Terrorist Violence Research Articles

Siege: “Sheer Political Terror”

This article examines James Mason’s publication Siege, perhaps the most important text for neo-Nazis worldwide today. Taking a deep dive into the contents and various editions of this text, Johnson and Feldman treat Siege thematically, moving from vehement antisemitism and anti-black racism to Mason’s revolutionary doctrines and advocacy of terroristic violence. The form taken by the latter is self-directed (or ‘lone wolf’) terrorism, which Mason was the earliest to champion on amongst neo-Nazi militants. Some of Mason’s violent legacies are then traced to the plethora of neo-Nazi cells and movements to have emerged in recent years, demonstrating how Siege has been a catalyst for attempts to overthrow the ‘System’ of democracy in favor or a neo-Nazi ethno-state.

Action Zealandia, New Zealand’s Aspiring Brownshirts

Most far right terrorist violence is now committed by individuals who have radicalised in physical isolation, although often deeply engaged in online extremist communities. At the same time, many far right groups do not engage in terrorism despite the militant views and violent rhetoric of their members. This article contributes to the study of the avoidance of mass casualty terrorism by extremist groups through an in-depth examination of New Zealand’s main white nationalist group, Action Zealandia. The literature on this topic finds that groups sometimes strategize that terrorist attacks would be counter-productive to longer term and more important political goals. Our study of Action Zealandia, based on eighteen months of participation in the group by one of the authors, supports this hypothesis. We contend that groups such as Action Zealandia often see themselves as the seeds of a mass nationalist movement rather than the perpetrators of mass casual-ty terrorist violence. We therefore propose a typology of violent far right extremist actors: Individual Actor; Paramilitary Group; and Terrorist Group. We place Action Zealandia within the Paramilitary Group type, a category of extremist actors that poses a less violent but longer-term risk to society.

L’Islam de France ou les Banlieues de la Laïcité

Since the 1980s, the question of Islam in France has been an element of the smaller and larger fears of French society. First exploited by the countries of origin of Muslim immigrants or by mayors of suburbs wishing to use religious associations to combat delinquency, the construction of Islam in France quickly came up against a current situation made up of the successive “affairs of Islamic veil”, controversies over secularism and terrorist violence in a context of rising extreme right-wing political trends riding on concerns about security. This article delineates these disparate but related trends and events that turn “Islam in France” into a “Muslim problem” which leads to a separate, “exceptional,” legal approach to citizens of Muslim faith.

The Assassinations of the Ancient Jewish Sicarii from an Intelligence Analysis Perspective. Josephus Flavius Reexamined

The authors recognise that contemporary international terrorism is no different from acts of the terrorist violence of antiquity. The aim of their research is to go beyond traditional historiography and to confront the descriptions of the Jewish Sicarii made by the ancient historian Josephus with the knowledge of modern security science, forensic science, medicine and the tactics of modern cold-steel terrorists . This procedure allows to show the extraordinary organisational prowess (efficiency and effectiveness) of the ancient political and terrorist movement. The authors recognise that this group must have used methods that today could also be described as intelligence and counter-detection. Seen in this way, the part of Josephus' account that has not yet been commented on in the literature in this context raises serious doubts about the details of the cold steel attacks, since they seem to have been well planned, executed, and used in political activity. This was by no means the activity of 'lone wolves'.

Anti-Blast Performance of Polyurea-Coated Concrete Arch Structures

With the increasing number of violent terrorist attacks around the world, it is quite a common to improve the anti-blast performance of structures by reinforcing the exterior of the structure. In order to explore the dynamic performance of polyurea reinforced concrete arch structures, a three-dimensional finite element model was established by LS-DYNA software in this paper. Under the condition of ensuring the validity of the simulation model, the dynamic response of the arch structure under the blast load is investigated. Deflection and vibration of the structure under different reinforcement models are discussed. The optimum thickness of reinforcement (approximately 5 mm) and the strengthening method for the model were found by deformation analysis. The vibration analysis shows that the vibration damping effect of the sandwich arch structure is relatively excellent, but increasing the thickness and number of layers of the polyurea does not necessarily achieve a better vibration damping function for the structure. By reasonable design of the polyurea reinforcement layer and concrete arch structure, a protective structure with excellent performance of anti-blast and vibration damping can be created. Polyurea can be used as a new form of reinforcement in practical applications.

Building sustainable community resilience and business preparedness through stakeholder perspective

PurposeThe paper aims to examine business and community-based organizations’ efforts to increase engagement in building resilience to violent acts of terrorism in the community. Businesses and community-based organizations are now being called upon to join the wider preparedness, response and recovery efforts in response to terrorist violence.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative approach is used to explore the study. Data collection includes observation, analysis and interviews with practitioners and local stakeholders to document lessons learnt from all perspectives. Further to understand the role of private sector business and NGOs in building resilience to violent acts of terrorism in the community, 21 businesses were selected in the two cities of Shikarpur and Sukkur in the province of Sindh in Pakistan, during a period of high stress from terrorist violence between November and December 2020.FindingsCommunity-based organizations in study areas contribute to resilience to violent acts of terrorism through making financial or material donations to local resilience to violent acts of terrorism programmes and by contributing supplies to affected people. Findings indicate that the implementation of a wide spectrum of community engagement initiatives has increased awareness of terrorist violence amongst various segments of societies.Originality/valueThe study provides a combination of practical data along with review of literature. A practical approach to the data collection from organizations operating in terrorist-ridden areas and consequently developing and implementing strategies to resilience to violent acts of terrorism in the community.

Victimes collatérales : blessures et dépassements, le cas de Michèle L.

In this study, it will be shown that the repercussions of serious events (accidents, disasters, terrorist violence, wars…) on people who have not directly witnessed these facts (collateral victims) depend on the life stories and previous fragilities of these people. In the light of a new tool called “Meta-interview” associated with a structural analysis of discourse, we will examine the case of Michèle L. by suggesting that creative activity could constitute a possibility of repairing the wounds caused by these serious events.

Where to draw the line? Climate change-conflict-migration-terrorism causal relations and a contested politics of implication

This paper explores the politics of epistemological claims which link climate change, conflict, migration and terrorism in causal relationships. The paper contends that attempts to establish such causal relationships in conditions of empirical complexity are characterised by a contested politics of implication. Drawing on a critical discourse analysis of a UN Security Council debate on climate security (December 9, 2021), and the concept of linguistic implicature (referring to the non-explicit, inferential meanings which can follow from language use), the paper traces two logics which could suggest a politics of racial implication in climate security discourses: first, a compulsive climatic determinism which roots risks of terrorist violence in climate-affected populations; and second, a logic of proxy geographies in which dehumanisation could be implicated through natural world metaphors. Overall, this paper seeks to provide an understanding of how the inferential meanings associated with claims linking climate change, migration, conflict and terrorism could constitute potentially unequal outcomes in climate security politics and policymaking.

Provoking an Overreaction: Transborder Guerrilla Warfare in the Kenya-Somalia Borderlands

ABSTRACT Scholars have shed much light on the positive correlation between foreign military interventions and blowback in the form of transnational violence, such as terrorist and guerrilla attacks. While the strategies of transnational terrorism have been widely addressed in the literature, the strategies of transborder guerrilla warfare have received little attention. Since Kenya deployed troops to Somalia in 2011, Al-Shabaab has carried out reprisal attacks in Kenya in an attempt to wear down their opponents. Using new primary evidence from Somalia and Kenya, I demonstrate that Al-Shabaab frequently stages transborder guerrilla operations at the margins of Kenya with the intention of provoking a violent overreaction from the Kenyan state against ethnic Somalis who dominate the Kenya-Somalia borderlands. The resulting repressive governmental response has strengthened perceived divisions and mistrust among Kenyan Somalis, sparked virulent public anger in Somalia, and reinforced the public image of Kenya as an unfriendly foreign occupying force. Despite the costly militant casualties, the findings reveal that militant groups prioritize transborder guerrilla attacks over transnational terrorist violence primarily due to the resultant state repression against their presumed constituency. These findings contribute to the broader analytical literature on militant organizations’ strategic goals.

Stages of Indoctrination and a Pathway into terrorism: A perspective from Bangladesh

In a time and age of identities, violent extremism fueled by identity-based ideology comes as no surprise. Terrorist attacks from numerous groups take place globally, and Bangladesh has also encountered decades of terrorist violence since its independence particularly from groups that include Jamaat Ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh, Harkat Ul-Jihad Al-Islami Bangladesh, among others. An aspect that requires deeper understanding is the process of how individuals make their way into terrorist organizations. This paper examines the stages of indoctrination experienced by individuals who were recruited into Bangladeshi terrorist outfits. . The research was conducted with grounded theory methodology, using the bottom to up inductive process, for construction of an explanatory framework. Primary data was collected from in depth semi-structured interviews of individuals who had been recruited into Bangladeshi terrorist outfits and law enforcement officials. Findings have identified stages of indoctrination inspired by Sageman’s model of radicalization (Sageman, 2007), Moghaddam’s Staircase to Terrorism (Moghaddam, 20017) and the New York Police Department’s four factors (NYPD, 2007).

Regional Security and Threat Dynamics: Lake Chad Region in Perspective

The Lake Chad (LC) region today is at crossroads, facing enormous security challenges from the Boko Haram / ISWAP insurgency with very important implications for regional stability. The largely unsecured borders of the region provide platforms for terrorist activities. Unarguably, cross-border security is a historical concern for the Lake Chad region countries. The authors attempt to explore the emerging regionalisation of (in) security and externality of threats around the Lake Chad region. Using the framework of Regional Security Complex Theory (RSCT), it conceptualises regional security within the trajectories of the threat in the region. RSCT provides a theoretical and conceptual framework for understanding the emergent structure and dynamics of regional security. The paper adopts the qualitative research method which offers an in-depth description and analysis of the regionalisation of security threats in the LC region. The paper unveils that despite a plethora of research on resurging threats of violent terrorism and the huge publicity of Boko Haram activities in the Lake Chad region, little is known within academia on the element of ethno-cultural and historical tendencies in regional security in the LC region. It thus posits that addressing the challenge of regional security, especially in the Lake Chad would require holistic approach that takes into consideration the ethno-cultural and historical ties and challenges of the region.

Legitimization of Terrorism

This article presents the results of a survey carried out in December 2020 in which a questionnaire was answered by Basque university youth on the topic of the legitimization of ETA terrorist violence. Contrary to previous surveys, this study was carried out after the official dissolution of ETA in 2018. 1,067 valid responses were obtained from young women and men between 18 and 25 years old residing in the Basque Country. The results confirm that most of the answers reject the use of violence as a political tool, but the youngest generations and those who identify themselves as only Basque express less forcefulness and less determination in the delegitimization of the existence of ETA.

Autonomy Italian Style: Sovereignty in Südtirol/Alto Adige

A critical legal thinking analysis of autonomy in Südtirol/Alto Adige is useful for rethinking Italian sovereignty in the province. Initiating with articles 5, 6, and 116 of the Italian Constitution (1948) and subsequently with two statutes of autonomy (1948 and 1972) with several amendments, a particular system of law was constructed in the context of the Italian regional state.Several historical events have also determined the current Südtirol/Alto Adige autonomous status. Most notably during the aftermath of World War I, it was subject to a change in sovereignty from Austria to Italy. Soon after, during the fascist period, a failed attempt at so-called Italianization dramatically lessened the rights of the Ladin and German-speaking majority. Moreover, following the devastation of World War II autonomy was granted but not fully accepted in its original form by the majority of the population in Südtirol/Alto Adige. As a consequence, the political movement for self-determination became more relevant and terrorist violence emerged. The international community stepped up to the conflict and the Italian government established a new form of autonomy that brought justice and peace.Thereafter, Südtirol/Alto Adige’s autonomy has received support and recognition from the United Nations, the European Union, and other international organizations.

TERRORISM VIOLENCE: ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF EDUCATION PROGRAMS THROUGH MASS MEDIA ON THE ADOPTION OF SECURITY MEASURES IN BURKINA FASO

This paper investigates the impact of mass media education programs (MEP) on the adoption of security measures in the context of terrorism in Burkina Faso. We collected information using questionnaires and key informant interviews in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. The results suggest that individuals who were educated on terrorism through MEP display higher intentions to adopt security measures and tend to have positive attitudes toward the role of media in fighting terrorism violence.

THE PERCEPTION OF ASJA LACIS IN ITALY: IMPACT ON THEATRE, EDUCATION, AND POLITICS

The 1970s in Italy proved to be the time of both intense cultural renewal and growing political tension, followed by street fights and violent terrorism. The breaking of traditional social and cultural models and high achievements went hand in hand in this stormy environment, facilitated by both the desire of the individual to break free and collective creativity. The latter was sustained by left-wing intellectuals and artists. Also felt was the necessity to secure once again the leading role of theatre in culture and society. In 1976, left-wing editor Feltrinelli published the translation of Asja Lācis's memoirs into Italian, entitled "Professione - rivoluzionaria" (Profession - Revolutionist), with an introductory essay on agitprop theatre in the Weimar Republic by the author of the present paper. Those turbulent years were the fertile soil that ensured the positive perception of the book and its strong impact on theatre and education, as well as the political and cultural domains. The trespassing of officially established theatre boundaries, which developed the ideas of collectivism and overtness of the individual's life, was inspired by Asja's innovative experience - it encouraged numerous theatre artists to rediscover the ethical sense in their routine work.

Burnings, Beatings, and Bombings: Disaggregating Anti-Christian Violence in Egypt, 2013–2018

What are the determinants of ethnic violence? Existing research has forwarded a range of often competing explanations, from political opportunism to economic competition to state incapacity. We argue that this diversity of accounts is attributable, in part, to scholars’ tendency to lump together distinct forms of ethnic violence that have different underlying determinants. We propose that scholars instead disaggregate ethnic violence and put forward a typology based on the target of the attack (properties vs. individuals) and whether assailants use arms. We demonstrate the utility of this typology by applying it to an original dataset of ethnic attacks against Christians in Egypt from 2013 to 2018. In addition to a set of shared factors, we find that unarmed attacks against property (“burnings”) are the product of political mobilization, unarmed attacks against individuals (“beatings”) are related to socioeconomic tensions, and armed attacks (“bombings”) follow the strategic logic of terrorist violence.

Guilty knowledge: A postcolonial inquiry into knowledge, suspicion, and responsibility in the fight against terrorism financing

AbstractThis article studies practices of knowledge production during counterterrorism financing court cases in European courts. Developments in international law have contributed to novel regulations to criminalise and prosecute the funding of terrorism in advance of terrorist violence. In this study, we study how court cases have become important spaces for contesting and evaluating multiple knowledge claims on terrorist threat and suspicion by analysing case proceedings from both the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Building on recent debates in International Relations and postcolonial theory, we make two contributions. First, building on insights from postcolonial literature on ‘abyssal thinking’, we illustrate how legal practices differentiate between different ways of knowing by dismissing certain experiences as ‘emotional’ or ‘subjective’ in contrast to the assumed objectivity of other knowledge claims. We argue that decisions on what counts as knowledge in a court setting are situated in a specific sociopolitical setting, whereby particular knowledge and life-worlds are recognised at the expense of others. Second, we empirically show how the novel criminal laws shifts the responsibility to know terrorist threat from the state to ordinary citizens. We illustrate how the court reinforces new security logics where the state can entertain doubt, uncertainty, and trust in their practices, while the citizens cannot.

P‐2.5: Overview and Prospect of the Application of Immersive VR in Simulating Emergency Response

P‐2.5: Overview and Prospect of the Application of Immersive VR in Simulating Emergency Response

Understanding Africa’s terrorism debacle: a critical analysis of counterterrorism in Burkina Faso

ABSTRACT Despite Burkina Faso’s emergence as a strong player in terrorism activity in Africa, the country is practically overlooked by Critical Terrorism Studies scholarship. This article is framed at the intersection of Critical Terrorism Studies and Postcolonialism, investigating how a “critical” examination of the terrorism situation in Burkina Faso could advance our knowledge of terrorism in Africa. In-depth interviews were conducted with senior military officers and security practitioners in and out of Burkina Faso. These interviews, together with political speeches and media reports, were analysed using Critical Discourse Analysis. The study found a bifurcated counterterrorism policy in Burkina Faso with overdependence on “sticks” approaches, yet without the funds or morale to implement them. This is, however, not unique to Burkina Faso, as countries like Nigeria and Kenya have also struggled with the ineffective use of force to tackle terrorism violence. The article argues that the Western-centric post-9/11 global discourse on terrorism transposed and patronised a kind of uncritical terrorism knowledge to African spaces, effectively contributing to the lack of progress in addressing the incessant violence. It recommends to African policy makers to rethink counterterrorism from African philosophical standpoints, view preponderant terrorism knowledge more critically, and adopt context-specific measures against terrorism violence.

Creating space for agonism: making room for subalternised voices in peace research

ABSTRACT How can researchers do more than ‘do no harm’ and have a positive impact in the contexts in which they intervene? These are classic questions of PAR, which also apply to peace research. How can research practice contribute to peace? There is an intimate relationship between power, violence and silence. Hence, working with subalternised voices, subject to epistemic violence, poses a methodological challenge for social sciences in which words are data. This paper presents a research method that allows for constructive confrontation in contexts of terrorist violence in European cities, generally considered to be at peace. This method consists of organising public debate in collaboration with community organisations in a neighbourhood directly affected by the aftermath of a wave of terrorist attacks in France. In the case of the Université Populaire, the organisation of public debates allowed for the public expression of agonism, and was a source of hope and prefigurative politics. Exploring this case, this article contributes to discussions about how to deal with the challenges of pluralism within current peace research.