1. The History of Terrorism
Unit 8

2. I. The History of Terrorism
A. The beginning of terrorism cannot be determined since most researchers believe terror was used as a tool long before written language documented it. 1. References in ancient documents do suggest that terror against various parts of the population was common as long as 4000 years ago B. Terrorist commit acts of terror for various reasons. 1. Politics, Religion, and Ideology are the main reasons behind most terrorist attacks. 2. Attacks are conducted in order to send a message usually in hope of changing the status quo.
“Kill one, frighten ten thousand”
Sun Tzu, c. 500BC

3. II. Ancient Terrorism
A. The most common form of terrorism was torture, maiming, arson, and destruction of agriculture goods such as livestock, crops, and tools
B. Babylon, Persia, Judea, and many other civilizations in the Fertile Crescent used tactics we would consider terrorism.

4. III. Early Religious Terrorism
A. Among the earliest examples of terrorist actions for political reasons were the Zealots, a first century religious and political group in Judea.
1. The Zealots strongly opposed outside (Roman) control/rule of Judea.
2. The Zealots would assassinate Roman and Jewish leaders alike in broad daylight in order to send a message to anyone who did not support a free Judea.
3. The Zealots achieved little, except to trigger heavy Roman control over the Jews and the closing off of Jerusalem to Jews.

5. The Assassins
B. The Assassins were an 11th century offshoot of a Shia Muslim sect known as the Nizari Ismailis.
1. Like the Zealots, the Assassins also stabbed their victims in broad daylight with witnesses in order to send a message.
2. The Assassins generally focused on politicians or clerics who refused to adopt the purified version of Islam which the Assassins were forcibly spreading.
3. We get the modern day word Assassins from this group but the Arabic word for assassins literally means ‘hashish-eater’ ‑ a reference to the ritualistic drug-taking they were rumored to indulge in prior to undertaking their missions

6. The Assassins
4. The Assassins’ deeds were carried out at religious sites on holy days – a tactic intended to publicize their cause and incite others to it.
5. Like many religiously inspired terrorists today, they also viewed their deaths on such operations as sacrificial and a guarantee that they would enter paradise.

7. IV. Nationalists and Anarchists
The French
1. The English word ‘terrorism’ comes from the regime de la terreur that prevailed in France during the French Revolution.
2. Originally an instrument of the state, the Reign of Terror was designed to protect the state from enemies of the revolution.
3. Terror was actually a positive term at the time.
4. The French revolutionary leader, Maximillian Robespierre, viewed it as vital if the new French Republic was to survive its infancy
“Terror is nothing other than justice, prompt, severe, inflexible; it is therefore an emanation of virtue; it is not so much a special principle as it is a consequence of the general principle of democracy applied to our country's most urgent needs.”
Maximillien Robespierre, 1794

9. IV. Nationalists and Anarchists
B. The early part of the 20th Century saw a mixture of anarchist and state-sponsored terrorism. 1. For instance, officials in the Serbian government and military were involved (albeit unofficially) in supporting, training and arming the members of the terrorist group The Black Hand who helped start World War I with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand on June 28, 1914 in Sarajevo. 2. U.S. Presidents James Garfield (1881) and William McKinley (1901) were both assassinated by anarchist.

10. V. IRA
A. The IRA: Irish Republican Army is both a Nationalistic and Religious movement that has occasionally resorted to terrorism to achieve its goals throughout its existence.
1. The IRA battled against Britain for control of Ireland.
2. In 1922 an agreement was made to divide Ireland in half. Catholic southern Ireland would become the self governing country of Ireland and the Protestant northern part would become British supported Northern Ireland.
3. The division of Ireland did little to resolve the tensions between pro-British Protestants and nationalist Catholics in Northern Ireland.

11. IRA
4. Conflict grew in the 1960’s when civil rights groups demanded voting reforms to eliminate discrimination against Catholics. 5. The IRA was officially disbanded in 1969 but that didn’t end the violence in the region. 6. On Sunday, January 30, 1972 British soldiers opened fire on a group of protestors wounding 17 and killing 13. This incident would become known as Bloody Sunday. 7. This and ongoing violence caused Great Britain to impose direct rule over Northern Ireland later that year.

12. VI. Middle Eastern Terrorism
A. Much of the terrorism in the Middle East is actually Muslim on Muslim, or Sunni vs. Shia.
The Sunnis and the Shia, or Shiites are two competing sects of Islam.
2. The rift took place hundreds of
years ago when they could not decide on who was to take over for Muhammad following his death.
3. This Sectarian violence, as it is
known as, has claimed thousands of innocent lives over the centuries.

13. VI. Middle Eastern Terrorism
B. However, most of the terrorism in the Middle East has been directed toward Israel by such groups as:
Hamas
Hezbollah
and Al Qaeda.

14. VI. Middle Eastern Terrorism
C. Al Qaeda is most known for its attacks on the U.S. on September, The attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon is the deadliest attack in the history of terrorism. 2. Over 3000 lives were lost that day and the financial impact to the United States could be measured in the billions.

15. VI. Middle Eastern Terrorism
D. Osama Bin Laden, the leader of Al Qaeda stated that he attacked the U.S. for three reasons.
1. He felt that America was morally corrupt and was in violation of Islamic Law.
2. He was outraged that America went to Iraq in
This was a violation of Islamic law to him.
3. America’s support of and role in the creation of Israel was also a source of outrage for him.

16. VI. Middle Eastern Terrorism
E. The attacks of 9/11 ignited an international “War on Terror”.
1. This war on terror has brought about increased security in public places, especially public transportation, throughout the world.
2. In 2002 the U.S. ousted the Taliban from control of Afghanistan and started wage war on Middle Eastern terrorist groups.
3. However, terrorist attacks have not decreased world wide since the “War on Terror” began, in fact they have increased tremendously since the attacks of 9/11. Why might this occurrence happen?