to carry out their extraordinarily demanding activities.

Arthur J. Deikman's work Them and Us: Cult Thinking and the Terrorist Threat illustrates the mental training that terrorists must endure. According to Deikman, a common feature of many terrorist organizations is a reliance on cult thinking. Deikman, a psychologist, found examples of cult thinking both in Al Qaeda's operations and attacks and in the United States' response to them (2003, 4). Tactics such as breaking up couples, isolating members from outside sources of comfort, and instilling dependence on a leader work together to encourage the thought patterns that reinforce and refine terrorist training.

In addition to the mental component, terrorists must also be trained physically. For some terrorist groups — most notably Al Qaeda — training camps are an integral part of preparation. These camps function much like military training programs. According to Global Security, most terrorists trained in Middle Eastern camps receive general military instruction as well as specialized training in machinery, bomb technology, or aviation, depending on the organization's needs. Training at these camps also pushes recruits to react to a variety of situations and devise new methods of creating terror (Global Security 2008). Some camps take the form of madrassas — schools that teach children the methods of terror from a young age. Although some have disputed that these schools are breeding grounds for terrorists, arguing instead that they are simply religious schools (Bergen and Pandey 2005), terrorists are known to recruit and train children (Puri 2004).

Finally, many terrorists must also undergo spiritual training in preparation for acts they regard as a religious reward. According to investigative reporting, terrorists are spiritually conditioned from childhood for the opportunity to become martyrs. Palestinian boys between the ages of twelve and fifteen, for example, are encouraged to attend schools where they are taught the supposed benefits of becoming a suicide bomber in order to wage a "holy war" against Israel. According to the BBC, children are taught "that it is good to kill" and "that it is good to die" (Cooke 2001).

Although terrorist organizations are extremely diverse in their operations and training methods, certain elements unite most groups: the need to be mentally, physically, and spiritually prepared for acts of terror. While some dispute particular claims about terrorist training — such as the role of the madrassa — evidence suggests that many of the most disturbing details, including the recruitment and indoctrination of children, are well founded.

Conclusion

Since the 1800s, terrorism has had a rich and troubling history in the United States. From armed militias that wreaked havoc during the days of the Old West, to Timothy McVeigh's devastating bombing in Oklahoma City, to eco-terrorism and animal-rights extremism, terrorist actors have left their mark through the violence they have inflicted. Because terrorism has become such a pressing issue since September 11, the government and the public now understand far more about terrorist organizations than they did in the past. By examining terrorists' operations and training, their relationships with the media, and the nature of domestic terrorism, the phenomenon of modern terrorism can be more fully known and confronted.

References

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Jinks, Derek P. (2000). People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran v. United States Department of State. The American Journal of International Law, 94(2), 396–400.

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Puri, Luv. (2004). Terrorists Recruiting Tribal Children. Retrieved June 30, 2008, from http://www.hinduonnet.com/2004/02/01/stories/2004020104221000.htm.

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