Terrorist Bombs In The US Essay Research

Terrorist Bombs In The U.S. Essay, Research Paper

Although the people of the United States are still

concerned with the threat of international terrorists attacking

our land and citizens, there has been an alarming increase in

domestic terrorism that has raised the nation.s concern about

this problem. This increase in terrorist activity has not been

imported from other countries but has had it.s start within our

nations boundaries. This increased violence seems to be aimed

at influencing governmental policy and public opinion. .The

recent increase in domestic violence is said to be associated

with the rise of anti-government sentiment and the

proliferation of self-styled militia and paramilitary groups -

some of which take extremist positions on race, religion,

federal authority, gun control, or taxation (Fisher 1998)..

One of the most devastating and well known forms of

terrorism are bombings. Most of the violence associated with

anti-governmental attacks takes this form. According to a

recent Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) report,

bombings or attempted bombings increased from 2,098 in 1990 to

3,199 in 1994 (the latest year available), a 52% increase.

Property damage from bombings rose to $7.5 million, with 308

people injured and 31 killed. This does not take into account

the tragic Oklahoma City bombing in 1995. Some ATF experts

believe that it is the ready availability of materials and easy

access to instructions and explosives information on the

internet that has been the reason for this increase of

bombings.

There are several theories in the class text that help to

explain the justification behind the actions of these local

terrorist in our country. H. H. A. Cooper (1977) describes one

called the .doctrine of necessity.. He believes that these

terrorist cannot accept the world as it is and they also reject

the possibility of peaceful means for social change. This is

why they become terrorist. Cooper feels most of the terrorist

do not enjoy the thought of random violence and murder but that

they are driven by their utter hatred of the social status quo.

He believes the first step in being a terrorist is the violent

rejections of normative society. Although most terrorist do

not enjoy violence or wish to adopt terrorist methods, Cooper

feels that they are forced toward violence. Violence becomes

necessary because there is no other alternative for correcting

the injustices of contemporary society. This doctrine of

necessary violence, according to Cooper, justifies acts of

terrorism. This theory of Cooper.s can be seen in an example

from the Arson and Explosive Incident Report by the ATF.

October 11, 1995, The Arizona Desert. Unknown terrorists derail a passenger train

60 miles southwest of Phoenix. One person was killed and 80 injured when the

Amtrak train jumped the track and plunged over a bridge. Saboteurs had removed a

section of track and bridged the gap with wire to disable the electronic warning system.

Notes found at the scene referred to the federal siege at Waco and to Ruby Ridge. At

least one note was signed .Sons of Gestapo,. a group unknown to terrorism experts.

These terrorist ultimate hatred of the status quo might

have pushed them to do this deed. They made sure to leave some

kind of item behind in order for the emergency personnel to

know what the reason was for this meditated action. It might

be possible that this incident is race related also, due to the

fact the Gestapo were German military police during the

Holocaust.

Frederick J. Hacker (1976), was a physician who developed

an expertise in terrorism and hostage negotiations. He found

that terrorists seek reinforcement based on their orientation

to life. There are three types of terrorists according to

Hacker; criminals, crazies, and crusaders. Crusaders are the

type of terrorist that seem most related to the bombings that

are occurring in our homefront. According to Hacker.s theory,

crusaders make up the bulk of political terrorists. He

describes the category as people who are using terrorism to

change society. These terrorist are similar to Cooper.s

doctrine of necessity in that violence is accepted and

justified in the name of the cause. Crusaders feel that they

must be violent for society to change for the better according

to Hacker. This can be seen in another example from the Arson

and Explosive Incident Report.

November 13, 1995, Muskogee, Oklahoma. A self-proclaimed .anti-government

prophet,. Ray Willie Lampley and three others are charged with plotting a series of

bombings against abortion clinics, homosexual gathering places, welfare offices and

offices of the Anti-Defamation League and the Southern Poverty Law Center. The

four members of the

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