What can be said about terrorism that has not already been said? Everyone knows everything about it. So much has been written, talked about and shown that it has become a part of our lives. Is this the motive of the information provided to us? Is this the impact the government really wants to create about terrorism?
The growth of terrorism has been across the globe in many forms. How did terrorism start and spread so wide. To understand and answer this question it is necessary to begin by understanding the meaning and the implied meaning of terrorism. Terrorism is different to different people. Terrorism is the use of terror in the act of coercion. It can also be understood as the unlawful acts of violence. Oxford English Dictionary, 2002 has defined a terrorist as a person who uses violence and intimidation is pursuit of political aims. It has also defined a revolutionary as a person who revolts and advocated revolution. This factually leaves no difference between a terrorist and a revolutionary. Revolutionary was the word earlier used for terrorist. The understanding of the term can be achieved only by understanding all the aspects of the particular situation. It is said that what is one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter.
History of terrorism dates back to the Zealots who fought against the Roman occupation in the first century. In the earlier days revolutionaries fought against injustice. The course of following unlawful acts was never the first choice for the revolutionary. For example during the Indian Independence struggle all the steps that could be taken which related to non-violence and peace were taken. In spite of this when nothing seemed to be happening the acts of unlawful violence were used in order to get rid of the British Raj. Why was this step taken? The reason was that there was no choice left. The British had entered India in disguise. They came as traders and ended up ruling the entire nation for 150 long years. If they would not have tortured and harassed the people and left after trading then there would be no need of fighting them.
Terrorism started way back in the 11th century but today in the modern world terrorism is understood only as the acts of violence that are carried on under the pretext of “JIHAD”. This is the modern implied meaning of terrorism that is accepted by the people across the globe. The terrorist organisations that are known today are Al-Qaeda led by the most sought after terrorist Osama Bin Laden. The other terrorist organisation which is active in today’s day is Taliban. Initially when the civil war broke in Afghanistan the anti-government rebels known as the mujaheddin found support from countries including USA, Pakistan and other Muslim nations. US government provided the Taliban with funds that they are now using against them.
The terrorism attacks are just one side of the coin. The other side is the aftermath. The aftermath of these attacks is the phase which takes a long time to forget. After the 9/11 attacks the people suffered an awful lot. The people present during the collapsing of the twin towers who survived it suffered from mental and emotional disturbances some which have changed their lives forever. Some have inhaled the dust which had caused them to suffer and eventually most of them died. The attack did not only claim lives at that time. The attack ruined lives of many others who had nothing to do with it but were taken under custody and detained by the FBI under the Patriot Act. The suspects of terrorism were regular people on the streets. There were many instances in which they had to be left due to lack of evidence. The one’s taken into custody were mainly South Asian people. They most of the times did not have any information about why they were taken in. The detention centre was used to torture, humiliate and harass the suspects.
The stories of the people who have come out of the detention centre is terrifying. By the time they were left due to lack of proof most of them had suffered many injuries not only physical which can be treated but also mental which has no cure. The fear and the thoughts of the incidents that took place in the detention centre will probably haunt them for the rest of their lives. Other than the FBI doing its part in racial discrimination there were many cases that were reported where in people of South Asian origin were tortured, troubled and in many cases injured or killed. The people attacked were of Muslim origin and of Sikh origin. The Sikh’s were mistaken for the supporters of Osama Bin Laden who was responsible for the attack due to the beard and the turban. Many people who were attacked or detained were residents of America as well. But nothing seemed to stop the US government from continuing this act.
Later under the Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation the US troops were sent to Afghanistan in order to destroy Al-Qaeda and Taliban which was helping them. The conclusion of this answer to Terrorism was Terrorism. This has done nothing other than expanding the scope of terrorism across the globe.
