...Abstract Terrorism is a very complex term to define, and means different things to different people depending on the person you ask. For the purpose of this assignment the author will use the following definition for the term terrorism which is when individuals or groups/organizations use illicit force/violence or the threat of force/violence in an attempt to progress their personal or organization’s objectives with the government. There are multiple forms of terrorism including international and domestic. The author will analyze domestic terrorism, why in recent years there has been an increase in domestic terrorism, and how domestic terrorism has impacted the criminal justice system in America. Domestic and Foreign Terrorist...
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...activities conducted on behalf of national security. By this act, in order to actively monitor national security threats, Congress desired to approve legalistic and congressional oversight of foreign intelligence surveillance activities. Subsequently, electronic surveillance and the ability to physically locate individuals related to espionage or international terrorism affecting the US was also stipulated. In addition, as the statute describes there may be engagement in applying surveillance to the American population if the court dictates that there is a probable cause, meaning a relation with foreign powers. Many Americans may see this as something wrong and maybe even invasive to the personal life, and although I think it is, this act is about security. Opening up and having some vulnerability may ultimately yield a positive result for our own security. Efforts transcending back for more than a decade and being highly supported by the World Trade Center amongst other attacks is the legislative result of the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996. This act is defined with the intention to deter terrorism, provide...
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...Although it is true that some terrorists have infiltrated the country, the government has violated American's civil rights by spying on innocent people in an attempt to avoid another attack. It is a precarious situation, on the one hand, the government is accused of not doing enough in order to protect our country from terrorism, and on the other hand, they are also accused of harassing innocent people who do not have any ties to the terrorists groups. How is it possible to do the right thing by investigating all possible leads without bothering unsuspecting civilians in the process? Is the loss of citizen's civil rights justified in order to keep the country safe? Seems like most everyone has been inconvenienced at one time or another, especially when traveling. Getting caught in long lines, forced scannings, luggage checks and increased scrutiny at airports and border...
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...multiple shootings in the past year and the Federal Bureau of Investigation is trying to stop them by finding evidence and getting leads to stop future terrorists.The FBI has been investigating the San Bernardino attack because there main goal is to stop terrorism in America and make it a safer place and recently, the FBI acquired Syed Farook’s iPhone and is trying to unlock it ,but since the Apple Iphone is very secure with a six digit passcode it would take five and a half years long to unlock it at 12 tries a second (Guo).The FBI has asked Apple many times to help unlock the phone and they have denied every time and the FBI has brought it to court. This is a problem for the FBI because they could unlock the iPhone and find encrypted data, that would reveal much needed terrorist information. Apple should unlock the Iphone of the terrorist even though it violates his privacy because the Patriot Act allows the FBI...
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...more than 150 sections and amends more than 15 federal laws. The law's full name is the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001, hence the acronym USA PATRIOT Act. It deals primarily with combating terrorism and gives the executive branch of the federal government more tools to fight suspected terrorist activity, but it also aroused the anger of civil libertarians. Critics of the act have charged that the government gained the power to investigate and detain persons with little oversight from the courts. In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, U.S. political leaders sought to address terrorism with new vigor. President George w. Bush and Attorney General John Ashcroft presented Congress with proposed legislation on September 17, 2001, that focused on intelligence gathering, immigration, criminal justice, and money laundering. The administration sought new powers to conduct searches of people suspected of terrorism; to detain and deport persons suspected of terrorist involvement; and to remove statutes of limitations on terrorism. In addition, the administration wanted the justice department to have the power to place wiretaps on the phones and computers of anyone suspected of terrorism. This initial proposal became the framework for the USA PATRIOT Act, which was first introduced in the House of Representatives on October 2, 2001. A similar law was introduced in the Senate...
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...officials can begin to make changes to help protect the United States from the ever changing and evolving technology that terrorist are using. By evolving to the changes in technological advancement, the threats can be diminished and the home front can be better protected from terrorist and their operatives. Historical threats Terrorism is an issue across the world. In the United States we have had our share of terrorism. Not all terrorism is committed from international groups. Terrorist acts are divided into two categories: domestic and international. According to Lewis, "Domestic terrorism involves acts of violence that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or any state, committed by individuals or groups without any foreign direction, and appear to be intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population, or influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion, and occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States." (Lewis, 2004, para 3). There are many different groups ranging from the Ku Klux Klan to anti-abortionist, the order, etcetera that have been involved with domestic terrorism along with the Animal Liberation Front. The Animal Liberation Front (ALF) carries out its attacks against people and businesses they believe are abusing animals, such as animal shelters, zoos, specialty grocery stores, and clothing stores. There are many reasons that the Animal Liberation Front poses a great threat to the...
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...especially in recent years, those geopolitical cycles have intersected with changes in the way the tactic of terrorism is employed and in the actors employing it. The Arab terrorism that began in the 1960s resulted from the Cold War and the Soviet decision to fund, train and otherwise encourage groups in the Middle East. The Soviet Union and its Middle Eastern proxies also sponsored Marxist terrorist groups in Europe and Latin America. They even backed the Japanese Red Army terrorist group. Places like South Yemen and Libya became havens where Marxist militants of many different nationalities gathered to learn terrorist tradecraft, often instructed by personnel from the Soviet KGB or the East German Stasi and from other militants. The Cold War also spawned al Qaeda and the broader global jihadist movement as militants flocking to fight the Soviet troops who had invaded Afghanistan were trained in camps in northern Pakistan by instructors from the CIA's Office of Technical Services and Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence directorate. Emboldened by the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan, and claiming credit for the subsequent Soviet collapse, these militants decided to expand their efforts to other parts of the world. The connection between state-sponsored terrorism and the Cold War ran so deep that when the Cold War ended with the Soviet Union's collapse, many declared that terrorism had ended as well. I witnessed this phenomenon while serving in the Counterterrorism Investigations...
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...Act or the numerous provisions that resulted from the passing of this bill, individuals will likely have clashing viewpoints. The vast majority of the controversies surrounding the act involves whether or not it falls in line with the U.S. Constitution. Opponents of the act argue that it should have never passed through Congress due to its unconstitutionality. Those who support the Patriot Act often use its success in fighting terrorist threats as a reason to maintain it. After analyzing the bill and its provisions, its successes were made apparent, as well as its unconstitutionality. The Patriot Act: A Constitutional Analysis The Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act, commonly known as the USA Patriot Act (USAPA), was signed into law during one of the most distressing periods in American history. Its hasty introduction spawned controversy across a variety of political spectrums. Concerns regarding the constitutionality of this act have caused many to oppose the act and call for its annulment. On the other hand, many individuals argue in favor of the act due to its successes. In order to formulate an experienced opinion on the Patriot Act, its history and the circumstances surrounding its creation must first be investigated. History of the USAPA The terrorist attacks that occurred...
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...Justice Terrorism has never been in the States; only in third world countries. Since 9/11-2001 is has been a reality and ongoing nightmare and hit close to home. The attack on the World Trade Centers in New York was a wakeup call. United States has been on high alert ever since, waiting for the next possible Terrorists attack. This paper will explain why terrorism is a law enforcement concern as well as how terrorism is considered a crime. At last the paper will state some recommendations that the American Criminal Justice should do, to better prepare for future crimes. Why is terrorism a law enforcement concern? In the Criminal Justice System law enforcement is one of the agencies that are dedicated to enforcing the laws as well as maintaining order, and control crime within the community. Law Enforcement police officers are the most visible representative of the government in American society; therefore police agencies are responsible for a wide variety of services (Fagin, 2005). Some of those responsibilities include traffic enforcement, accident investigation, patrol and first response to incidents, property crime investigation, violent crime investigation as well as investigating deaths and murders (Fagin, 2005). In other words law enforcement agencies are the ones that physically interact with the community most of the time. After the attack that happened on September 11th on the WTC and the Pentagon, “the criminal justice system assumed new roles on terrorism” (Fagin...
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...The USA PATRIOT ACT, commonly known as the Patriot Act, is an acronym for Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate tools required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001. On October 23, 2001, Republican Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner introduced H.R. 3162 incorporating provisions from a previously sponsored House bill and a Senate bill also introduced earlier in the month. The next day on October 24, 2001, the Act passed the House 357 to 66, with Democrats comprising the overwhelming portion of dissent. The following day on October 25, 2001, the Act passed the Senate by 98 to 1, with Russ Feingold the only opposition. This act was signed then into law by former president George W. Bush on October 26, 2011, just six weeks after the September 11th attacks to the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. This act reduced restrictions in law enforcement agencies’ gathering of intelligence with the U.S. The act also expanded the definition of terrorism to include domestic terrorism. The Patriot Act made many changes to U.S. law, such as the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA), the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986 (ECPA), the Money Laundering Control Act of 1986 and Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), as well as the Immigration and Nationality Act. It was strongly opposed by Senator, Russ Feingold; he was the only Senator to vote against the bill. The final Act had a number of sunsets that was supposed to expire on December 15, 2005. On May 26, 2011, President...
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...The USA PATRIOT ACT, commonly known as the Patriot Act, is an acronym for Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate tools required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001. On October 23, 2001, Republican Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner introduced H.R. 3162 incorporating provisions from a previously sponsored House bill and a Senate bill also introduced earlier in the month. The next day on October 24, 2001, the Act passed the House 357 to 66, with Democrats comprising the overwhelming portion of dissent. The following day on October 25, 2001, the Act passed the Senate by 98 to 1, with Russ Feingold the only opposition. This act was signed then into law by former president George W. Bush on October 26, 2011, just six weeks after the September 11th attacks to the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. This act reduced restrictions in law enforcement agencies’ gathering of intelligence with the U.S. The act also expanded the definition of terrorism to include domestic terrorism. The Patriot Act made many changes to U.S. law, such as the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA), the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986 (ECPA), the Money Laundering Control Act of 1986 and Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), as well as the Immigration and Nationality Act. It was strongly opposed by Senator, Russ Feingold; he was the only Senator to vote against the bill. The final Act had a number of sunsets that was supposed to expire on December 15, 2005. On May 26, 2011, President...
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...SEC/460 Introduction The purpose of this essay is to review and calculate the risk for bombs, sniper attacks, biological weapons, and cyber viruses and identify existing countermeasures in the State of Florida. Being a highly susceptible region for illegal immigration coming across the border, Florida has a close watch for terroristic threats. The following pages will review the threats and measures taken in the State of Florida. Domestic Terrorism Domestic terrorism can be defined as a threatened use, or unlawful use, of violence or force by an individual or group that is operating without any foreign direction within the country and as an act that is violent and dangerous to human life and also against the jurisdiction of the country (Terrorism, 2005). Explosives, weapons, and chemicals are common means of violence in terrorist attacks. As the appendix lists, there are several types of terroristic attacks that must be watched for such as bombings, sniper attacks, biological weapons, and cyber viruses and counter action and safety measures must be planned. Victims can are defined as society. This includes civilians, government workers, the military, first responders, or any stakeholder within the region being terrorized. While reasons for attacks can vary, political motivations along with religious differences and social ideas are the main culprits. When terrorists are planning attacks...
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...clandestine and terrorist activities. Although, a significant amount of discourse revolves around male participation and leadership within terrorist organizations the literature presented exposes how valuable women have been in progressing various causes. Through recruitment and of their own volition women have entered into a male dominated arena to assert their capability to effectively navigate operating within an organization that promotes terror. The literature to follow presents historiographical patterns as to how women become involved in such regimes and how they survive the life of their involvement as a female combatant. Oppression has been a motivating factor for women to become involved with terrorist organizations. Upon investigating female terrorists in the Russian Socialist Revolutionary Party, Knight (1979) found that many of the women who flocked to groups such as the previously mentioned one felt that their opportunities were jilted by an androcentric system. Knight (1979) postulated that the women driven towards committing terrorist acts endorsing violence were “highly motivated, self-assertive young women who may have turned to terror out of a sense of isolation and frustration nurtured in a society that offered them so little opportunity” (p. 145). Oppression being a highly motivating factor to propel women into committing heinous acts was also echoed in Hellmann-Rajanayagam’s (2008) depiction of women members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. Hellmann-Rajanayagam...
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...The events of September 11th, 2001 potentially changed the legal structure of the United States. Following the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the President and Congress saw fit to protect the United States by passing a bill called the Patriot Act. The Patriot Act significantly expanded the powers of law enforcement by allowing law enforcement and intelligence agencies to use types of electronic surveillance that were previously only allowed with legal warrants (Ibid, 2001). Additionally, the Patriot Act allows government agencies to detain suspected terrorists for unspecified lengths of time in order to investigate their activities (Ibid, 2001). The detainment of terrorist suspects does not allow these individuals access to an attorney, a trial, or any other guarantee promised in the Constitution. The United States legal and judicial systems utilize a network of checks and balances to ensure that the rights of citizens, as enumerated by the United States Constitution, are not violated. These systems call for crime investigation to require a warrant issued by the judicial branch in order to execute any search or seizure of personal property, as declared by the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution (Madison, 1789). The framers of the United States started the Constitution with a Bill of Rights that set our inalienable rights. These rights are not allowed to be violated and the legal system is designed to protect these rights, even if...
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...(Laqueur, 1976) This essay will propose that the media coverage of acts of terror occurs for the main purpose of reporting on the news, it heightens the public’s awareness of such incidents and aids in counterterrorism, thus having a detrimental effect on the terrorists and their cause. Laqueur’s statement that the media are the terrorists’ best friends implies that their coverage of terrorism aids the terrorists. We will examine and disprove the hypotheses that coverage of terrorism in the media, and the publicity and attention terrorists gain through media reporting of their acts of terror are beneficial to their cause. For the purposes of this essay media will be used as a “…generic term meaning all the methods or channels of information and entertainment” (P.Wilkinson, 1997:51) and as found within majority of the theories and concepts discussed, the term terrorism, and therefore terrorist, is used to describe violence carried out in the name of a political, ideological or racial cause by a person who wishes to influence the government and, or, intimidate the public. (www.mi5.gov.uk) Terrorism is a psychological weapon (P.Wilkinson, 1997:54), which is dependent upon communication of its threat. The easiest way terrorists can disseminate their messages of threat is through the manipulation of the media. When using the media, the terrorists’ have four core objectives; communicate propaganda; mobilise support from the public through dissemination of ideology; frustrate the government...
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