War and conflict – Assignment 2
P3
Terrorist group Methods they use
International Al-Qaeda Al-Qaeda is an extremist, militant Muslim group. The United
Nations has labelled it a terrorist group. On 11 September
2001, Al-Qaeda conducted a suicide attack. This is when a
terrorist sacrifices his own life, by killing other people at the
same time as themselves. A common form of this would be the
human bomb tactic, where bombs are carried by the person
and detonated within a group of people. However, in the case
of 9/11, 4 planes were hijacked by 19 Al-Qaeda terrorists and
were crashed into major US buildings like the twin towers of
the world Trade Centre in New York and the Pentagon. Al-
Qaeda was also responsible for hotel bombings, cars with
bombs in them detonated near relevant Points of interest. In
1995, they exploded a car bomb in Saudi Arabia where the US
military were training. They have also exploded oil tankers and
used Suicide truck bombs to detonate targets. In 1996 Osama
Bin Laden the leader of Al-Qaeda designed a plot to assassinate
the President of the United States. A bomb was planted under
a bridge and the plan was to detonate the bomb, when the
president was passing over it. However, Agents of the US
secret service had intercepted communications from the
terrorist group, and the plan failed, and the bomb was
dismantled.
Hezbollah In 1982 and 1983 Hezbollah, originally a group of Muslim
Clerics and funded by Iran to Prevent the Israeli Occupation of
Lebanon, conducted the Tyre Truck bombings. It targeted the
Israel defence forces after they invaded Lebanon in 1982.
Between the two bombing 103 Israeli’s and 46-59 Lebanese
were killed and 95 people were wounded. Hezbollah also used
military tactics and weaponry against the Israeli’s. They also
used suicide bombing, Kidnaping foreign soldiers, murder and
hijackings. Hezbollah has taken part in bombings in the United
States, London, Singapore, Buenos Aires and many more.
Regional Irish Republican The IRA are an Irish political movement which believe that
Army Northern Ireland should not be Ruled by the British. They
formed in 1917. The IRA have been known to use Assassination
as a form of terrorism. This is when a terrorist group targets
and individual who is potentially threatening to their group. As
well as this sometimes targets are famous, well known people,
which ensures publicity, all over the media and fills the
population with fear. In 1979 the IRA assassinated Lord Louis
Mountbatten who was the Great Uncle of Prince Charles. The
IRA had planted a radio-controlled bomb onto Mountbatten’s
boat and when detonated it killed him and his grandson. As
Mountbatten was part of the British establishment, he was
seen as a threat to the Ira, and as he was part of the Royal
Family, he was a high profile well known person, making him
an ideal target for the IRA to get attention for their cause and a
, feeling off terror amongst UK population. In 1998 The Real IRA
detonated a bomb in the town of Omagh in Northern Ireland
which killed 29 people including many children and an 8-month
pregnant woman who was carrying twins. The aim of this was
to disrupt the Northern Irish Peace protest by creating fear in
the public and provoking retaliation. However, rather than fear
people became angry and outraged.
Aum Shinrikyo Aum Shinrikyo are a Japanese cult, fighting for their beliefs and
have been known for using chemical terrorism. This is when a
chemical agent is released into the atmosphere surrounding
targets to cause death and injury to destabilise a countries
population. In 1995 Aum Shinrikyo released sarin gas in the
Tokyo underground which injured hundreds of people and killed
12 people. Chemical weapons are easier to make than nuclear
or biological weapons and are safer to transport and carry.
Chemical terrorism is not an effective destruction tactic but is
very effective at causing fear within the public.
Popular Front In 1970 the PFLP hijacked 4 aircrafts and directed them to
for the Jordan. The terrorist group held Jewish passengers and the
Liberation of flight crew hostage until they were PFLP members were freed
Palestine from prison. Usually in a terrorist Hijacking the pilot is forced
to take the terrorists where they want to go, or the flight crew
are killed, and the terrorists fly the plane themselves. Usually
the terrorists would hold passenger's hostage until their
demands are met. The PFLP also were responsible for suicide
attacks and armed attacks, kidnapping operations and
bombings.
P4
MIND MAP (HANDED IN TO TEACHER)
M2
Prevent
Within the public services counter-terrorism strategies, there are many methods of prevention that,
whilst upholding people rights to security and safety, other human rights may have to be put to one
side. For example, everyone has the right to freedom of speech and expression. Britain is known as a
free will country, and freedom of speech and expression is an important value of British culture. As
well as this, human rights are set and maintained by the European court of human rights. This means
that, technically preaching extremist views and spreading terrorist propaganda should be legal and
someone's basic human right. As this could potentially cause people to convert to extremism,
seriously offend some people, and eventually end up in people being severely harmed, it raises a
moral argument about whether terrorist suspects should be oppressed to prevent harm and
whether some of their rights should be limited to save tensions when upholding the publics rights to
security. This would in turn, take away their right to freedom of speech and expression but ensure
the right of security for everyone else. This does however disobey the European court of human
rights. In my opinion, an extremist terrorist should not have the right to spread harmful material
around and preach their extremist beliefs. I think that suppressing their right to freedom of speech
and expression prevents others from losing their right to security. I think that the public services
counter-terrorism agencies have made the right decision and dealt with the controversial methods
