Terrorist Groups, Strategies, and Tactics: Religious Terrorism

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Terrorist Groups, Strategies, and Tactics
Religious Terrorism

• PO 483 The Politics of Terrorism

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Millenarian Terrorist Groups

• Millenarianism A system of beliefs that is
  predicated on the capacity to predict, and
  therefore act in anticipation for, the coming of
  the Apocalypse.
• Many millenarian sects/groups further believe
  that the coming of the Apocalypse is near.
• Messianism Messianic groups believe centrally in
  the coming of a spiritual messiah, or a being
  that will either provide living believers comfort
  from the evils of the world, or free the world of
  its misery by ending it and introducing living
  believers to eternal paradise in the afterlife.

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Millenarian Terrorist Groups

• Differences Millenarianism necessarily deals
  with end of the world but not the coming of a
  messiah messianism deals with messiah, not
  necessarily the end of the world.

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What Are the Major Types of Millenarian and
Messianic Religious Groups?

• Passive
• Prophesize the end of the world
• Believe that only they can be saved
• Do not think they can act to hasten the end of
  the world themselves
• Time spent in spiritual purification
• Preach with eye to conversion
• Examples Mainstream monotheism

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What Are the Major Types of Millenarian and
Messianic Religious Groups?

• Active
• Similar belief structures, but believe they can
  play a role in the timing of the Apocalypse
• Often believe they can hasten the end of the
  world by simulating/ initiating violence of the
  Judgment (suicide or violence on others).
• Messianic seek to actively hasten the coming of
  the messiah

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What Types of Violence Do We Associate with
Messianic/Millenarian Groups?

• Defensive Violence
• Normally Associated with Passive Groups
• Take up arms only to defend themselves against
  attack from outside, non-believing forces
• Commensurate with their beliefs, they do not want
  to use violence to hasten the end of the world,
  but only to protect what they believe is the true
  and righteous religion

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Example of Defensive Violence David Koresh and
the Branch Davidians

• Connections to Seventh Day Adventists
• God, who is always revealing more truth to his
  rightful followers, will always send a prophet to
  guide them
• We are living near the end of time true
  followers must protect themselves
• Koresh 5th Prophet unlocked secrets to Seven
  Seals
• 1993 Holed up in compound in Waco, TX
• Weapons stockpiled, ostensibly to protect
  followers from government forces
• ATF/FBI Seemed to misunderstand purpose attack
  compound.
• Siege for nearly two months
• Government forces attack
• Given nature of group, government attack seemed
  unproportional

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What Types of Violence Do We Associate with
Messianic/Millenarian Groups?

• Offensive Violence
• Most closely associated with sects that believe
  their actions on earth can hasten the end of the
  world (active).
• The types of offensive violence that such groups
  employ are commensurate with their beliefs.
• For example, if a group thinks it is their
  ordained responsibility to destroy the world, we
  expect attempts at large scale violence. If a
  group believes that small-scale violence will put
  into motion a chain reaction that will bring
  about the Apocalypse, then we expect attempts at
  large scale violence.

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Example of Offensive Violence Concerned
Christians

• Denver, early 1980s
• Miller shift from attacks on New Age/media to
  Christianity generally
• Radio show patriotism and love of God are
  antithetical canceled
• Apocalyptic edge
• US as Satan
• Miller claimed he was one of two witnesses to
  Revelation
• Claimed he would be martyred in Jerusalem in
  1999, and rise three days later
• Apocalypse would begin after earthquake in
  Denver group moved to Israel
• Israelis fearing violence, arrest members

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Summary

• M/M violence is not political terrorism still,
  however, a potential threat to stability of
  status quo powers POLITICAL SOLUTIONS OFTEN
  UNAVAILABLE
• Can identify differences in groups based on
  beliefs (passive/active), and type of violence
  likely to be used to reach those goals minimize
  likelihood of large-scale violence when
  applicable
• Can subsequently look at ways to address this
  type of violence, attempting to avoid costly
  engagements
• Some individual and group similarities with
  politico-religious terrorism, but crucial
  differences as well

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Politico-Religious Terrorism

• Genesis of politico-religious terrorism is
  twofold
• Political Prerogatives of one Group
• Religious Prerogatives of another
• International powers maintain presence in foreign
  societies that differ from themselves
• Historical trend, more obvious with globalization
• Places may be important source of material,
  manufacturing sites, or labor
• Presence not always direct or pronounced
  (cultural, information)

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Areas Susceptible to P-R Terrorism

• State of the political situation must allow for
  unfavorable in-group/out-group comparison by some
  part of indigenous people, based on perceived
  encroachment on traditional conduct of religion
• Unfavorable political situation perceived as
  threatening, necessitates defense of religion
• May not result in total loss of sovereignty
• Differ from offensive-minded millenarians
  (political message to perceived offender) differ
  from defensive-minded millenarians (initiation of
  violence for defensive purpose)
• Power differential still crucial for choice of
  terrorism

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Differences between Politico-Religious and
Separatist/Irredentist Groups

• Primary Motivations Statehood or joining for
  S/I, defense of religious integrity for P-R
• P-R Defend status quo ante
• Tactics Related to Differences in Strategy
• P-R Plan/execute attacks resulting in much
  destruction
• S/I Symbolic, severity carefully planned
• Why are P-R more deadly?
• Deity/Clergy as audience
• Killing of threatening non-believers ordained
• Political
• Inflict vast costs different type of enemy
  unfettered by international opinion

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How can Religion Facilitate Terrorism?

• Unity of Principles
• Can increase prospects of indoctrination into
  group
• Allows for cell-type structure
• Decreases need to maintain intra-group discipline
  
• Integral to success, given strategy and tactics
• Can Work to Validate Violence
• Assuaging guilt
• Holy War/Martyrdom

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Traditions of Holy War and Martyrdom in
Christianity and Islam

• Christianity
• Early Martyrdom
• Crusades
• Rise of Nationalism Supplants Religious
  Imperatives
• Islam
• Shiite
• Leader Revealed Special Knowledge by Allah
• History of Persecution within Islam
• Illegitimacy of all Secular Government Islamic
  Law
• Violence and Coercion Sanctioned to spread
  Islamic law
• Extremists