Introduction to Contemporary Terrorism

September 11, 2001 showed the American people that a new world threat and philosophy has placed our government, military and law enforcement agencies in a combatant role never before seen. This has caused a rethinking at all these levels on how to plan a war against a force whose philosophy and methods are completely contrary to the conventional way wars were fought in the past. The focus of the “terrorist” is to make the American people feel unsafe in their workplace, schools, travel, buildings, and homes and in the pursuit of their leisure activities. By doing this, they plan to bring attention and submission to their cause. This new war is very different in many respects. Fighting this threat requires efforts on many fronts including the population at large. Terrorism is not a new phenomenon but the scope of the terrorist threat is heightened by the onset of technology and the availability of weapons of mass destruction. The modern day terrorist, especially religious terrorist groups, is not averse to using WMD. When we compare contemporary terrorists to past terrorist activities we see the emergence of religious fundamentalist and new religious groups espousing the rhetoric of mass-destruction terrorism. Consequently, the most dangerous terrorist is likely to be the religious terrorist. Unlike the average political or social terrorist, who has a defined mission that is somewhat measurable in terms of media attention or government reaction, the religious terrorist can justify the most heinous acts "in the name of Allah," Of all the new breeds of increasingly dangerous religious terrorists that emerged in the 1990s, the most dangerous type is the Islamic fundamentalist. This essay will assist you in understanding the terrorist threat currently facing the United States along with a brief history of acts of terrorism in the United States and what you, as an individual, can do to be vigilant in identifying suspicious behavior and taking the proper action to combat terrorism . Current terrorist groups will be identified with a brief explanation of their organizational structure. I will define domestic and international terrorism and its ties to state sponsored terrorism. I will attempt to give you an understanding of identifying suspicious persons and behavior whether it is in public places, work site or in your neighborhood.