Study Guide to Terrorism - PDF

Terrorist Organizations and Groups: Sinn Féin - refers to the party's historical association with the IRA, which used violence to try to end British rule in Northern Ireland. Narodnaya Volya - People's Will") was a 19th-century Russian revolutionary group that used terrorism, including assassina...

Terrorist Organizations and Groups: Sinn Féin - refers to the party's historical association with the IRA, which used violence to try to end British rule in Northern Ireland. Narodnaya Volya - People's Will") was a 19th-century Russian revolutionary group that used terrorism, including assassinations, to overthrow the Tsarist regime and establish a socialist government. Irish Republican Army (I.R.A.) - was a paramilitary group that used violence, including bombings and assassinations, to end British rule in Northern Ireland and unite Ireland. Real Irish Republican Army (R.I.R.A.) - is a splinter group of the IRA that continues to use violence and terrorism to oppose British presence in Northern Ireland and reject the peace process. Continuity Irish Republican Army (C.I.R.A.) - is a dissident Irish republican paramilitary group that opposes the Good Friday Agreement and uses violence to try to end British rule in Northern Ireland. It is designated as a terrorist organization by the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union. Irish National Liberation Army (I.N.L.A.) - was a paramilitary group that used violence, including bombings and assassinations, to seek a socialist republic and end British rule in Northern Ireland. It is designated as a terrorist organization by the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union. Provisional Irish Republican Army (P.I.R.A.) - was the main IRA faction that used armed violence, including bombings and shootings, during The Troubles to end British rule in Northern Ireland and achieve Irish reunification. Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (F.AR.C.) - was a Marxist-Leninist guerrilla group that used terrorism, kidnapping, and drug trafficking to fight the Colombian government and push for agrarian and political reforms. It was designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, and others, though it signed a peace deal with the Colombian government in 2016 and has since transitioned into a political party. National Liberation Army (E.L.N.) - is a Marxist guerrilla group in Colombia that has used kidnappings, bombings, and extortion to oppose the government and push for socialist reforms. It is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, and the Colombian government. Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (E.T.A.) - was a Basque separatist group in Spain that used bombings and assassinations to fight for an independent Basque state. It is designated as a terrorist organization by Spain, the European Union, and the United States. Sinaloa Cartel - is a powerful Mexican drug trafficking organization known for using extreme violence, including assassinations and kidnappings, to control drug routes and territory. It is considered a transnational criminal and terrorist organization by several countries, including the United States. Caucasus Emirate - is an Islamist militant organization that seeks to establish an independent Islamic state in the North Caucasus region of Russia. It has used terrorism, including bombings and attacks on civilians, and is designated as a terrorist organization by Russia, the United States, and others. Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (I.S.I.L.) - is a jihadist militant group that aims to establish a global Islamic caliphate. Known for extreme violence, including bombings, executions, and terrorist attacks, it is designated as a terrorist organization by the United Nations, the United States, and many other countries. Komitet Gosudarstvennoy Bezopasnosti (K.G.B.) - was the main security and intelligence agency of the Soviet Union, responsible for state security, intelligence gathering, and counterintelligence. While not a terrorist organization, the KGB was known for employing covert tactics, including surveillance, espionage, and repression of political dissent during the Cold War era. Los Pepes - was a vigilante group in Colombia in the 1990s, made up of individuals and organizations with ties to drug cartels, primarily aiming to take down the notorious Medellín Cartel and its leader, Pablo Escobar. The group used violent tactics, including assassinations and bombings, and was accused of working with Colombian law enforcement in its fight against Escobar’s cartel. Los Zetas - is a criminal organization in Mexico originally formed by former elite military personnel. Known for their extreme violence, including massacres, kidnappings, and drug trafficking, Los Zetas became one of the most powerful and feared cartels in Mexico. They are designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and are involved in a wide range of illicit activities. Shining Path - (Sendero Luminoso) is a Maoist guerrilla group in Peru that engaged in violent actions, including bombings, assassinations, and kidnappings, to overthrow the government and establish a communist state. It is designated as a terrorist organization by Peru, the United States, and other countries. Definitions: Dehumanization - is the psychological process of depriving individuals or groups of human qualities, making them seem less than human. This often leads to the justification of mistreatment, violence, or discrimination against them, as they are seen as undeserving of moral consideration or rights Gulags - were a system of forced labor camps in the Soviet Union, where political prisoners, criminals, and other perceived enemies of the state were subjected to harsh conditions, including brutal labor, poor food, and widespread abuse. The term “Gulag” stands for Glavnoe Upravlenie Lagerei (“Main Camp Administration”) and became synonymous with the repressive system under Joseph Stalin’s regime.  Article 58 - was a set of provisions in the Soviet penal code that criminalized various acts deemed counter-revolutionary or anti-Soviet. It was widely used to arrest, convict, and imprison political dissidents, intellectuals, religious figures, and others who were seen as threats to the regime. Under Article 58, individuals could be sentenced to long prison terms, forced labor, or even execution, often without fair trials. Ethnic Cleansing - refers to the deliberate, systematic removal or extermination of an ethnic, religious, or cultural group from a particular area, often through violence, forced displacement, or genocide. The goal is to create a homogenous population by eliminating or displacing people based on their ethnicity or identity. It is considered a violation of international law and a form of mass human rights abuse. Narcoterrorism - refers to the use of violence and terror by drug cartels or organizations involved in drug trafficking to achieve political, economic, or social goals. This often includes attacks on government officials, law enforcement, and civilians to intimidate or influence state policies regarding drug control, or to maintain control over illegal drug markets. Death Squad - is a paramilitary group or organization that operates outside the law to carry out extrajudicial killings, typically targeting political opponents, activists, or marginalized groups. These groups often act with the support or acquiescence of a government or powerful political figures and use violence as a means of intimidation or suppression. People: Michael Collins - was an Irish revolutionary leader who played a key role in the fight for Irish independence and in negotiating the Anglo-Irish Treaty. He was assassinated in 1922 during the Irish Civil War. Lord Mountbatten - was a British naval officer and statesman, most known for serving as the last Viceroy of India, overseeing the country’s independence in 1947. He was a cousin to Queen Elizabeth II and was assassinated by the IRA in 1979 during a bombing attack in Ireland. Josef Stalin - was the leader of the Soviet Union from the mid-1920s until his death in 1953. He is known for his totalitarian rule, the collectivization of agriculture, the Great Purge (a campaign of political repression), and his role in World War II. Stalin’s policies led to widespread famine, the deaths of millions, and the expansion of the Soviet state’s control over Eastern Europe. Margaret Thatcher - was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and the first woman to hold the office. Known as the “Iron Lady,” she implemented conservative economic policies, reduced the power of trade unions, and played a key role in ending the Cold War. She was a strong supporter of British rule in Northern Ireland and was targeted by the IRA in a 1984 bombing. Abu Hamza - is a radical Islamist cleric known for promoting extremist views and encouraging terrorism. He was the imam of Finsbury Park Mosque in London and was convicted in the UK for inciting violence and racial hatred. Later extradited to the United States, he was sentenced to life in prison in 2015 for terrorism-related charges, including supporting al-Qaeda and attempting to establish a terrorist training camp. Richard Reid - also known as the “Shoe Bomber,” is a British Islamist terrorist who attempted to blow up an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami in December 2001 using explosives hidden in his shoes. Passengers and crew subdued him before he could detonate the bomb. He was later convicted in the United States and sentenced to life in prison without parole. Joaquin “El Chappo” Guzman - is a former Mexican drug lord and leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, one of the most powerful and violent drug trafficking organizations in the world. He was known for smuggling massive amounts of drugs into the United States and for escaping prison multiple times. In 2019, he was extradited to the U.S., convicted on multiple charges, and sentenced to life in prison. Shamil Basayev - was a Chechen militant leader and key figure in the insurgency against Russian rule in Chechnya. He was responsible for several deadly terrorist attacks, including the 2004 Beslan school siege and the 2002 Moscow theater hostage crisis. Basayev was killed by Russian forces in 2006 and is considered one of the most notorious terrorists in Russia’s history. Viktor Yushchenko -is a Ukrainian politician who served as President of Ukraine from 2005 to 2010. He rose to prominence during the 2004 Orange Revolution, a peaceful protest movement against election fraud. During the campaign, he was poisoned with dioxin in a suspected assassination attempt, which severely disfigured his face. Despite this, he won the presidency and pursued pro-Western and democratic reforms.  Vladimir Lenin - was a Russian revolutionary and the founder of the Soviet Union. He led the Bolshevik Party during the 1917 Russian Revolution, which overthrew the provisional government and established a communist state. Lenin became the first leader of the Soviet Union and implemented radical socialist reforms before his death in 1924. Manuel Noriega - was a Panamanian military leader and de facto ruler of Panama from 1983 to 1989. He was involved in drug trafficking and money laundering while also working as an informant for the CIA. In 1989, the U.S. invaded Panama, captured Noriega, and later convicted him on drug and racketeering charges. He spent years in U.S., French, and Panamanian prisons before his death in 2017. Pablo Escobar - was a Colombian drug lord and leader of the Medellín Cartel, one of the most powerful and violent drug trafficking organizations in history. He was responsible for smuggling massive amounts of cocaine into the United States and used extreme violence, including assassinations and bombings, to maintain control. Escobar was killed by Colombian security forces in 1993. Terrorist Attacks: 1998 Car Bombing - was an attack by the Real IRA on August 15, 1998, in Northern Ireland, killing 29 people and injuring over 200. It was the deadliest incident of The Troubles and occurred just months after the Good Friday Agreement. Lockerbie Pan Am Flight 103 Bombing - occurred on December 21, 1988, when a bomb exploded on board a U.S. airliner over Lockerbie, Scotland. The attack killed all 259 people on the plane and 11 people on the ground. It was later attributed to Libyan agents, and in 2001, one suspect, Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, was convicted of the bombing. Madrid Bombings - occurred on March 11, 2004, when ten bombs were detonated on four commuter trains in Madrid, Spain. The attacks killed 191 people and injured over 2,000. Al-Qaeda-inspired militants claimed responsibility for the bombing, which was one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in Europe. July 7, 2005 London Bombings - were a series of coordinated suicide bomb attacks on the London public transit system. Four bombers targeted three subway trains and a bus, killing 52 people and injuring over 700. The attacks were carried out by Islamist extremists and were the deadliest terrorist act in the UK since the 1988 Lockerbie bombing.  Moscow Theater Attack - occurred on October 23, when Chechen militants took 850 hostages at the Dubrovka Theater during a performance of a musical. The attackers demanded the withdrawal of Russian forces from Chechnya. After a three-day standoff, Russian special forces used gas to subdue the attackers, but 130 hostages died, many due to the effects of the gas. Beslan School Attack - occurred on September 1, when a group of Chechen militants took more than 1,100 hostages, including children, at a school in Beslan, Russia. The siege lasted three days, and on the final day, Russian forces stormed the building. The attack resulted in the deaths of 334 people, including 186 children, and hundreds more were injured. Tlateloco Attack - refers to the 1968 Mexico City massacre that occurred on October 2, just days before the Olympic Games. Mexican military and police forces opened fire on student protesters and civilians who were demonstrating against the government in the Plaza de las Tres Culturas in Tlatelolco. The exact death toll is disputed, but it is estimated that hundreds were killed or injured. Transatlantic Bombing Plot - refers to a terrorist plan discovered in 2006, where Islamic extremists aimed to detonate liquid explosives on multiple flights traveling from the UK to North America. The plot was foiled by British authorities, leading to the arrest of 24 individuals. It was one of the most significant foiled terrorist plots in the UK and led to tighter security measures on international flights. 1999 Russian Apartment Bombings - series of explosions that targeted apartment buildings in Moscow, Buynaksk, and Volgodonsk, resulting in the deaths of nearly 300 people. The Russian government blamed Chechen militants, leading to the Second Chechen War. However, there has been widespread speculation and conspiracy theories suggesting possible involvement of elements within the Russian government to justify the war. 2015 Paris Attack - on November 13, when coordinated terrorist attacks were carried out by ISIS militants across multiple locations in Paris. The attackers targeted the Bataclan theater, several restaurants, and the Stade de France stadium, killing 130 people and injuring hundreds more. It was one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in Europe in recent years. Malaysia Airlines Flight 17- was shot down on July 17, 2014, while flying over eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board. The plane was hit by a missile fired from a Buk launcher, which was believed to have been operated by pro-Russian separatists. The attack occurred amid the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia-backed separatists, and an international investigation later concluded that the missile system came from Russia. Avianca Flight 203 Bombing - occurred on November 27, 1989, when a bomb exploded on board a Colombian airliner, Avianca Flight 203, killing all 110 people on board. The bombing was carried out by the Medellín Cartel, targeting presidential candidate César Gaviria, who was not on the flight but was the intended target. The attack was part of a broader strategy of violence by the cartel in response to government anti-drug efforts. 1995 Hospital Hostage Crisis -occurred in Moscow, Russia, when a group of armed Chechen rebels took over the Budennovsk Hospital on June 14. They held more than 1,000 hostages, including patients and staff, demanding an end to the war in Chechnya. After negotiations, Russian authorities allowed the rebels to leave the hospital, but the crisis ended in a violent standoff, resulting in the deaths of around 130 people. Mutual Israeli Argentinians (A.M.I.A.) Bombing -(Argentine Jewish Mutual Association) in Buenos Aires, Argentina, occurred on July 18, when a bomb exploded in the AMIA building, killing 85 people and injuring over 300. The attack targeted Argentina’s Jewish community, and despite investigations, the perpetrators remain largely unidentified. Hezbollah and Iran have been accused of involvement in the bombing, but no convictions have been made. It remains one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in Argentine history. Bastille Day Attack- occurred on July 14, 2016, in Nice, France, when a truck was driven into crowds celebrating Bastille Day on the Promenade des Anglais. The attack killed 86 people and injured more than 400. The attacker, Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, was shot and killed by police. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack, although there were questions about his direct connection to the group. Concepts: Great Britain’s first colony - Virginia, established in 1607 with the founding of Jamestown. It was the first permanent English settlement in North America and played a key role in British colonization.  Government of Ireland Act - was passed by the British Parliament in 1914. It aimed to create two autonomous regions within Ireland: Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland. However, its implementation was delayed due to World War I, and it never fully took effect. It laid the groundwork for later divisions and the eventual independence of the Republic of Ireland. The Troubles - was a violent conflict in Northern Ireland (1960s-1998) between Protestants wanting to stay part of the UK and Catholics seeking unification with Ireland. Libya and Terrorism - refers to Libya’s support for terrorist groups under Muammar Gaddafi, including involvement in the 1986 Berlin bombing and the 1988 Lockerbie bombing. Gaddafi later renounced terrorism in the early 2000s. Good Friday Agreement - 1998) was a peace deal that ended The Troubles in Northern Ireland, establishing power-sharing and cooperation between Northern Ireland, Ireland, and the UK. Red Terror - was a campaign of violence and repression carried out by the Bolshevik government in Soviet Russia from 1918 to 1922. It targeted perceived enemies of the revolution, including counter-revolutionaries, political opponents, and class enemies, leading to widespread executions and imprisonment Number of Organizations Outlawed by the British Government - Irish Republican Army (IRA) (and its factions) Provisional IRA, Real IRA, Continuity IRA, Irish National Liberation Army (INLA), National Front (UK far-right group)​ British Law Regarding Terrorism - allows the government to ban terrorist groups, arrest suspects, and prevent support for terrorism, mainly under the Terrorism Act 2000. French Law Regarding Terrorism - gives the government broad powers to prevent and respond to terrorism, including surveillance, house arrests, and extended detention. Laws were strengthened after major attacks, especially after 2015, and allow emergency measures to become permanent in some cases. Educational Institutions Targeted by Terrorism -include schools, universities, and teachers attacked to spread fear, suppress education, or push ideological agendas. Number of Terrorist Attacks Against the Russian Federation - The exact number varies by source, but over 1,000 attacks have been reported since the collapse of the Soviet Union.  Pankisi Gorge Area and Terrorism -is a region in northeastern Georgia, near the border with Chechnya, known for being a hideout for Chechen militants and Islamist extremists in the early 2000s. Some fighters from the area joined terrorist groups like al-Qaeda and later ISIS, raising international security concerns. Georgia has since increased security efforts in the region. Chechnya and Terrorism -are linked through separatist conflicts and Islamist extremism. After two wars with Russia (1994–1996 and 1999–2009), some Chechen rebels turned to terrorism, carrying out attacks like the Beslan school siege and the Moscow theater hostage crisis. Groups like the Caucasus Emirate emerged from this violence. Crimean Crisis - began in 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine following a disputed referendum. It was widely condemned by the international community and led to sanctions against Russia. The crisis escalated tensions between Russia, Ukraine, and Western countries, and sparked ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine. Dirty Bombs -or radiological dispersal devices (RDDs), are weapons that combine conventional explosives with radioactive material. They are designed to spread radiation and cause panic, not massive destruction. Their main threat is psychological and environmental, rather than explosive power. Organized Crime in Russia - involves criminal groups engaged in illegal activities like drug trafficking, extortion, human trafficking, and money laundering. These groups, such as the Russian mafia (also known as Bratva), became powerful after the collapse of the Soviet Union, exploiting weak law enforcement and corruption. They continue to have significant influence in both Russia and internationally. Human Rights and Cuba - have been a subject of international criticism, particularly regarding freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, and political repression. The Cuban government has been accused of suppressing political opposition, restricting media, and imprisoning dissidents. However, supporters argue that the government has made progress in healthcare and education for its citizens. Tri Border Area and Terrorism - refers to the region where Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay meet, known for its porous borders and significant illicit activity. This area has been linked to terrorist financing, with groups like Hezbollah allegedly operating there to raise funds through illegal activities, such as smuggling and money laundering. The region has been a concern for both local and international security agencies. El-Salvadorian Laws Based on Gangs and Terrorism - focus on combating violent gang activity, particularly from groups like MS-13 and the 18th Street Gang. The government has implemented harsh measures, including the Anti-Gang Law (2003), which criminalizes gang membership and related activities. In response to rising violence, the government also declared a state of emergency in certain areas, granting increased police powers. The laws have faced criticism for human rights violations and their impact on the broader population. Missing Nuclear Warheads in Ukraine -