Terrorism Independent Study

Contemporary political and religious violence in the Middle East continues to blur the line between terrorism and insurgency. The definition of terrorism can be subjective, often depending on the person’s politics, religion, or social motivation. The history of terrorism in Europe, particularly that of Communist terrorist organizations dating back to the 1960s, provides a greater understanding of politically motivated violence. The Baader-Meinhof Gang in West Germany used targeted assassinations and bombings to delegitimize and destabilize the government. Radical Islamic terrorist organizations, which gained world prominence in the 1990s, used similar methods as the Baader-Meinhof Gang, but rather with a goal driven by a hybrid of extremist political and religious agendas. Modern terrorist groups have witnessed a shift in their motivations and global reach, but the use of violence to achieve their goals remains consistent. Over time and space, despite having very different goals and tactics, terrorist organizations share a collection of traits that we aimed to define in this independent study.