Victimology & Terrorism

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1. Discuss in detail how terrorism creates "indirect" victims. Include a discussion of the terrorist as victim. Please include references. 3-4 pages

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Terrorism is defined by the US Department of Defense as "the unlawful use of -- or threatened use of -- force or violence against individuals or property to coerce or intimidate governments or societies, often to achieve political, religious, or ideological objectives." www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/teach/alqaeda/glossary.html Similarly, the FBI defines terrorism as "the unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives.
www.theisraelproject.org/site/apps/nl/content2.asp

In other words, terrorism is the systematic use of violence to achieve political ends is not new - among many other examples, it featured during The Troubles in Ireland before its independence in 1922. In recent decades, it has become a common tactic among a wide variety of groups, from independence movements to the secret services of various countries. www.channel4.com/history/microsites/H/history/browse/glossary.html The purpose of this response is to discuss in detail how terrorism creates "indirect" victims, which includes a discussion of the terrorist as victim

Terrorism creates "indirect" victims

Since terrorism is the use of terror, especially the systematic use of terror by the government or other authority against particular persons or groups; a method of opposing a government internally or externally through the use of terror www.imuna.org/c2c/app_a.html, there are many "indirect' victims that get caught in the cross-fire. In fact, terrorisms is any act including, but not limited to, the use of force or violence and/or threat thereof of any person or group(s) of persons whether acting alone or on behalf of, or in connection with, any organisation(s) or government(s) committed for political, religions, ideological or similar purposes, including the intention to influence any government and/or to put the public or any section of the public in fear. www.ecis.org/finance/paisdefin.htm

This clearly points to the Al Queda's network created thousands of "indirect" victims in 9/11. For example, although the attack on the Twin Towers was a statement to the United States government (e.g., leave the Arab countries alone), the "indirect" victims were the people who died. It was a violent act in violation of the criminal laws of the United States, which is intended to intimidate or influence the policy of a government www.njsbf.com/njsbf/student/respect/spring02-glossary.cfm, but yet "indirect" victims died and many "indirect" victims were also injured. We could take this one step further to include the families of those who either died or were injured in the 9/11 attack on the Twin Towers as "indirect" victims of terrorism as well. In fact, the world as whole became an "indirect' victim who mourned for loss of the Twin Towers and the people who were inured and died, and for the possibility of other such attacks on their own country.

"The systematic use of terror, manifesting itself in violence and intimidation has been used by groups wishing to coerce a government in ...