EDMG340 Week 3 Assignment – Investigate Terrorist Threats on a Global Perspective

Identify both a current or suspected domestic terrorist group or individual and a current or suspected international terrorist group or individual and share at least one web site dedicated to the respective group / individual (one for domestic and one for international). Review selected individuals / groups to discuss:

•           Key similarities and differences between the groups / individuals.

•           At least one terrorist activity, which is attributable to each group / individual.

•           The primary motive(s) behind each of the above identified terrorist acts.

•           Your opinion as to which network or individual poses the greatest threat to the U.S.

 
“Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.” (Gen 9:6 King James Version)

“So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.” (Num 35:33 King James Version)

These are just two of many scriptures used by the Army of God—a loosely organized “Christian” terrorist group—to justify the “retaliatory” violence used against clinics and supporters of abortions in the United States. Though an “official” site on the Internet does boast the expected rhetoric of how to become a Christian—accepting Christ as the Savior and welcoming him into one’s heart [one may have to look a bit to find these words on the site, but they are there]—the organization, or the webmaster at least, dedicates the majority of the digital publicity to imagery of aborted fetus, text vilifying supporters and performers of abortions, and praises to those that have committed killings and bombings at clinics and residences. Also among the varying texts and links posted on the aforementioned site are suggested readings and links to documentation for indoctrination into terrorist activities—e.g. the IRA’s and PIRA’s later revision of “The Green Book.” (Pro-Life Virginia, n.d.)

One of the most effective attacks—in terms of lives taken and persons injured—associated with the AOG is that of the Centennial Olympic Park bombing in Atlanta, on July 27, 1996. Eric Robert Rudolph was later identified in 1997 as the Centennial Park bomber following clues from two additional bombings—one at an abortion clinic and one at a lesbian nightclub within the Atlanta region. Rudolph was not captured until 2003, when he was stopped by an officer for suspicious activity near a grocery in Murphy, North Carolina (CNN, 2003). In 2005, Rudolph stated that the bombing at the Olympics was politically motivated, drawing the world’s attention to the American government “…for its abominable sanctioning of abortion on demand.” (NPR, 2005). Rudolph’s ALICE pack of three pipe-bombs left at the park had claimed one life, injured 111, and triggered a fatal cardiac arrest in another. The Army of God claimed responsibility of this and Rudolph’s other incidents (Global Terrorism Database, 2015)

A well known name in terrorism throughout modern history in the western world is that of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). Originally born of ideas of Irish separation from British rule during the World War I era, the IRA has found itself splinter off into many different groups with varying sets of politics throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, with an image of a unified Ireland remaining a common and central ideal. Today, most remaining descendants of the “old IRA” have disbanded their armaments and turned to the political warfare of words, however a few groups still remain somewhat active in violent activities.

The “old IRA”—which had been formed of members of the Irish Volunteers and Irish Citizens’ Army—found itself reborn in 1922, shortly after having achieved the goal of Ireland’s independence; this reformation of the IRA came from members of the newfound state’s disgust from Northern Ireland electing to return to the UK—an allowance written into the Anglo-Irish Treaty, which had brought an end to the Irish War of Independence. This IRA of anti-Treaty followers of thought remained active through 1969, committing numerous acts of terrorism against British targets in Ireland and Great Britain, and aided in intelligence gathering efforts for the Soviet Union in trade for organizational funding and munitions support. The “success” of the IRA during this period eventually led to a model of organization and training that later generations adopted, and that other non-related terrorist groups have attempted to follow world-wide—e.g. “The Green Book.” In 1969, however, the IRA found itself split into two factions, shortly following the beginning of “The Troubles” in Northern Ireland. While Northern Ireland soon found itself in turmoil over differences between “unionist” and “parliamentary” as well as Catholic and Protestant thoughts and beliefs, the IRA split over a difference in opinion of political systems; one sect of the IRA supporting the ideas of communism and Marxist theory became the Official IRA (OIRA), while the remaining members formed the Provisional IRA (PIRA). Both IRA factions continued terrorist activities against British targets, and participated in rallies and protests. (Stanford University, 2012)

Eventually, the OIRA and the PIRA, as well as other paramilitary groups within Ireland, were ordered to have all weapons decommissioned in 1998 per the Good Friday Agreement—a set of political agreements established to calm relations between the Republic of Ireland & Northern Ireland, and to calm relations between the Republic of Ireland & Great Britain. The OIRA allegedly decommissioned all weapons in 2010, and the PIRA in 2005; rumors, however, insist that both organizations still retain certain secretive operational and munitions support. Additionally, other IRA groups—such as the Real IRA [commonly known as the New IRA]—continues to operate and commit terrorist acts. One of the more recent IRA-related attacks occurred in March of 2014, when a Northern Ireland police cruiser was hit with an explosive projectile; the RIRA claimed responsibility for the attack (Global Terrorism Database, 2015).

Though separate in specific motives and targets, as well as geographic locations and nations, the varied incarnations of the IRA and the AOG are both seen as terrorist groups and recognized as such by the United States. While the IRA-based groups are focused primarily on matters involving Ireland and the UK, the IRA still poses some threat to the US—or should at the very least remain on the US radar—due to previous actions of espionage. Granted, the IRA can no longer sell information to the Soviet Union—as that original incarnation of the group and the former Red State no longer exist; however we cannot discount the possibilities that the New IRA might take to conducting similar acts with other countries or terrorist states in order to progress in their movement. Additionally, other factions of the IRA had been known to be involved in the weapons trade business in order to collect weapons for their own use; in our “Global War on Terror” we must keep tabs on activities such as this, if we are to try and better serve our own nation and the world.

The AOG, on the other hand, perhaps raises a greater threat to our nation’s public as they provide “homegrown” terror within our borders, and have committed numerous crimes against neighbors and loved ones in our communities. Furthermore, the AOG has been successful in aiding to influence or otherwise “support the cause” of domestic terrorists acting out against homosexuality and abortion. Though the bombing at the Summer Olympics of 1996 may have been the grandest gesture of embarrassment that the AOG has handed us yet, their principles and examples live on and continue today—and are echoed by the likes of lone assailants like Robert Dear and his attack on the Planned Parenthood Westside Health Center this past November.

References

CNN (May 31, 2003.) Atlanta Olympic Bombing Suspect Arrested. Retrieved 27 December 2105 from: https://web.archive.org/web/20220929082405/http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/05/31/rudolph.main/

Global Terrorism Database. (2015.) Retrieved 27 December 2105 from: http://www.start.umd.edu/gtd/search/

National Public Radio (Apr. 14, 2005.) Full Text of Eric Rudolph’s Confession. Retrieved 27 December 2105 from: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4600480

Pro-Life Virginia (n.d.) Army of God – Pro-Life Virginia. Retrieved 27 December 2105 from: http://www.armyofgod.com/

Stanford University (Aug. 25, 2012.) Mapping Militant Organizations – Official Irish Republican Army. Retrieved 27 December 2105 from: http://web.stanford.edu/group/mappingmilitants/cgi-bin/groups/view/317