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Are there similarities and differences between organized crime and terrorism?
political effects of 9/11
political effects of 9/11
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September 11, 2001 is a day that many people will never forget. It was the day that the realities of terrorism became apparent to the American public. Several movies were made to honour the heroes of that day and to remember the consequences of terrorism. However, there is more to terrorism that remains unseen in the events of this one day. How do terrorist groups operate? What other activities are they involved in when not violently killing thousands? How does organized crime differ from terrorism? Organized crime groups and terrorist groups often operate using the same methods but they differ in the motives behind their actions.
Terrorist groups and organized crime groups often appear to be similar or even the same. Terrorist groups often become involved in organized crime and organized crime groups to fund their political activities (Linden, 467). In other cases, organized crime groups may become involved in acts of terror and political struggles (Linden, 467). It is not surprising then that people may think they are the same. Furthermore, they often use similar methods and participate in similar activities. For example, when operating transnationally, both terrorist and organized crime groups often use a “network structure” (Shelley and Picarelli, 306). The network structure operates using “loosely-organized networks of cells” which provide the secrecy required to function (Shelley and Picarelli, 307). Both tend to find holes in the police network so as to not be caught (Shelley and Picarelli, 307). Another similarity is the tendency to intermingle illegal and legal proceedings and use money laundering to make them difficult to trace (Shelley and Picarelli, 308). Both are also involved in activities such as human trafficking ...
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... illegal activity among legal ones, and participate in such enterprises as drugs and human trafficking. Organized crime, however, is interested in money, whereas terrorism is politically motivated. As a result, the actions of terrorist groups are designed to send political messages, whereas organized crime operates to protect their sources of revenue. September 11 opened the eyes of the West to there realities of terroristm. After that day, United Nations conventions were held to discuss new laws for fighting terrorism (Linden, 467). Canada passed new laws which “provided new definitions for terrorism and terrorist groups” and limited the ability to finance terrorist groups (Linden, 467). These laws will also inhibit organized crime (Linden, 467). Crime organizations and terrorist groups are connected, and thus to combat one, the other needs to be combatted as well.
On the morning of September 11, 2001, 19 terrorists (with strong ties to Al Qaeda), on four separate planes, slaughtered almost 3000 civilians at the World Trade Center and at the Pentagon ("9/11 Attacks"). Al Qaeda is widely known as the most feared terrorist organization. It is a global Islamic militant organization, and its location cannot be determined because of its secrecy and the fact that its militants operate all over the world. It commits acts that are considered terrorism. Terrorism is the use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims (Currie 70). Al Qaeda plans to do just this with the terror that they invoke. Al Qaeda did not start as an organization made for terror. Instead, it started as a legitimate military base for the training of the mujahideen, who were the group fighting against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan. Osama bin Laden started Al Qaeda with the money that his wealthy Saudi father left him when he died, when the Soviets invaded Afghanistan (Moyer). He called the invasion an attack on Islam itself. Soon enough, though, Al Qaeda grew into a group recruiting bloody jihadis, spreading fear, and punishing those against their views. (Currie 70-71)
The FBI defines terrorism as “the unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof in furtherance of political or social objectives (fbi.gov).” By this definition, terrorism can be classified as internal or international based on the overall intent of the attack. Terrorism has been around since the beginning of time, but it’s only since 2011 that the world has come to fully understand the meaning of terrorism. The following paragraphs will highlight four different types of terrorist attacks that all took place within the United States spanning over a 40 year time period.
Drug trafficking and terrorism are illegal clandestine activities with strong national security and law enforcement threat components and operational similarities. Terrorists like drug traffickers, need weapons and engage in violence to achieve goals. Terrorists, like drug traffickers, are often involved in hiding and laundering sources of funds. Both terrorists and drug traffickers operate transnationally, and often get logistical and operational support from local ethnic satellite communities. Both groups often rely on the criminal community for support: they may need smuggled weapons, forged documents and safe houses to operate effectively. Finally, both groups need a steady cash flow to operate. In the case of terrorists, where state sources of funding are rapidly diminishing, drug trafficking is an attractive funding option. Increasingly, terrorist organizations are looking to criminal activity and specifically the drug trade as a source of funding. The FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces, a guerilla force) in Colombia are but one of many cases in point.
This problem is a direct result of the “gray areas” that make it difficult to tell the difference between a common crime and a political crime. It combines the two acts into one, blurring the line of distinction (Anderson). The government being attacked sees it as a common criminal attack on its sovereignty, while the terrorist sees it as a legitimate means to an end. The government behind which the terrorist is trying to...
According to Money Laundering: A Guide for Criminal Investigators, terrorist financing originates from four sources: criminal activity, legitimate or semi legitimate business, government or state sponsorship and charitable contributions or donations (Madinger, 279). Contrary to public belief, many terrorist organizations solicit money directly from the local community. By soliciting donations and contributions, the organization is able to legitimately raise money for their operations. In addition, the role of states sponsoring terrorism through monetary contributions continues to be a growing threat. According to the US State Department, countries that are currently directly sponsoring terrorism include: Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Sudan and Syria (US State Department). In an effort to elude detection from authorities and to continue funding their organizations, terrorists also finance themselves through legitimate businesses. The Provisional Irish Republican Army oper...
A crime and conflict nexus is very important seeing that it increases the utility of both organizations while putting them closer to obtaining their goal. These connections between the two groups affect individual and state security in drastic ways. Louise I. Shelley, author of Dirty Entanglements: Corruption, Crime, and Terrorism analyses six major terrorist attacks over the past two decades, including nine-eleven
Terrorism is not a new concept and although the treat has been highlighted by the events of September 11th, there has been a history of terrorism in America leading as far back as the establishment of the country. Although the proverb of “one mans terrorist is another mans freedom fighter” can be true on certain accounts, there is a distinction. The CIA uses a definition outlined by Title 22 Section 2656f(d) of the US Code, which states, "terrorism means premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against noncombatant targets by subnational groups or clandestine agents ” (2013). This definition has two important aspects, politically motivated violence and the targeting noncombatants. These two aspects address the motive and methods of a terrorist organization. Through the understanding of this definition it becomes clear that organizations like Al-Qaeda are ...
Finding a proper, well-accepted definition of what constitutes terror is extremely difficult. There are many challenges that confront scholars, experts, and everyday people when it comes to defining terrorism and terrorists. Differing backgrounds and cultures of those defining terror in addition to differing histories are just one of the many challenges facing those that wish to define terror. Furthermore, labeling a group or an individual as a terrorist could be considered offensive, especially in today’s politically correct environment, potentially damaging those in the political arena. However, on the flip side, labeling someone as a terrorist can also serve a political purpose as in the case of being propaganda towards a war effort, or to help define an enemy. Nevertheless, the main problem with not being able to have a widely accepted definition of terrorism is that “It is impossible to formulate or enforce international agreements against terrorism” (Ganor, 300).
Herman, E. & Sullivan, G. O.1989. The Terrorism Industry: The Experts and Institutions That Shape Our View of Terror. New York: Pantheon.
In the United States, a violent crime occurs every 25.3 seconds and a property crime occurs every 4 seconds (Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2017). Black’s Law Dictionary defines crime as an act that violates a public law, or a breach of some public right to the community (Black’s Law Dictionary). Crimes are generally split into two categories: property crimes and violent crimes. Some examples of property crimes are arson, larceny, burglary, and robbery. Violent crimes include murder, assault, rape, and manslaughter. While crime is often committed by individuals, there are sometimes larger, organized groups of people committing these heinous acts, otherwise known as organized crime groups. When many think of organized crime, the first things
Discuss the relationship between terrorist organizations and the raising of, transfer of, and use of funds.?
The U.S. Department of State defines terrorism as, “The calculated use of unlawful violence or threat of unlawful violence to inculcate fear; intended to coerce or to intimidate governments or societies in the pursuit of goals that are generally political, religious, or ideological”. Whereas the Belgium Red Cross says that terrorism is committed “for the purpose of intimidating the population, forcing a third party to act or destablishing or destroying the fundamental structures of a country or of an international organization”.
Terrorism is one of the most extensively discussed issues of our time and at the same time it is also one of the least understood. The term itself “terrorism” means many different things to different people, cultures, and races. As a result, trying to define or classify terrorism with one universal definition is nearly impossible. The definition of terrorism used in this research is a reflection of much of the Western and American way of defining it. The definition of terrorism is,
Terrorism has many forms, and many definitions. “Elements from the American definitional model define terrorism as a premeditated and unlawful act in which groups or agents of some principal engage in a threatened or actual use o...
On September 11, 2001, the destruction of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon changed the mindset and the opinion of nearly every American on the one of the most vital issues in the 21st century: terrorism (Hoffman 2). Before one can begin to analyze how the United States should combat such a perverse method of political change, one must first begin to understand what terrorism is, where it is derived from, and why there is terrorism. These issues are essential in America’s analysis of this phenomenon that has revolutionized its foreign policy and changed America’s stance in the world.