Domestic and International Terrorism
Introduction
Terrorism is one of the topical issues which countries face worldwide, and devise different strategies to counter it. Nevertheless, every year several terrorist attacks still take place even though governments allocate billions of dollars to various security measures. In the modern world, terrorist threats can be posed by both locals and foreigners, which makes law enforcement agencies distinguish between domestic and international terrorism. According to the FBI, domestic terrorism refers to violent acts committed by people who pursue goals of various domestic influences such as movements or parties (“Terrorism,” n.d.). International terrorism, in its turn, can be described as violent acts committed by individuals inspired by or associated with foreign organizations (“Terrorism,” n.d.). At the same time, international and domestic terrorism also often share similarities and differences in terms of tactics, targets, and ideology. The international act of terrorism, the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, and the domestic act of terrorism, the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, are appropriate examples to compare the two types of terrorism.
Tactics Employed
The two aforementioned terrorist acts had a similar tactic which was based on conducting a bombing. Essentially, in the case of the 1993 event, the terrorists detonated a bomb that was concealed in a truck parked under the World Trade Center (Martin, 2020). Similarly, the 1995 Oklahoma City bomber used a large truck as a means for transporting the bomb and detonating it without attracting anyone’s attention (Martin, 2020). Essentially, the tactic used by both types of terrorists was similar because the bomb is the most destructive weapon which can be made at home without any special or professional equipment. Bombs are extremely powerful, and they can kill the highest number of people in the shortest period without exposing terrorists to any danger.
Targets Chosen
Another similarity between the two types of terrorists is the locations they targeted, namely, densely populated areas. In the case of the 1993 bombing, the terrorists attacked the World Trade Center, one of the tallest skyscrapers in the world and, therefore, a place with a high concentration of people (Martin, 2020). In the 1995 incident, the bomber attacked the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, which also housed many people (Martin, 2020). Essentially, in both cases, the terrorists had the intention to conduct their violent act in an area where the maximum number of people would be affected by the bombing. Thus, in addition to choosing the most powerful weapon, terrorists tend to target the most densely populated parts of cities.
Ideology
Ideology is the main difference between international and domestic terrorists, which was described above. The 1993 World Trade Center terrorists adhered to the idea of radical Islam and espoused anti-western views opposing the support of the United States for Israel (Clarke, 2018). The Oklahoma City bomber, Timothy McVeigh, supported the anti-government Patriot movement and decided to conduct an attack in response to the government raid in Waco (Clarke, 2018). Thus, the difference in the ideology of the terrorists stemmed from their views. While the 1993 attackers were Muslim fundamentalists, Timothy McVeigh was an anarchist and a person opposing the federal government. Moreover, the 1993 incident bombers were associated with foreign organizations, whereas Timothy McVeigh belonged to the domestic Patriot movement.
U.S. Government Reaction
The U.S. government had significant reactions in response to both incidents. For instance, after the 1993 bombing, the government actively participated in the search for the main perpetrator, which even involved the Diplomatic Security Service. The NYC police and FBI arrested the majority of terrorists right after the attack. Additionally, the Department of State featured a $2 million reward for information leading to the arrest of Ramzi Yousef, the truck driver (“1993 World Trade Center,” 2019). The reaction was similar in repones to the 1995 attack, the FBI, in cooperation with the local police force, arrested Timothy McVeigh, who was detained after planting the bomb for carrying an unregistered gun (Clarke, 2018). Thus, government agencies of all levels actively participated in ensuring that the terrorists received their punishment.
Media Coverage
Media coverage of both events was global since such large terrorist attacks, especially the Oklahoma City one, were a new phenomenon for western countries and the United States in particular. There were also several issues related to the activity of journalists covering the two events. For instance, after the 1993 attack, one of the New York newspapers published exclusive information about a new suspect, who was placed under surveillance by the Police. As a result of the publication, he had to be arrested prematurely, which eradicated the possibility of him leading the Police to other suspects. Moreover, the 1993 attack influenced the media perception of 1995 one. Essentially, after the bombing in 1995, the media started to promote the idea of an Arab connection. Thus, all terrorist attacks share the similarity of being extensively covered by numerous media outlets worldwide.
Conclusion
Thus, the main difference between domestic and international terrorism is the notion that the former is conducted by people associated with local organizations or ideologies, while the latter concerns people acting on behalf of foreign organizations. As a result, domestic and international terrorists usually support different views. International and domestic terrorism are viewed as different phenomena by law enforcement agencies such as the FBI, as well as the government.
References
1993 World Trade Center bombing. (2019). The U.S. Department of State. Web.
Clarke, C. (2018). Terrorism: The essential reference guide. ABC-CLIO.
Martin, G. (2020). Understanding terrorism: Challenges, perspectives, and issues. SAGE Publications.
Terrorism. (n.d.). The Federal Bureau of Investigation. Web.