Terrorism

Terrorism:

Terrorism has been looked at as a threat to use violence with an intention to create panic in society. It is a deliberate, politically motivated violence against civilian targets. These targets are called ‘soft targets’. Attacks on buses, trains, train or bus stations, airports, cinema theatres, markets, malls, etc. are the tactics used. The purpose is usually to create panic in the public. Terrorism is a form of warfare. It is called ‘asymmetric warfare’ because there is no pattern to the nature of violent attacks that are conducted. The traditional form of terrorism was state-centric. The fight was for specific people fighting for their rights against the State. For example, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) were fighting for the rights of Tamils in Sri Lanka, Irish Republican Army (IRA) fought for the rights of the Irish people, Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA) separatists fought for their rights against the Spanish government. Modern form of terrorism is not state-centric. The modern-day terrorist fights for abstract ideological goals or beliefs. These goals may be religious in nature. They are usually part of some organisation that fights at a global level. The New York attack of 11 September 2001 (popularly called 9/11) is considered the beginning of modern-day terrorism. The Nigerian terrorist group Boko Haram, the Afghan Taliban are some examples of such groups.