Domestic Terrorism

 

Domestic terrorism is a problem that has become quite prevalent in the modern world to such an extent that it is increasingly viewed as more of a threat than international terrorism. It can be defined as being a form of terrorism which involves individuals undertaking activities that targets their own countries. The significance of this situation cannot be underestimated because it involves individuals essentially seeking to ensure that their actions give public attention to them and to their cause. Moreover, it is a situation that is also known as homegrown because the perpetrators, targets, and venues can all be found within the same country (Enders, Sandler and Gaibulloev 319). Consequently, the logical consideration in this case is to determine the manner through which domestic terrorism takes place, including its origins as well as the perpetrators. It is also essential to make sure that the motivations of the perpetrators are considered because there are numerous grievances and causes for such terrorism. However, among the most prevalent acts of domestic terrorism come about because of radicalization, especially from a religious perspective, as well as lone wolf attacks, which happen because of grievances concerning a diversity of personal or social problems. This paper makes an analysis of a diversity of aspects concerning domestic terrorism, including such factors as radicalization and lone wolf attacks that have become quite prevalent in the United States in recent years.

Facts on Domestic Terrorism

Domestic terrorism is not a new occurrence and in fact, has been quite prevalent throughout modern history. However, it is noteworthy that incidents have become more prevalent since the end of the Cold War, as the military conflicts that have developed as a result have created an environment within which violent non-state actors have sought to carry put unconventional warfare (Aliyev 1973). The significance of this can be seen in the increase of terrorist attacks, as seen through the way that attacks in the United States have in recent years taken place. Furthermore, intelligence agencies have also successfully foiled a number of terrorist attacks through the use of intelligence collected by law enforcement as well as domestic intelligence. Furthermore, there has been an increase in the number of terrorist sites as well as the volume of literature on the subject since the 9/11 attacks. The former have ensured that a small but considerable number of American nationals have ended up becoming radicalized to such an extent that they have become more willing to ensure that they carry out terrorist activities against their compatriots and countries (Hardcastle 271-72). Websites that support terrorist activities have proliferated on the internet and these are readily available to citizens; helping to account for the increase in homegrown terrorist activities.

Lone Wolf Terrorism and Radicalization

Lone wolf terrorism accounts for a majority of domestic terrorism incidents and this is significant because it involves a scenario where individuals tend to act on their own (Spaaij 854). The perpetrators are usually those who are essentially social outcasts or those whose attempts at gaining acceptance from the rest of society have failed because of rejection. Beginning in the early 21^st century, there has been a prevalent of lone wolf terrorism that has been associated with individuals influenced by such ideologies as white supremacy, anti-government extremism, and Islamic fundamentalism (Springer 1). A consequence has been such attacks have not only become unexpected, but they have become a serious challenge for law enforcement because of the failure to discover some of these plots early so that they can be prevented. It is a sign of the considerable social problems that have plagued society in recent years, and the need to ensure that there are stronger social institutions to which individuals can turn in order to gain the support they need to prevent them from taking such radical actions. Understanding the motivations of individuals could also help in making sure that there is the establishment of policies aimed at identifying potential perpetrators and helping to steer them away from the path of terrorism through constant surveillance.

There are a number of criteria that can be used to identify and describe lone wolf terrorists. The have been proposed by Terry Turchie and Kathleen Puckett as they seek to ensure that there is an understanding of the circumstances that lead to these individuals taking on such harmful activities (Turchie and Puckett 240). These include the fact that the acts of terrorism are often planned by individuals or a group whose activities are not organized. Furthermore, the individual that undertakes such actions are willing to use deadly violence as a means of achieving their goals. Additionally, the primary goal of these lone wolves is usually religious, ideological, or political in scope, with the perpetrators often being radicalized in their views. However, it should be noted that there is no single pathway towards acts of domestic terrorism. While this may be the case, it is pertinent to consider that most of the perpetrators tend to be members of the military, high school dropouts, and those facing a range of financial problems (Ghatak and Prins 218). These individuals will often become radicalized through exposure to radical literature and videos as well as having suffered from discrimination, especially among those from minority communities.

Conclusion

The above discussion has analyzed a diversity of aspects concerning domestic terrorism, which include radicalization and lone wolf attacks that have become quite prevalent in the United States. The threat of domestic terrorism is one that is not to be underestimated, especially when one considers the increase in incidents since the beginning of the 21^st century from individuals that have either been radicalized or are essentially social outcasts that use terrorism as an outlet for their frustrations with society. The rise in incidents shows that there is a need to ensure a change in approach to social problems by policymakers in a way that allows for the creation of a more understanding environment that prevents the rise of domestic terrorists in future.