NCJ Number
191292
Editor(s)
Harvey W. Kushner
Date Published
1998
Length
287 pages
Annotation
Insights on the definition and classification of terrorism are offered, the impact of international events on terrorism in the United States is examined, and counter-terrorism methods are described.
Abstract
The bombing of the World Trade Center and the Federal building in Oklahoma City dispel the notion that the United States is immune to terrorism. The new breed of foreign terrorists is potentially more potent than state-sponsored terrorists who targeted Americans prior to the toppling of the Shah of Iran and the collapse of the Former Soviet Union. The new terrorists are harder to infiltrate because they are fluid and are not organized in any systematic way. Islamic fundamentalism is a major component of the new terrorism, and Islamic extremists view the United States as the custodian of western values. Militant Islamic leaders have convinced the media they are human rights activists of sorts and have used the United States as a safe haven to carry out activities they are prohibited from carrying out in their homelands. Terrorism is likely to occur within the United States whenever the range of Islamic fundamentalists exceeds self-restraint. Research on terrorism, hate crimes, and antigovernment violence is reviewed. Trends in and prospects for the future of terrorism in the United States are discussed. Recommendations on how to fight terrorism are offered, a legislative approach to 21st century terrorism is described, and law enforcement use of sensory-enhancing technology in terrorist situations is considered. Conditions likely to inspire terrorism in the future are addressed, such as technological developments and nuclear terrorism. References, tables, and figures