Terrorism has existed throughout history and is defined as using violence and threats for political goals. Groups resort to terrorism due to economic, social, or religious inequities when they cannot achieve goals through traditional means. Notable examples of terrorism discussed include the 1972 Munich Olympics kidnapping, airline hijackings in the 1960s-1980s, and car bombings like the 1993 World Trade Center and 1995 Oklahoma City bombings. Suicide bombings are also commonly used. Afghanistan served as a base for terrorist groups like Al-Qaeda under the Taliban government. The September 11, 2001 attacks led the US to invade Afghanistan and Iraq, increasing security measures worldwide.

1. Terrorism

2. Terrorism: Defined
• Terrorism has existed for almost as
long as humans have existed.
Terrorism is defined as the use of
violence and threats to intimidate or
coerce someone or a group for
political reasons.
• Historically terrorism has been used
by groups that did not have the
traditional resources to achieve their
political goals. Terrorists will secretly
attack either a government institution
or civilian target that they feel will
cause pain for their enemy. The
attacks that bring the most attention
to their cause are viewed as the most
successful.
• While they are viewed as terrorists to
most, others may view them as
freedom fighters.
The Zealots were terrorists of the
Roman empire in 100 AD. They
attacked Roman government buildings
to try to force the Romans out of
Judea. The term “Zealot” today is
applied to any religious extremist.

3. Causes for Terrorism
• Typically those that
resort to terrorism are
those who are facing
inequities
economically, socially
or culturally.
• A major cause of
terrorism over time
and today is religious
extremism. These are
people that have
extreme views on
religion and are not
tolerant to other
faiths.
The “intifada” was an uprising by mainly poor
and young Palestinians living in Israel. They lead
riots against Israel’s occupation of the West Bank.

4. Examples of Terrorism: Munich
Olympic kidnapping
• During the 1972 Olympics in
Munich Germany, Islamic
religious extremists kidnapped
and held 11 hostages from the
Israeli Olympic team as a
protest against Israel.
• An attempt was made to rescue
the hostages, but it was
unsuccessful and all 11 were
murdered. This was the earliest
high profile example of Islamic
terrorism.
• Israel’s government under
Golda Meir would later respond
with Operation Wrath of God,
creating an assassination squad
that hunted down and killed
anyone responsible for planning
the attack.

5. Airline Hijackings
• A common recent use of
terrorism has been
hijacking or attacking
airlines, as they leave many
civilians vulnerable to be
used as hostages.
• This method was extremely
common in the 1960s-
1980s.
• This has caused many
countries to institute strict
security measures to
protect airports and
airlines.

6. Car Bombings
• Car bombings are
another commonly used
tactic by terrorists. Since
it is easy to conceal a
bomb inside of a car, they
are often unexpected
attacks.
• In 1993 the US World
Trade Center in NYC was
attacked by a car bomb.
• In 1995 the Federal
building in Oklahoma City
was destroyed by a car
bomb made by American
anti-government
terrorists. 168 people (including 20 small children)
were killed in the Oklahoma City Bombing

7. Suicide Attacks
• Another common tactic
of terrorists is the use of
suicide bombings. In
these attacks a terrorist
conceals a bomb under
his clothing and
explodes it, usually in a
crowded area, killing
himself in the process.
• These are extremely
hard to guard against
and are commonly used
against civilians.

8. Afghanistan and the Taliban
• In 1979 the USSR invaded Afghanistan.
Keeping with the Cold War policy of
containment the US and CIA helped
supply the Mujahideen, a group of
Muslims that the US viewed then as
freedom fighters resisting the
communists.
• However after the fall of the USSR, the
Mujahideen helped the Taliban, a group
of extreme Muslims take control of
Afghanistan and institute law based on
the Qu’ran.
• The Taliban created a safe haven for
terrorists in Afghanistan to train
terrorists and plan attacks.
Muhajideen in Afghanistan 1984.
They helped drive USSR forces
our of Afghanistan

9. Osama Bin Laden and Al-Qaeda
• Osama Bin Laden, a wealthy heir
of a Saudi Arabian businessman
helped the Mujahideen in
Afghanistan. He organized the Al
Qaeda (“the base”) terrorist
organization which has called for a
“jihad” (holy war, struggle) against
the world. Afghanistan under the
Taliban was a major base for his
organization.
• Al Qaeda views the US, Europe
and Israel as trying to eliminate
Islam, and often targets these
areas.
• Al Qaeda first garnered attention
in the 1990s leading attacks
against the US embassies in Kenya
and Tanzania and the USS Cole.

10. September 11, 2001
• On September 11, 2001, Al
Qaeda initiated a major
terrorist attack against the
US by hijacking 4 airliners
and crashing them into the
World Trade center in NY,
the Pentagon in
Washington DC, and an
empty field in
Pennsylvania.
• The US responded the next
month by invading
Afghanistan to disrupt Al
Qaeda’s activities and
declaring to work against
any country that harbored
terrorists.

11. The War on Terror in Afghanistan and
Iraq
• The Taliban was removed
from holding official power in
Afghanistan but continues to
operate and attacks the US
troops that remain in the
country today.
• In 2003, the US also invaded
Iraq, and removed Saddam
Hussein from power to
prevent him from sponsoring
future terrorist attacks.
• Osama bin Laden was
eventually killed by a Navy
Seal team on May 2, 2011.

12. Security measures
• Countries have responded
to terrorism in a number
of ways trying to protect
their citizens.
• The US has increased its
surveillance to try to
combat terrorism, but this
has left many concerned
over their privacy rights
being violated.
• Extra security measures
have been taken at ports
and airports like full body
scanners.
• Travel and access to certain
locations now often
require photo
identification.