The document summarizes a research paper on the causes and motivations of terrorism. It begins by defining terrorism and outlining its historical uses as a tactic by states and religious groups to consolidate power and enforce social control. It then examines legal definitions of terrorism in international law, US law, and laws of war. Finally, it explores possible political, social, and psychological motivations for terrorism, suggesting it can be used as a tactic to escalate conflict, disrupt societies, and demoralize populations.

1. "One man willing to throw his life away is enough to terrorize thousands." (Wu Ch'i)
Research Paper on Terrorism,
By, Robert Silva
For, Dr Hanami, for International Security IR 739

2. Beginning Remarks
Terrorism is a threat to the international security and the security of people.
Terrorist methods are universal through out cultures. How the international system and
states deal with deterring terrorist acts is through outlawing behavior that is considered
terrorism and defining terrorism. The question I have is what could cause a person to
perform an act of terrorism. I began to explore social and political influences,
psychological reasons, and rational calculations of war as possible causes of violent acts.
To define a terrorist could be use how the person perceives themselves and others, and
another method is to look at narratives how the person perceives the circumstance and
how to solve the circumstance. For example dehumanizing, proclaiming to do violent
acts against other ethnic identities and teaching other people lessons about life.
The paper is divided into sections to help promote understanding. The first part of the
paper will begin to define terrorism. Then the paper will begin to explore motivation and
possible causes of terrorism, which would political, sociological and psychological
aspects.
The last part of the paper will be to explore the terrorist identity through,
perceptions, and narratives of existing terrorist groups and individuals.
The methods and sources of the paper draws from are scholarly books, scholarly
articles, legal documents, codified laws, personal interviews, newswire articles and works
2

3. of fictional literature. The goal is to explain and define terrorism and the terrorist identity,
to promote a holistic understanding of terrorism.
To build context and reference the paper with begin the explanation of the groups
that historically used terrorism.
Introduction
The use of guerrilla warfare and terrorist tactics could be used by small powers or
groups because they cannot address a full size army. The explanation of definition and
motivation of terrorism could be sum up by a poem by Rudyard Kipling.1
Rudyard
Kipling was a poet that was in the nineteenth century travel through out the world, and
observe militaristic influences on society. A Poem from Kipling.
“Mistletoe killing an oak-
Rats gnawing cable in two-
Moths making holes in a cloak-
How they must love what they do
Yes-and we little folk too,
Working our works out of view-
Watch and you’ll see it some day!
We are the little Folk –we!
Too little to love or to hate.
Leave us alone or you’ll see
How we can drag down the State!”
The characters of the poem are defined as small, insignificant and not seen. They
act like parasites slowly destroying the larger host, like termites working to eat away
nutrients of the system. Terrorism could be inferred to be like a virus that slowly destroys
the everyday functions of society by slowly consuming the structure with it ideas and
1
Philip Jenkins “Images of Terror,” Aldine de Gruyter New York 2002 P.64
3

4. thoughts through violence. Like any machinery a weak part puts strain on other parts
causing them to wear out expediting the destruction of the machine. Sabotage is a method
that works to break down the socio political system by attacking the fabric of the
institutions so the institutions cannot function. The fabric of any institution is the
economic functions, the decision makers and the people.2
This promotes discontent,
because the lack for the system to meet needs. This poem does assert psychological and
sociological aspects, sabotaging or slowly destroying something gives the appearance of
neglect or incompetence, or just corruption by the leaders which could infer the
promotion of distrust of government. The poem has other implication but for the sake of
this example to define terrorism a discontent actor takes on a larger power to slowly
erode the power away through destroying what supports of the dominate power of the
society, its institutions, and the faith of the people for the establishment to protect and
provide. In most realist cases are the economy and institutions support military potential.3
This defines the uses of terrorism and even explains why people use terrorism because it
can drag down the state, by creating a perception of corruption by promoting discontent
by slowly sabotaging the political economic system.
History of Terrorism
State sponsored terrorism history
State sponsored terrorism could be considered the first use of terrorism to promote
control over the people. The use of terrorist tactics was to consolidate power, as seen in
2
Niyi Awofeso, Suicidal Terrorism and Public Health p.288
3
Bruno S. Frey et al… “Calculating Tragedy: Assessing the Costs of Terrorism” p.13-17
4

5. France 1793-1794 to counter subversion.4
The Aztec’s used terror to demand obedience,
through the use of human sacrifice to their sun god and ceremonial cannibalism. This
terrified the populace to enforce their imperial rule.5
Adolf Hitler took ideology to the
extreme and killed Jewish people in the name of social Darwinism, because he taught the
Jewish people were an inferior race it was a part of nature this would be use of terrorism
to support a state’s assumption about nature.6
This promotes identity cohesion that a
person should not identify with the Jew but with German or there will be consequence.
This could be used to reduce empathy for the perceived enemy and cause
dehumanization, the creation of the other and us. This is done through the fear of serve
consequences for disobedience to existing regimes thus promoting loyalty to the
established regime and cultural.
“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.” Robespierre
The KGB was the secret service of the Soviet Union that used provocateurs to
infiltrate through deception and or impersonation of subversive groups in Russia.7
Rachkovsky the leader of the Czarist secret police the Okhrana which was a predecessor
to the Soviet KGB had agents infiltrate subversive groups then identify member of the
opposition group and then the members of the Okhrana instigated and carried out acts of
4
Center for Defense information Terrorism http://www.cdi.org/friendlyversion/printversion.cfm?
documentID=1502 accessed 11/15/07
5
Essay on State Sponsored terror http://www.hyperhistory.net/apwh/essays/cot/t0w34terrorism.htm
6
Ibid
7
Philip Jenkins “Images of Terror,” Aldine de Gruyter New York 2002 p.89
5

6. terrorism. This was to implicate the group in a terrorist act to enable the state to exercise
authority. The external results were to promote the need for stricter security measures to
maintain the status quo of the socio-political system. This also promoted identity by
clarifying who is the terrorist group and who are the establishment. That the sociological
affect is only the terrorists have dissenting opinions, do not dissent. This has major
identity implications.
The historical use of the terrorism was to maintain a political arrangement, by promoting
fear.
Religious Groups of Terrorism History
Religious terrorism could be considered universal among most established
religions. The purpose to show the history of religious terrorist groups is to show it is not
ethnic bound but groups share the same methods of tactics of reinforcing a social
morality.
The Jewish uprising in Rome was when Jewish zealots killed Jewish sympathizers
to Rome with a dagger.8
The Thuggee cults were a religious Indian cult that killed
ritualistically in the name of Kali the goddess of terror and destruction. The Assassins an
Shia Muslim sect which ritualistically took drugs known as Hashish, and perform killings
in daylight in the name of religion9
and to promote loyalty to the religion in the same
manner as the Jewish Zealot. This was to send a message to others to do the same if they
8
Niyi Awofeso, “Suicidal Terrorism and Public Health” p.287
9
The Patriot Act sections 801-808
6

7. find leaders or people not following the same practices and rituals in daily and civic life.10
Religious terrorism was to promote a loyalty to a practice and norm to a certain religion
an enforcement mechanism to stop assimilation to another culture rather than a method to
overthrow a government.
Legal Definitions of Terrorism
There is official anti terror laws and certain behavior has been outlaw when it
comes to the conduct of war, interaction between people. 11
The laws assert it is illegal to
intimidate or threaten sabotage of property public or private, personal injury, such as
propaganda for war, ethnic and national violence against an individual or a group.
Patriot Act
The Patriot Act of the United States mostly focuses on acts against transportation
devices, and delves into intimidation and coercion.12
It is illegal to attack transportation of
vehicles that have a cargo of commodities, this could fall under piracy. The threat to use
force to sabotage, to compel compliance to an individual wishes could fall under this law
as terrorism. Because the prestige of terrorism in this context has proven an effective
practice to use force to stop daily legitimate practices. The fear of pursuing legitimate
10
Center for Defense information Terrorism http://www.cdi.org/friendlyversion/printversion.cfm?
documentID=1502 accessed 11/15/07
11
THE CRIMINOLOGY OF TERRORISM: HISTORY, LAW, DEFINITIONS, TYPOLOGIES
"One man willing to throw his life away is enough to terrorize thousands." (Wu Ch'i)
http://faculty.ncwc.edu/TOConnor/429/429lect01.htm
12
Patriot Act information Web Sitehttp://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/patriotact/ sections 801-803
7

8. habitual behavior because someone threatens to harm to personal body, or property could
be construed as terrorism because it is to intimidate to coerce. The right to put this
person that intimidates under surveillance is because to confirm if threat is feasible and
intended is asserted in this body of law.13
The terrorist restricts human rights by
threatening the use of brutal acts to coerce people to give up entitlements.
Laws of War
Jus ad Bello, the laws of conducting a just war is the consensus of the sovereigns
to promote a war that does not involve brutal acts, and ensures rights of civilians.14
The
rules of combat deal with theater of operation or where the battle is fought.15
Who is a
military personal and who is a civilian is important because it has to do with treatment of
occupied and captured individuals. Insignia’s and uniforms help define military personal
to civilian. Insignia’s do not have to be from a sovereign but can come from self
determination groups, symbols, flags, and color schemes of clothing are a part of the
defining military or combatant or non combatant. 16
To attack non-military targets in the
theater of operation is an act of terror, and operating military operation outside of theater
of operation by attacking non-military targets could be a tool of intimidation because
purpose is not to conquer or neutralize the opposition’s military capabilities thus this
could be construed as an act of terrorism because it does not fit the proper use of the
military. The industry that could promote war making capabilities also provides for the
social welfare of civilians is dual use items are considered non military target unless
13
Patriot Act information Web Site http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/patriotact/
14
Geneva Convention on Treatment of Prisoners http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/91.htm Oct 1950
15
Geneva Convention Addition Protocols II 1977 article 75
16
Yale Law School/ http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/lawofwar/hague02.htm#art1 Article 1
8

9. engage directly in combat or the theater of operations.17
Their must be a direct connection
of the targets to the conflict that attacking non military targets could be viewed to
promote fear rather than subduing a military.
Other sources of law
The post 911 laws of surveillance have to do with stopping individuals that are
proclaiming that they will use violence to solve conflicts to reach goals. This was in the
Patriot Act; 18
someone intimidates and then begins to work on a plan to perform an act of
sabotage or willful killing against the victim of the threat. This is to promote prestige be
it infamous but reinforces intent. Plans usually take communications, coordination and
funding which is seen in the laws that allow surveillance. This is to confirm narratives of
suspected terrorist.
Terrorism in some cases could consider propaganda for war, if it s intent is to
promote a full scale war, 19
to promote war or racial hatred is illegal to international
standards and this is to subvert the established methods of escalation of use of force, the
United Nations Security Council would be example to the proper escalation for the use of
force plus terrorism undermines existing procedures of peaceful conflict
resolution.20
Because it promotes distrust of government and escalates conflicts.
17
Rome Statue Article 1 section (b) phrase (iv)
18
Patriot Act, Title 2 http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/03/20060309-7.html
19
The United Nations International covenant on civil and political rights, Article (20)
http://www.hrweb.org/legal/cpr.html
20
Masahiro Igarashi Preventive Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution Kanazawa University
www.unu.edu/HQ/japanese/gs-j/gs2001j/kanazawa1/Lec3-full-e.pdf
9

10. The International law and domestic law is different in the cases one creates
regulation for war, and another is trying to stop intimidation and acts of brutal coercion.
They both deal with the individual actor. The regulation of war allows for a state’s right
to self determination and to deter the acts of extortion by an actor threatening to do harm
to civilians and or by destroying public property. Such as the Patriot act does the same on
the individual level. The right to self defense on the state level, and the right exercise
rights without the threat of coercion on the individual level.
The Nurenberg Tribunal sets precedents and practices for individuals that act in
official or unofficial capacity of the state are responsible of acts that breach these
documents that define behavior and conduct during conflict and daily human
interaction.21
The individual is responsible for doing the act of terrorism, that a moral
conscious must be maintain during war that war does not strip away and moral
obligations to humanity. This document applies to individuals that are in official capacity
to execute decisions for states, plus the individuals that act in an unofficial capacity for
the state.22
This also applies to self determination groups and unofficial actors that are
involved in conflict or just belligerent. These documents describe illegal behavior that
goes against international ethics and practices to resolve conflict between state and
individuals. The goal of these documents is to protect civilians and quality of life or the
social welfare. It is assumed military and political leaders start wars not civilians, that
civilians are bystanders with no executive control. The Nuremberg Tribunal is to promote
21
Principles of the Nuremberg Tribunal, 1950, Principle I –V11 http://deoxy.org/wc/wc-nurem.htm
22
Ibid.
10

11. the protection of civilian rights, occupied civilians, and minorities in countries which acts
of terrorism breach, to breach human rights could be viewed as an act of terrorism.
Possible Motivations of Terrorism
Terrorism is a complex phenomenon because it was used historically as a tactic to
escalate conflict into full scale war and to maintain a political and social order. This
implies that terrorism can be viewed as propaganda for war and social engineering. The
expression is to incite war transmitted through the actions of violence to demonstrate
desire behavior from viewers of the acts of violence to follow suit. Or to promote
obedience through fear causing people not act in a certain manner. The goal of the
terrorist is to buck pass23
and have other actors to begin to sabotage or reinforce the
establish socio political system through acts that promote fear. The next section will
explore motivations of terrorism and begins to expand the scope of terrorism as a
punishment, a military tactic, and a personal expression.
Terrorism as a Tactic
Terrorism is a tactic of guerrilla warfare to escalate armed conflict to disrupt
supply lines, and demoralize armies and populations into surrender. This is supported by
displayed tactics of terrorist groups. The attack by Al Qaeda on the banking system in
23
John Mersheimer, The Tragedy of Great Power Politics, concept throughout book
11

12. New York on September, 11 2001 threatened supply line distribution by attacking the
means of resource movement and transportation methods, the attack tried to stop
economic practices which can related to military potential of the country.24
The attack
also created heighten anxiety in the populace which could affect their daily habitual
behavior, the people could choose not go to work or travel because of the threat of being
hurt. This has direct influence of the states security structure because the tax base of the
country to fund the security infrastructure. The Hezbollah bombing of public
transportation in Lebanon in the nineteen eighties could be viewed to demoralize
population and disrupt daily economic routines by attacking the means of transportation,
the bus system. The terrorist acts could be also viewed to promote others to remodel the
behavior of bombing buses because it is an easy method to promote the ethnic cleansing
the Hebrew population from the region. Why is this ethnic cleansing because it makes it
impossible for the Hebrew population to do business or live because of the danger of
being killed and it destroys infrastructure that promote economic prosperity. Ethnic
cleansing does not mean to mass murder a population through state or systemic methods
of killing but it means to drive a population from a region through the threat of violence
or making it impossible for them to provide for themselves through the economic
system.25
Terrorism could be viewed as a tactic to starve armies and populations into
surrender.
Psychological motivations of terrorism
24
Thomas Christensen Useful Adversaries : Grand Strategy Domestic, Mobilization and Sino-American
Conflict 1947-1958, Princeton Studies international Relations P.12
25
Bruno S. Frey et al… “Calculating Tragedy: Assessing the Costs of Terrorism” p.17
12

13. The Psychological Formula of the terrorist by Diane Perlman describes possible
motivations of terrorism because of extreme mental suffering the terrorist as the victim.26
“An individual suffers , desire for compassion and help, reaching for help, help fails,
dejection humiliation despair and rage, transformation from victim to master of fate,
compensation for helplessness by identification with powerful leader who stands up to
enemy or creator of the suffering, evacuation of suffering into other through acts of
terrorism, retaliation , more suffering a cycle of trauma ensures.”27
This could be explained a person is traumatize and the perceive helper does not
help. This creates the perception of the other. The person feels dejected the person begins
to align with another perceive helper or powerful leader that who stands up to abuser or
neglector. The suffering is transferred into violent acts. The goal is to escape trauma by
releasing it through acts of violence, as a person vomits bad food or viruses out of their
digestive system. The trauma creates a mental illness, like a virus that slowly destroys the
host. The way to remove the trauma is removing the negative emotional feelings and
projecting them in physical acts the ritual of cleansing through destruction. This gets into
one psychological motivation of terrorism, a perverse therapy.
The different psychological motivations the terrorist is trying to express.
26
Stout Chris, “The Psychology of Terrorism, Vol.1 a Theoretical Understandings and Perspectives” Praeger Westport, Connecticut,
London 2002P21 vol 1 p.27-36
27
Stout Chris, “The Psychology of Terrorism, Vol.1 a Theoretical Understandings and Perspectives” Praeger Westport, Connecticut,
London 2002P21 vol 1 p27-30
13

14. Clinical motivations of terrorism have been defined, I will begin to go through a
few to help expand the scope of terrorism to the mind, plus how it could affect the
perceptions of people.
Perverse empathy and desire for truth and justice 28
it is a reversal of situation of
emotions to project negative emotions or emotional states upon others to make them feel
how the terrorist feels. The terrorist act could be to humiliate or to make victims out of
perceived masters of fate or the ones they have discontent with. It is to change roles with
in the actor’s inner psychic. They are not the victim because they create the same
negative feelings in the people that were controlling the circumstance that did not help
heal the trauma. This could be to esteem build because of the feelings of inferiority that
could have been caused by trauma.
Traumatize reenactment29
expounded by Freud is driven from the desire for
pleasure it is called repetition compulsion, the actor keeps doing the reenactment, until a
empathic actor meets the needs to provide a method to provide healing or easing the pain.
They keep on doing the act even though it creates pain within them until something
soothes the pain. This could be defined as negative attention obtainment.
The psychological states could be intensified because the establishment does not
help the victim or the traumatized, the traumatize stop identifying with the established
order, therefore rejects the practices and norms. The traumatize wishes to become master
28
Ibid p.27-30
29
Ibid 27-30
14

15. of fate identifies with a leader that opposes establishment. This could be considered a
balancing act in realist thought about the actor’s behavior. Adopts the anti thesis
narratives practices and norms, which transfer trauma into acts of violence to promote
empathy, and to seek justice. This gets into possible psychological motivations of
terrorism. Some terrorist acts are to express suffering and a signal for help but not about
overthrowing governments or inciting war, or maintaining a social and political order.
The symbols of the political symbols are used in post constructivist context, to express
inner meaning and feelings.
Narratives of Terrorism
In narratives of terrorism section I would hope to highlight and show that
psychological, sociological and historical aspects are in the Terrorist narratives. That it is
not all just tactical, nor is legal, but has other human aspects to it.
In narratives of terrorist groups that the lack of right’s enforcement creates
injustices this is seen in the Palestinian people treatment from Israel.30
This narrative is
told by Al Qaeda and the Hezbollah that Israel and its supporter’s the United States
which becomes a symbol for the western civilization or the socio political system,31
is not
following accepted and narrated practices and norms for rights enforcement and
compensation in this socio-political system. The establishment is not protecting or
providing for rights of the Palestinians. Thus, Al Qaeda and the Hezbollah use methods to
30
Louis Richardson, “Roots of Terrorism” St Martin Press P. 145-146
31
Randall Collins “Rituals of Solidarity and Security in the Wake of Terrorist Attack”
Sociological Theory,
15

16. show injustice and trauma of the Palestinian people are suffering through extreme
examples, this would be called traumatize reenactments, and perverse empathy could be
the motivation. The use of terrorism here is not promote the undermining of military
potential as seen in past definitions, but is to demonstrate a psychological state, and
express a narrative. The narrative is being expressed through acts of violence which the
existing treatment does not help the Palestinian people well being but hinders them.
Ideas of Terrorist
The statement by Kamel Daoudi, he accepts his label that he perceives himself as
a terrorist, and the group perceives him as a terrorist. His narrative is that he distrusts the
socio-political system and sees it as perverse.32
That there is injustice and it is not fair,
that his relationship with established socio political system is not in an equal or fair
standing, that he views the practices as discriminatory. He rejects one civilization to
promote another civilization. He perceives his relationship with the socio-political
system and accepts how they label him but sees the establishment as abusive and
discriminative therefore not legitimate. That Kamel Daoudi punimania is the result of the
overwhelming desire to punish even if it causes more suffering because the acts of
violence are to punish but does not solve the problem.33
The Idea of Kamel Daoudi could
be that to follow the establish rules while the establishment does not follow the rules is
foolish, the only way to ensure entitlements is to use acts of violence to promote respect
32
Philip Jenkins “Images of Terror,” Aldine de Gruyter New York 2002
33
. Stout Chris, “The Psychology of Terrorism, Vol.1 a Public Understanding” Praeger Westport,
Connecticut, London 2002P.31 Vol 1
16

17. of rights. This could be the Idea of some terrorist, why follow the rules when those who
are supposed to enforce the rules do not follow the laws themselves. To promote a just
order they must remove the existing corrupting influence to promote rights. This could be
idea behind the use of terrorism for some terrorist.
Perceptions of terrorist.
The Palestine’s narrative is Israel is oppressing and occupying and dominating
and not acting within socio political system norms. 34
Suffering formula come in to play,
next thing Palestinians are acting to show trauma through reacting historical traumatic
events. The perception of the terrorist is the United States which is a symbol of Western
Civilization institutions and practices, which has ignored the cries of help of the
Palestinian people and their abusers. 35
The marginalized and traumatized identify with
the opposite symbol of the United States or the establishment which would be Jihadist
groups and the leaders such as Osama bin Laden. George Bush is the symbol of Western
Civilization and Osama Bin Laden the symbol of Islamic international system36
Palestinian’s perception could be the West is not looking out for their well being, but
promoting its own self interest at the sake of the well being of the Palestinians. Maybe
the West could be manipulating the laws to promote the circumstance to legitimize the
use force against the Palestinians to ethnically cleanse them could be the perception. The
motivation would be to stop the invaders from pushing them out of their land by
34
Arena Michael, Arrigo Bruce; “The Terrorist Identity, Explaining the Terrorist threat”, New York
University Press 2006 p.127, 130, 134, 136
35
Ibid. 147
36
Interview with Dr Manshipouri about the Islam as an alternative
17

18. promoting a full scale war. This would be the method to promote rights, and have ability
to protect rights, but the perception is the western socio political system is not friendly
because it does not promote the well being of the Palestinian people. This goes back to
the trauma cycle, ask for help but does not receive help from the socio political system.
Suicide Bombers
The starting of modern suicide terrorism was on the Marine barracks in Lebanon
April 18 1983.37
The ancient history of suicide terrorism dates back to the beginning of
the millennium, done by Jewish Zealots and other religious groups.38
The difference
could be technology of the weapons, while suicide terrorism in 3 AD would go into
inescapable situation they might lead to death, the modern suicide bomber actually
becomes the vehicle for the explosives. Suicidal terrorism is primarily a weapon of
psychological warfare.39
The goal is to promote intense fear and shock the population.40
The effect of the tactic of suicide terrorism could include loss of well-being and security
and traumatizing the audience by destroying public property and people with the
promotion of hysteria. Hysteria could lead to policies that would erode freedoms and
entitlements of the victim society. This could be motivated by perverse empathy and
reenactment. Possible psychological reasons why people perform violent acts that lead to
37
Niyi Awofeso, Suicidal Terrorism and Public Health p.287
38
Ibid. p288
39
Niyi Awofeso, Suicidal Terrorism and Public Health
40
Ibid. p287
18

19. their own death. Entrancement allows for the terrorist to incorporate narratives, ideals and
perceptions of terrorism into their daily lives. It allows for justifications of violence and
enables the removal of guilt by placing blame on the victim. The entrancement allows
distortions of reality replacing rationalist expectations of materialism, replaced with a
fantastic reward based on myths about the afterlife.41
This could be applied to motivations
of suicide bombers or a method a group gets and individuals to do a suicide attacks,
because of the creation of the fantasy world.42
They become the hero of the fantasy world.
Modern Terrorist Groups
Red Faction Army was a leftist organization that operated in the 1960’s and 1970’s in
Germany. The group focused on assassination of key political leaders they perceived in
promoting the imperialist movement of the era. The cult symbols or leaders of the Red
Faction Army were Ulike Mienhorf and Andreas Baader.43
The narrative they promoted
was based in the Marxist Leninist tradition, the book the spread their narrative was called
The Concept of Urban Warfare. The focus of RAF attacks were American bases in
Germany they drawn from experiences of Latin American anti-imperialist movements. In
the later part of the 1970’s the RAF began to plan to recruit and organize high jackings
with people from different parts of the world that were struggling against the perceived
41
41Stout Chris, “The Psychology of Terrorism, Vol.1 a Public Understanding” Praeger Westport,
Connecticut, London 2002 p205
42
Stout Chris, “The Psychology of Terrorism, Vol.1 a Public Understanding” Praeger Westport,
Connecticut, London 2002 p205
43
Wright Joanne,” Terrorist Propaganda, The Red Faction and the Provisional IRA 1968-86” St Martin’s
Press 1990 p. 105
19

20. imperialism in their part of the world. The coordination with other terrorist groups went
into the late eighties that ended with a cease fire in 1992. One could speculate the fall of
the Berlin wall could have triggered this or not.44
Al Qaeda
Begins in the plains of Afghanistan were the mujahedeen or the holy warriors
back by the United States, fought off the Soviet influence. After the defense of
Afghanistan Osama Bin Laden creates a construction company “el Hijrah Construction
and Development Ltd with Sudanese military and National Islamic front.45
Osama
diversified into many business ventures of Investing and Import and Export. In 1998 Bin
Ladin create the overarching group “The Islamic World Front for the struggle against
Jews and the Crusaders” the rhetoric was Muslims were experiencing human rights
violation. Bin Ladin goal was to remove western influence from Saudi Arabia and Gulf
region. Al Qaeda was created to coordinate terrorist activities to promote the removal of
Americans from the Middle East.
Hizbollah
The Hezbollah is claiming that they will not tolerate unequal treatment and
aggression that is passive from western countries.46
They claim a night when thousands of
Palestinians were slaughter by Israeli troops, that no international organization help them
44
The Red Faction Army History, http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/61/191.html
45
Al Qaeda History http://www.intellnet.org/documents/200/060/269.html
46
Hezbollah History http://nuralcubicle.blogspot.com/2006/08/history-of-hezbollah-part-2.html
20

21. or recognize the deaths as a travesty. So the Hezbollah is seeking vengeance and justice
and trying to remove the perceived threat through violence. 47
Neo Nazi’s
Neo Nazi’s movement could be based on the survival of the white race since the
white race is the minority to almost two colored human to one white human.48
The fall of
great empires are due to non white races attacking Rome and Greece then infusing their
blood having children with non white women. 49
The non white blood is inferior50
Neo
Nazi programs promote intrinsic dependency of the non white human through economic
and the political structure. The concept let them eat scrapes from the white man’s table,
could assert the method to approach economic or capitalist practices to ensure the white
race will survive because of the control of circumstance.51
Don Black is a Neo Nazi leader and a Grand Wizard of the Klu Klux Klan was
involved in the attempt to overthrow the Dominican Republic in the 1980’s.52
Luther
Pierce and David Duke was strong Nationalist that supports a cultural imperialism of the
white ethnic group over socio political system. They spread their narratives through
47
Hezbollah History www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/para/hizballah.htm
48
W Ellis,” The Psychology of American Race Prejudice, “George p12
49
Ibid
50
W Ellis,” The Psychology of American Race Prejudice, “George p12
51
Ibid. 13-35
52
Don Black personal website Stormfront
21

22. books, weblogs and speeches. A famous Neo Nazi group connected with American
politician is National Alliance.53
The tactics of Neo Nazi’s would be to promote distrust in government and do acts of
sabotage, but this could be a tactic to promote stricter controls over society which is
predominately controlled by white men. Nazism is usually considered on the right side of
politics or more conservative could be considered imperialist in nature as oppose to
Marxist philosophies. Neo Nazi terrorism could be seen as hate crimes to intimidate non-
whites to accept social norms and do not strive to compete with in socio economic and
political system. Plus the Dominican Republic incident could be to de stabilize countries,
or to ensure development of social welfare does not take hold allowing the international
establishment a dominate position in the world and in the neighborhood.
Terrorist groups seem to be driven by an idea to promote their perceptions about
the world be it from nature, religion, socio-economic. The relationship could be about the
survival about their identity but they need to chase away the other, the way to do it is
through fear, and if fear does not work then a violent destructive force, to reinforce the
fear. This could be to promote security by chasing away the perceived threat to survival.
Terrorism is warfare that is not chivalrous nor honorable because it does not even test the
courage and strength of the individuals if a person believes in social Darwinism or a
creation theory.
53
National Alliance homepage, http://www.adl.org/learn/Ext_US/N_Alliance.asp
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23. The conclusion
Terrorism is to promote fear, to cripple the mind so the individual and groups
cannot create a better circumstance this in all cases of the uses of terrorism because
terrorism promote conflict, stagnation and suffering. This is seen in the psychological
aspect of terrorism that the person ability to think and operate is distorted which can
cause them to misinterpret successes and failures and norms about the community. That
psychology can be an influence on perception. This could cause people not to act to
promote prosperity and happiness but only seek to destroy to relieve suffering. This can
23

24. fit within the Co evolution theory that perceptions about the societal norms, past
successes and failures and one perception how to interact to overcome obstacles. The
distortion from mind control and the traumatic affects of terrorism on the individual
minds can send people into abysses of sorrow, belligerents, spinning them in a cycle of
destruction that promote the same type of behavior chaos and havoc, what the individual
must be perceiving the world, and feeling inside their own inner psychic.
According to the CIA handbook on guerilla warfare, to conquer the mind is to win
the war, since terrorism is a psychological war, then to diffuse terrorism in the future one
must remove the suffering and sorrow and the discontent so they mind that directs the
body not to create more suffering. The use of force and violent deterrence could only
reinforces notions about the social political norms, that the programmers have program
within the terrorist mind has taken away survival instincts and replace with a fantastic
image of the world. The actions and symbols are not read as they sender intends but
misinterpret and warp to justify the terrorist actions.
24

25. Interview
With Dr. MAHMOOD MONSHPOURI
1. Is terrorism a social, political, individual, legal problem?
All of them, Middle easterners are motivated because of political marginalization
which could stem and cause resentment. The acts of violence are to promote
expression and to change the situation. It could be rationality from power.
Islam is the centralizing identity source for transnational actors, but does not have
an authoritative interpretation of the Koran, or methods to organize systemic
society, but only interactions between individuals.
Does not have effective civilization goal, but has idea about a civilization goal.
The situation is not working with secular socialism as seen in Central Asia, does
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26. not like the repetition of Western capitalism, it could be let’s try Islamic morality
as the guiding principles for public society.
2. What do you think the purpose of terrorism is?
Destabilize political environment, to stop the west from helping corrupt states that
promote resentment with in the people.
3. Do you think terrorist actor is creating by circumstance of the social political
environment? Yes it stems from the circumstance create by the corrupt
government, which causes resentment and then desperation and hopelessness.
Then I ask do you think corruption, or the lack of human rights enforcement
causes resentment, if the international community had ability to remove corrupt
leaders then would this lessen the threat of international terrorism?
International law deals with states, states have sovereignty other states do not
have right over other states. It is not possible
In the post WWII era does not the state exist for the purpose to provide for the
needs of their people, it is the state obligation to provide but corrupt leaders
do not provide, therefore not fulfilling their role to the people?
Oh I see where you are going; less corruption would lessen the possibility of
terrorist attacks.
Because a circumstance of desperation would not be created, therefore no
resentment.
4. Suicide Bombers versus Cult leaders is there a distinction between the two?
Cult leaders uses suicide bomber. The Egyptian surgeon was the brain behind the
911 attacks, Osama Bin Laden was the financier and Symbol of identity, could
26

27. have been under the influence of the Egyptian surgeon. The men on the plane
were the suicide bombers, that warfare changes to fit environment. It could be
role of the person.
Bibliography
Books
1. Arena Michael, Arrigo Bruce; “The Terrorist Identity, Explaining the Terrorist threat”,
New York University Press 2006
2. Wright Joanne, “Terrorist Propaganda, The Red Faction and the Provisional IRA 1968-
86” St Martin’s Press 1990
3. Stout Chris, “The Psychology of Terrorism, Vol.1 a Public Understanding” Praeger
Westport, Connecticut, London 2002
4. Stout Chris, “The Psychology of Terrorism, Vol.3 a Theoretical Understandings and
Perspectives” Praeger Westport, Connecticut, London 2002
5. Richardson Louise, “The Roots of Terrorism” Routledge New York, London 2006
6. Philip Jenkins and Aldine de Gruyter, “Images of Terror,” New York 2002
7. Paul T.V, et al. “Balance of Power Theory and Practice in the 21 Century” Stanford
Press 2004
27

28. 8. Mattern, Bially, “Ordering International Politics, Identity Crisis and Representational
force” Routledge 2005
9. Arnold Terell, “The Violence Formula” Lexington Books1988
Scholarly Articles
1.Randall Collins, “Rituals of Solidarity and Security in the Wake of Terrorist Attack”
Sociological Theory, Vol. 22, No. 1, Theories of Terrorism: A Symposium. (Mar., 2004),
pp. 53-87.
2.Robert A. Pape, “The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism” The American Political
Science Review, Vol. 97, No. 3. (Aug., 2003), pp. 343-361.
3.Ehud Sprinzak, “Rational Fanatics” Foreign Policy, No. 120. (Sep. - Oct., 2000),
pp. 66-73.
4. Barry R. Posen, “The Struggle against Terrorism: Grand Strategy, Strategy, and
Tactics” International Security, Vol. 26, No. 3. (Winter, 2001-2002), pp. 39-55.
5. Ruth Wedgwood, “Al Qaeda, Terrorism, and Military Commissions
The American Journal of International Law, Vol. 96, No. 2. (Apr., 2002), pp. 328-337.
6. David Freedberg, “The Representation of Martyrdoms during the Early Counter-
Reformation in Antwerp The Burlington Magazine, Vol. 118, No. 876. (Mar., 1976),
pp. 128-138.
7. Emad El-Din Aysha, “September 11 and the Middle East Failure of US ‘Soft Power’:
Globalization contra Americanization in the ‘New’ US Century”,
American University, Cairo, Egypt
8. Niyi Awofeso, “Suicidal Terrorism and Public Health”
9. Bruno S. Frey et al… “Calculating Tragedy: Assessing the Costs of Terrorism”
Articles
1. “Sectary-General to Brief Member States on Implentation of United Nations Global
Counter Terrorism Strategy” Feb 16, US Fed 15, 2007
2. “UN: Security Council reiterates determination to combat all forms of terrorism,
welcomes Counter Terrorism Commitees renewed focus on implementing resolution
1373”, M2 press wire, December 21, 2006
28

29. 3. “ B’desh to organize itself as fortress against terrorism”, The Press Trust of India June
4, 2007
4. “UN delegation on counter terrorism arrives in Bangladesh June 3, 2007” Sunday BBC
monitoring South Asia, Iran News Agency, Tehran, January 16,
5. “An Open Letter” The Hizballah Program
6. National Post (f/k/a The Financial Post) (Canada) March 5, 2007
7. “Tougher tactics on terror driving Muslims apart, says police chief”, John Steele Crime
Correspondent NEWS; Pg. 4
8. “Six Nations Seeking more ways to defeat terrorism” Nationwide International News
Jakarta, March 8, 2007
Websites
1. Center for Defense Information Terrorism
http://www.cdi.org/friendlyversion/printversion.cfm?documentID=1502 accessed
11/15/07
2. Essay on State Sponsored Terror
http://www.hyperhistory.net/apwh/essays/cot/t0w34terrorism.htm
3. The Criminology of Terrorism: History, Law, Definitions, Typologies One man
willing to throw his life away is enough to terrorize thousands." (Wu Ch'i)
http://faculty.ncwc.edu/TOConnor/429/429lect01.htm
4. Red Faction Army Information,
http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/61/191.html
Nuremberg Tribunal Avalon Project
http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/imt/proc/orders.htm
5. Don Black homepage,
http://www.stormfront.org/dblack/
6. United Nations Charter,
http://www.un.org/aboutun/charter/
7. Geneva Convention on Treatment of Prisoners,
http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/91.htm
29

30. 8. Masahiro Igarashi, “Preventive Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution” Kanazawa
University www.unu.edu/HQ/japanese/gs-j/gs2001j/kanazawa1/Lec3-full-e.pdf
9. Patriot Act information Web Site
http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/patriotact/
Appendix
Shows number terrorist fatalities to number of incidents over twenty five year span.
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