INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM

INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM

1.         Threat of terrorism is no longer limited to a particular country or region. It transcends international boundaries. Advance in technology and communications has extended the reach of groups and States sponsoring terrorism. Sarin gas attack in Tokyo some years ago has raised the danger of weapons of mass destruction falling into the hands of terrorists. Terrorists use electronic media to organise their subversive activities. They have access to flow of funds from abroad, including money raised through so called charitable organisations. They enjoy foreign sanctuaries. They are answerable to none. They violate international standards of human rights, and humanitarian law, with impunity. Organised terrorism as an instrument of policy by certain states is very different in scale, nature and consequences than actions of stray individuals and groups. Sustained campaign of terrorist violence is not possible without sanctuaries, training, financing, encouragement and assistance by States. Government patronage gives terrorist groups and individuals enormous resources and safe haven. As the object of terrorism sponsored by States is to destabilise other countries and governments, it poses a threat to international peace and security. Support to terrorism in any form - political, diplomatic, moral or material must be condemned. Nexus between terrorism, fundamentalism and drug trafficking poses a threat to civil society, democratic pluralism and human rights.

2.         With the US-led war on terror going into its sixteenth year, the expectations set in 2001 have fallen far short of their goals. In the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks there was widespread sympathy for the people of the US and what they had experienced. An analysis published by Oxford Research Group immediately after the 9/11 attacks (The United States, Europe and the Majority World After 11 September, October 2001) argued against a strong military response and quoted a perceptive paper by Walden Bello, Director of Focus on the Global South in the Philippines. Bello condemned the attacks as horrific, despicable and unpardonable but cautioned against what he called an automatic "iron fist" response that ignored the underlying context. He pointed to the frequent use of indiscriminate force by the US, not least in Vietnam and to the bitter mood throughout much of the Middle East and Southwest Asia, directed partly at the US because of its perceived dominance of the region but also against autocratic states dependent on continuing US support. Bello concluded:

        “The only response that will really contribute to global security and peace is for Washington to address not the symptoms but the roots of terrorism. It is for the US to re-examine and substantially change its policies in the Middle East and the Third World, supporting for a change arrangements that will not stand in the way of the achievement of equity, justice and genuine national sovereignty for currently marginalized peoples. Any other way leads to endless war. ^[1] This view found no favor in Washington, since it represented a fundamental contradiction to the prevailing "control" paradigm. This paradigm would ensure US security and economic dominance in the Middle East, especially in the Persian Gulf region. Given the increasing significance of the region’s oil reserves, and the rapidly rising oil import dependency of the US and China, this would be a hugely welcome outcome. Above all, the idea of the New American Century that was at the heart of neoconservative thinking in the US would have been solidified. Indeed, the threat to that idea posed by the atrocities of 9/11 would not just have been eliminated, but the very demonstration of power and determination shown by the vigorous pursuit of the global war on terror would now demonstrate American world leadership.

3.         Fifteen years after 9/11 the reality is extraordinarily different. The al-Qaida movement is much dispersed but its very dispersal makes it far more difficult to track and counter, especially as support comes from within Diasporas across Europe. Osama bin Laden, Ayman al Zawahiri and Mullah Omar have been replaced; there have been attacks in numerous countries, including Britain, Spain, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Turkey, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Kenya, Pakistan and Indonesia; and there has been a marked rise in anti-Americanism across the Middle East and beyond. Rise of ISIS has in fact faded the influence of al Qaida to a great extent even after Osama’s dramatic execution deep inside Pakistan territory. While the great majority of Muslims deplore the violence of the movement, there is deep anger at the manner in which the US and its dwindling coalition have fought the war. Regional satellite TV news channels such as Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiya give round the clock accounts of the violence in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere, often focusing on civilian casualties.

4.         When dealing with international terrorism in light of US war on terror a pertinent question to be asked is - Is “Jihadi Terrorism” an organised international network of a single terrorist force? Jihadi Terrorism controls no specific territory and has no central command or control. It has no organised troops and no major bases. It does not have any common objective. In short, it may not qualify as an international organisation, by UN standards. It would therefore be proper to recognise Jihadi Terrorism as a common methodology that is adopted by different groups in furtherance of their separate objectives. The groups that adopt this methodology no doubt draw their inspiration from the “successes” of the Al Qaeda (and hence Bin Laden’s) or ISIS followers. The principal characteristics of this methodology include:-

(a)          Conviction of serving Islam

(b)          Protesting against decades of perceived deprivation and humiliation

(c)          Low cost options

(d)          Careful planning

(e)          Extreme preparation

(f)           Co-ordination

(g)          Occasional simultaneity

(h)          Suicide bombers and fighters

(i)            Highly visible targets, with high casualties of non-combatants

(j)            High impact on public opinion resulting in lack of faith and confidence in established authorities 

5.         The jihadi terrorist methodology cannot be tackled effectively merely by military means, however powerful and well equipped the allied forces in the “global war on terror” may be. By often declaring most terrorist incidents as being Islamic and inspired or supported by Al Qaeda / ISIS, the affected states tend to ignore looking for and tackling other basic causes that make persons and groups resort to terrorism. There have been some estimates that 200,000 or more Chechens died since the fighting began in 1994. Ilyas Akhmadov, who functions as the foreign minister of Chechnya's separatist political leaders in exile, has said "You must agree that the elimination of one-fourth of the population is not the struggle against terrorism.   On the contrary, it is something that leads to the growth of terrorism." He disputed Russia's claims that the separatist movement was fuelled by groups like Al Qaeda or ISIS, but acknowledged that foreign fighters had joined the Chechen resistance. 

6.         The range and sophistication of weapons shows the intensity of terrorist campaign in India, which cannot be sustained without the support of Pakistan (or neighbouring country), in violation of all bilateral and international commitments. Since 1988, India has suffered total of 47,232 terrorist incidents in J&K alone with total fatal causalities numbering 44002 till Jul 2016. Though in many incidents security forces were targeted but quite a few have involved attacks on civilians too, mainly non-muslim population. Pakistan supported terrorists are also responsible for more than 3000 kidnappings and 1500 cases of extortion since 1989 besides extensive destruction of property in J&K. There were targeted attacks on educational institutions (980) in a bid to destroy the modem education system, which the fundamentalist ideology of the terrorists did not approve.

7.         Since 1988, security forces have recovered very large number of weapons from terrorists in J&K. This included 889 rocket launchers, 347 rockets, 1525 rocket boosters, 1124 machine guns, 20,193 AK series rifles, 34,141 grenades, 21,332 kilograms of explosives and 1970 bombs. Pakistan has also supported terrorism in other parts of India. On March 12, 1993, serial blasts in Mumbai resulted in killings of around 260 persons and injury to 700 others. The loss of property was estimated at Rs. 270 million. Attacks on Taj / Oberoi hotels, CST station and Leopord Cafe in Mumbai in Nov 2008 were probably the most ghastly resulting in death of more than 166 persons. Killing of poster boy of Kashmir militancy Burhan Wani has not eased the pressure and powers that be at Center / State or Security Forces HQ must be contemplating their next step.

8.         So, what does the future hold for us? Futuristic  projections  are  risky in  a  world  which  is considerably  volatile;  the  major  power and  forces  are  in  a transitional process, and unexpected developments and changes  are on  the cards.  Each force is trying to organise itself and  find the  rightful  place under the sun which may lead  to  conflictual downturn,  but  which  also  could  translate  into  constructive agenda as well.

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[1] Walden Bello, Endless War, Focus on the Global South, September 2001.