125

ocused on understanding the terrorist

phenomenon, our approach followed
the idea of Terror Genesis From The Big
THE VOICE OF TERROR
Between the Islamic Law
and Civilization Consciousness
~ ~~ ~~
~ ~~ ~~
General Questor Anghel ANDREESCU, PhD
~ State Secretary The Romanian Ministry of Interior
and Administration Reform ~
Lieutenant Colonel Nicolae RADU, PhD
~ Chief of the Centre for Psychological Expertise and Assistance,
Department for Protection and Guarding (SPP) ~
Encyclopaedia of Jihad to the Hamas Covenant and the
White al-Qaeda and Terror Network From the Black
September to the White al-Qaeda. This study analyses
the meaning of terrorism taking into consideration
reference materials such as: Big Encyclopaedia of Jihad,
The letter from an al-Qaeda member, and last but not
least How to withstand and to confront special services
investigators.
Specific Conceptualisations
According to the theories concerning prevention
and fight against terrorism (Law 535/2004), terrorism
means the actions and/or threats, which are public risks
and concern national security. According to the US
Department of Defense, terrorism means 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.
In order to achieve their goals, terrorists resort to
a wide range of terrorist practices, as follows: political
murders, kidnappings, bomb and guns attacks.
F
The article is an analysis of the
meaning of terrorism.
Firstly, some definitions of terrorism
are provided. Secondly, the main goal
of terrorist activities is emphasised
that of bringing fear and terror,
the authors showing that, no matter
the terrorist group considered, to
understand terrorist behaviour, one
must study the terrorist psychopathology.
Then, some statistics are provided with
a view to identifying some of terrorists
psychological traits, in strict connection
to their social background. Thirdly, the
authors show that, in spite of terrorism
violent character, to consider Islam
as a violent religion is more than
a mistake. To support this idea, they bring
examples from Sharia the Islamic Law.
That is why, the authors invite us to
give up the expression Islamic terrorist
for terrorist who abusively make use
of Islam.
To conclude, the authors show that
terrorism remains the price paid by
the Western society for its hegemony
and for the enforcement of democratic
principles in the world.
Romanian Military Thinking ~ 2/2007
126
Their victims are statesmen, businessmen, remarkable people
from cultural and science fields, policemen, journalists, and
even women, old people or children.
Richly subscribing to the well-known specialists remarks
(Burgess; Eva-Ildiko Delcea, 2006), according to whom
starting now to define terrorism will be such a complex and
unbiased (objective) matter, so that we may say that it is rather
up to the artistic side than to the scientific one, terrorism can
be perceived as a special social phenomenon, at the beginning
of this century and millennium, with a complex nature through
its multiple ways, worldwide related.
Without claiming an exhaustive documentary work, the
content of this paper is part of an in-depth research, structured
General Questor
Anghel ANDREESCU, PhD
on six chapters. The main topic is dedicated to: Decoding the terrorist phenomenon.
The authors intention would not be realistic if it did not bring to general attention the need
for terrorist phenomenon conceptualisation, based on the meanings derived from documents
such as: The Big Encyclopaedia of Jihad or The letter from an al-Qaeda member.
The Daily Psychopathology
Within this context, the Jihad interpretation (Reinischer Merkur, 2005) and the reference
materials from the Jewish Virtual Library as well as from the Polish Terrorism Centre are
very significant in decoding and understanding the terrorist phenomenon. Even though
the Islamic masters do not recommend violence (Reinischer Merkur, 2005), a study carried
out by Laiden University from The Netherlands concluded that the violence element was
present in 83% of the registered terrorism cases, the political targets represented 65%,
and 51% had as a main goal to bring fear and terror (Schmid and co, 1984).
The meaning of terrorism is given by the violent manifestations, precisely oriented
and very well organized, that bring an apocalyptical image and are to create a terrifying
psychosis of terror even in peacetime, including a great variety of activities during periods
of crisis or war.
Contemporary terrorism is already a type of war, marking numerous manifestations,
briefly described in the previous articles. Using an analytical approach to terrorist behaviour,
regardless the terrorist group to be investigated dynamite men from the Jewish organisation
STERN, Palestinian Fedains, the Islamic fundamentalists, or the Chechens Black Widows,
one major aspect to be considered is that in order to understand the terrorist, one must study
the terrorist psychopathology (Frattasio, 2006) and identify the genesis of terror.
Statistics and Attempts
The recorded data from local and foreign mass-media (http://stiri.neogen.ro; Le Monde,
August 4, 2005, shows that, compared to 175 terrorist attacks in 2003, 391 terrorist activities
took place in 2005/2006 (compared to 288 terrorist attacks occured during the same
period of 2004/2005).
127
Geopolitics Geostrategy International Security
In this context, a lot of the latest successful attempts
have been directed towards statesmen (12.03.2003 Serbia
and Montenegros Prime Minister, Zoran Djindjici;
13.02.2004 the Chechen President Zelimkhan Iandarbiev;
the Afghan Air Force Minister Mirwais Sadiq; the President
of Taiwan Khen Shui-Bian; 09.05.2004, Groznyy, the
Chechen President Ahmad Kadirov). The terrorists acts
against public institutions and structures require a special
attention (11.03.2002 3 railway-stations from Madrid, Spain
191 dead people; 12.10.2002 a night-club and a restaurant
from the Bali Island, Indonesia 202 dead people; 23.10.2002
Moscow Theatre Russia 120 dead people; 09.12.2003
Lieutenant Colonel Nicolae RADU, PhD
the National Hotel, Moscow, Russia 6 dead people and 10 injured people; the school
in Beslan, 03.09.2004 North Osetia 329 dead people and 500 injured people)
(Ciobanu, 2006).
The complexity, diversity and ingenuousness of the terrorist acts, the psychological
and fighting level, the assets and mobility of the terrorist structures like Al-Qaeda, Fatah,
Hamas, Turkish Hezbollah, Al-Dawa or ETA have called the attention on the need for
immediate adjustment of the antiterrorist structures to the extending terrorist phenomenon
scourge of the present times (Andreescu and co, 2003) as this phenomenon is more
than an improvisation, more than simple murder or bomb attempt.
The terrorist actions from September 11, 2001, in USA, March 11, 2004, in Madrid
and those from July 7, 2005, in London, as well as those in Beslan and Moscow, proved that
modern terrorists can hit any objective, anywhere, trying to change, through terror, certain
decisions, even political ones (Andreescu, 2006).
Societys Rebels
Strange or psychopathological behaviours (Delcea, 2006), noticeable at a series of
terrorists from groups such as AUM (The Supreme Truth), the Japanese group or ANO
(Abu Nidal Organisation), amplify violence, their actions lacking in any form of compassion
for the victims. A survey performed on 250 terrorists from Germany reveals that 25% of
the enquired people have lost one parent before reaching 14, 79% have had arguments
with their parents and 33% have described their fathers in a hostile manner (Brad, 2004).
It results from the same research that 33% have been formerly convicted by a juvenile court.
Unacceptability of the established order, secretly considered a form of disguised
oppression, represents the most frequent type of profile for the psychopathic terrorist.
Rebel youngsters are the first to be oriented towards terrorist organizations (Gurr, 1970).
Placed at communitys periphery, being born into a disadvantaged environment, haunted
by an inferiority complex and feeling unfulfilled, the psychopaths of terror try to take
revenge on a society in which they could not fit, on a way of life incompatible with their
deviant psychology.
Romanian Military Thinking ~ 2/2007
128
The Panic Psychology
Creating a status of general fear within people, of general discouragement by using
sarin gases, VX, by attacking atomic plants, sabotaging hazardous materials transports,
targets from the energetic area, oil areas, natural gases are an already acknowledged goal
of the al-Qaeda network. It could be said that terror represents a state of mind present
in every human being and during his whole life (Fratassio, 2006).
Terrorism is not stupid violence as it is often considered but, no matter how unusual
and illegal it could be or it may seem to be, it has a certain purpose. Terrorism adopts a
certain cause, usually a political one, it has a certain formation and structure and a certain
professional specialization of those who are in charge of accomplishing missions.
Ali Ahmed Ali Hamad himself, the former al-Qaeda commander, who fought in the
Bosnian War between 1992-1995, confirms the extension of al-Qaeda Network in the
whole Balkan area and from here towards the EU. Hamad, who is now in a Bosnian prison,
in a recently interview published in the German magazine Der Spiegel, affirms that the
terrorist network from the Balkans acts as the White al-Qaeda and that it is made of
mujahideen, integrated in the Bosnian society, most of all, participants in the Bosnian War
between 1992-1995. About 400 native Bosnians, who have been trained regarding the
fighting methods of the terrorists organization, fight in mujahideen units (Hamad, 2006).
Convicted by His Own Words
Osama bin Laden, the al-Qaeda leader is a Muslim who gives his own interpretation
to Jihad (Felder, 2005). On a recording from October 7, 2001, he said that God blessed
a significant Muslim group, the Vanguard of Islam, in order to destroy America (Al-Jazeera,
2001). This statement represented the grounds for immediate reactions such as: al-Qaeda
is not accredited to talk in the name of the Muslims (Akhbar Al Arab, 2001), its leader
should speak for Islam as well as for the good reputation of the religion (Canadian Muslim
Association for Civil Freedoms, 2001).
The Civilization Conscience
To consider Islam as a violent religion is more than a mistake. It is a peaceful religion
that does not agree with killing innocent people (Bacchinocchi, 2002). Islam is the religion
of liberty, peace, kindness and mercy (Rashid, 2003). The Malaysian Prime Minister
assembled 50 important clerks, asking them to disapprove terrorism, to deny the connection
between terrorism and Islam otherwise, as the Prime Minister put it: we shouldnt be
surprised if we become suspects (Felder, 2005). Islam reprobates each terrorist act.
Furthermore, any reprehensive act is a breach of the Islamic Law Sharia, as well as of
the human logic (Sultan bin Abdulaziz, 2002).
Taking into consideration all these, it is necessary to give up the expression Islamic
terrorist in order to use terrorist who abusively makes use of Islam(Andreescu, 2006).
More and more Muslims begin to see the USA as a colonial power which, together with
Israel, holds the most important places of the Islamic religion (Cadran politic, 2007).
129
Geopolitics Geostrategy International Security
The reasons for terrorists fight against the USA are not generated by the freedom of
democracy but by the USA policy and actions in Muslims areas (Cadran politic, 2007).
If somebody lifts hands against you, catch and kill them anywhere you find them. We are
giving you justified power against them (Sura, 22, 39-41).
Advice to Reflection
Starting from the aspects that we intend to return to through specific themes, a few
well-known specialists (Moisescu, Andreescu; Antipa, 2004; Delcea, 2006) have tried to
answer some questions in order to define the phenomenon and to find out the most
appropriate solutions:
Is there a conflict between civilizations, meaning between the West and the Islamic
civilization ?
Why cannot the West understand the Islamic Civilization and why is it always in
charge of master, sometimes a too severe one ?
Which are the motivations in training terrorists and how can they keep alive
the devotion for suicidal acts, taking into consideration that some terrorist have lived
and trained in the West ?
The questions could go on in the same manner, but some complementary explanations
are necessary:
Starting with the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 in the USA, some changes
have taken place as far as the USA programs and policies are concerned and a series of
laws regarding the fight against terrorism (US PATRIOT Act, Terrorist Exclusion List
~TEL or Public LAW 107-56) have been adopted.
Changes of opinion related to the states goals and position in the fight against
terrorism have been noted (Inter-American Convention against Terrorism Barbados,
June 2002) going to even establish new antiterrorists displaceable units able to dispatch
activities meant to annihilate terrorist groups activities.
In the context of The Treaty of Prum on May 27, 2005, the prevention and fighting
against the acts characterized as terrorist crimes, represent the reason for adopting the
highest cooperation standards made possible through improved information exchange,
prevention of terrorists acts and creation of sky marshals.
Disregarding the real aspects of contemporary society by the West helps terrorism
globalisation, the media dissemination of the war image Islam-West, increasing the already
existing feeling of uncertainty. The antiterrorist campaign should not become a war
statement against the Arab people, having about 350 million citizens, divided in 22 countries.
The candidates for terrorist acts (Kamikaze Terrorists) are trained by imams to kill
or to let themselves killed as, according to the theory, death brings them closer to Heaven,
closer to Allah. The Promised paradise results also from the following verses: Those who
are leaving their homes in the name of Allah and die for this cause, He will take good care
of them (Sura, 2, 23) and they will enjoy there forever (Sura, 36, 55-56).
130
Romanian Military Thinking ~ 2/2007
Without claiming an exhaustive documentary work, or the subject depletion, we
conclude, taking into consideration the facts, that terrorism remains the price paid by the
Western society for its hegemony and also for the enforcement of democratic principles in
the world (Andreescu, 2006).
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