A Case Study on Terrorism and Homeland Security
Introduction
Terrorism is the use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of both political and religious prowess. Many have suffered in the hands of terrorists; the most severe attack on American soil is the September eleven attack. The attack was a series of four well-planned attacks: two planes crashed at the world trade Centre, the third one hit at the pentagon, and the fourth one crashed on a field, but the primary target was Washington, D.C. Moreover, the attacks caused almost 2800 instant deaths and hundreds of injuries (Bowler et al., 2011). The AL-Qaeda group was the main suspect in the attacks, and in 2004 their leader Osama Bin Laden claimed responsibility. On the other hand, Homeland security is the protection of people within the national boundaries. The paper reflects on types of terrorism, how terrorists fund their activities, and homeland security.
Types of Terrorism
State-Sponsored Terrorism
This type consists of terrorist acts that are planned and executed by the government, either directly or indirectly. Mostly the targets of this terrorism are usually politicians and other states who are against the government in power.
Dissent Terrorism
Dissert terrorism involves non-state movements and groups committing crimes against the government and political institutions in power. The mandate of the attack is to overthrow the existing government and build a new one.
Terrorist on the Left and Right Wing
This type of terrorism revolves around political ideology, and it occurs in countries where there is a dictatorial style of leadership. In states with this style of leadership, militia groups rise to put an end to the reign of the government in power.
Religious Terrorism
In most cases, religious terrorism is motivated by a total belief that another worldly power has approved, and commanded, the application of terrorist violence for the glory of the faith. Also, individuals believe that acts committed in the name of religion will be forgiven and rewarded in the afterlife. Religious terrorism has become a significant cause of political violence in the modern world.
Criminal Terrorism
These are terrorist acts used to enhance crime and criminal profits. For example, taking civilians into hostages and later demanding money.
Domestic Terrorist
Domestic Terrorist engages in fraud schemes and robberies to finance political violence in their own countries. For example, the Ku Klux Klan, a paramilitary organization in the United States of America that targets primarily target African American community abortion clinic bombers, violent anti-immigrant groups, and others who use violence in the name of race or ethnicity.
Primary Ways of Financing Terrorism
Illegal Funding Methods
Terrorist groups need money to run all their activities. Therefore, this has prompted them to indulge in unlawful ways to finance all their actions, for example, trafficking drugs and humans into countries where the consumption is high. Also, terrorist groups are smuggling and selling weapons and weapons technology to other countries. The finance from these illegal activities is putting the world at risk since this is the money used to plan and execute terrorism activities.
Legal Methods of Raising Funds
Groups like the Isis get their funding from selling energy. In 2014 the group controlled 41,000 square miles in both Iraq and Syria, therefore, generating finance from the sale of oils from the wells acquired in Iraq (“ISIS foreign fighters after the fall of the caliphate,” 2020). Some terrorist groups solicit contributions from influential people in world politics, and lastly, others run non-governmental organizations in the name of helping the community. With finance, these groups are dangerous, and fighting them is proving hard.
Terrorist Groups Around the World
Middle Eastern Terrorist
Terrorist groups existing in the middle east are mostly Islamic, for example, Taliban, Al-Qaeda, and Isis. The groups claim a religious motivation. They engage in smuggling and document fraud where the fraud documents raise money for terrorist organizations and also provide them with false identification.
Latin American Terrorist
In Latin America, there are only two terrorist groups recognized by the United States of America state department they both originate from Colombia, and they include the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia and the National Liberation Army. Latin American Terrorism relies on drug production and public corruption.
Homeland Security
Homeland security is the protection of people within national borders. The Homeland Security Act of 2002 introduced after September 11 attacks and was signed into law by President George W. Bush in November 2002 and giving it the mandate to; Prevent and disrupt terrorist attacks, protect the American people and to respond and recover from incidents that may occur. Moreover, the wing has various categories; Policy and Goal Setting, Direct Intervention and Prevention, Intelligence and Information Gathering and Preparedness, and Recovery. Up to date, the homeland security has managed to prevent the repeat of the September 11in the American soil.
Policy and Goal Setting
This category of Homeland security comprises the; national security council, which dwells on Foreign relations and the Council of Economic Advisers that formulate an economic response and recovery measures from terrorist attacks.
Direct Intervention and Prevention
This category comprises; The department of defense that Provides direct military response and the federal bureau of investigation, which locates and arrests terrorists inside the United States borders and coordinates with international law enforcement agencies. Also, the state department negotiates with foreign countries to unite against terrorism, not leaving behind the treasury department that Locates and freezes funds of terrorist groups and Finally, the drug enforcement agency which controls drug trade.
Intelligence and Information Gathering
The mandate of this category is to gather the information that includes; the central intelligence agency that collects terrorist information in foreign countries, the
federal bureau of investigation that Gathers terrorist information inside the United States of America. Furthermore, the national security agency Intercepts all forms of terror-related communications and, finally, the defense intelligence agency that Coordinates intelligence efforts of military branches.
Preparedness and Recovery
The agencies in this category have a mandate to ensure readiness and recovery; they include the federal emergency management agency that trains and equips local emergency service providers, office for domestic preparedness that trains local fire and medical responders. The national guard Provides regional security, and the joint forces command reserve units provide military support to local agencies. Moreover, the bureau of tobacco, alcohol, and firearms agency trains local agencies in explosives handling and the department of health and human services that assist local agencies in responding to large-scale acts of bio-terrorism together with the environmental protection agency.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the homeland security act has helped curb terrorism immensely in the United States. Following the September eleven attack, the whole world was in shock as nobody expected the leading superpower to be caught off-guard by a series of terrorist attacks that left many people dead and thousands of nursing severe injuries. The homeland security act has created a defensive mechanism for the country, which may take longer to breach.
References
Bowler, R. M., Harris, M., Li, J., Gocheva, V., Stellman, S. D., Wilson, K., Alper, H., Schwarzer, R., & Cone, J. E. (2011). Longitudinal mental health impact among police responders to the 9/11 terrorist attack. American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 55(4), 297-312. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1002/ajim.22000
ISIS foreign fighters after the fall of the caliphate. (2020). Armed Conflict Survey, 6(1), 23-30. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1080/23740973.2020.1761611