Analysis of Terrorist Organizations According to the U.S. Department of State and the European Union.

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The United States and the European Union employ divergent strategies for classifying terrorist organizations, reflecting their priorities and legal frameworks. The U.S. system, led by the Department of State, is based on the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1996, prioritizing the protection of national interests and rapid responses to emerging threats. It includes groups like Al-Qaeda, ISIS, and the FARC, assessed based on their threat to national security, terrorist activity, and foreign nature. The European Union operates under Common Position 2001/931/CFSP, requiring judicial evidence to include organizations on its list. This approach emphasizes cooperation among member states and transparency but may be slower when addressing urgent threats. Examples of listed groups include Hamas, Hezbollah, and the PKK, evaluated based on terrorist acts, impact on member states, and legal proceedings. Both approaches have strengths and weaknesses. While the U.S. acts swiftly and flexibly, its lack of transparency may draw criticism (Hoffman, 2006). In contrast, the EU ensures greater legitimacy through legal processes, though with less agility (Guild & Bigo, 2019). These differences underscore the need for a balance between speed and legitimacy in global counterterrorism efforts. Ideally, combining these models could optimize the response to terrorism, addressing both immediate security needs and the protection of human rights and democratic principles (Helfer, 2020).