chapter 3: changing group structures and the metamorphosis of terrorism

Chapter 3: Changing Group Chapter 3: Changing Group Structures and the Metamorphosis Structures and the Metamorphosis

of Terrorismof Terrorism

Trying to Walk the WalkTrying to Walk the Walk


The New World Liberation Front The New World Liberation Front (NWLF)(NWLF) Formed in San Francisco (1970)Formed in San Francisco (1970) Responsible for 30 bombings over next Responsible for 30 bombings over next

seven yearsseven years Claimed to be a “moral” revolutionary Claimed to be a “moral” revolutionary

group, attacking only “legitimate” targets group, attacking only “legitimate” targets such as utility companiessuch as utility companies

Considered themselves at war with the Considered themselves at war with the establishmentestablishment


NWLF’s attempts to expandNWLF’s attempts to expand Few new recruits willing to join so they Few new recruits willing to join so they

‘expanded’ by forming a number of ‘expanded’ by forming a number of brigadesbrigades

In a final ploy to gain support, NWLF joined In a final ploy to gain support, NWLF joined up with prison reform movement and allied up with prison reform movement and allied with Tribal Thumbwith Tribal Thumb

This alliance cemented their failure due to This alliance cemented their failure due to association with violent felons; lost all association with violent felons; lost all public supportpublic support

Tribal Thumb was a group of militant ex-convictsTribal Thumb was a group of militant ex-convicts


Why many modern terrorist groups Why many modern terrorist groups fail:fail: In order to have effect, terrorist groups In order to have effect, terrorist groups

have to be largehave to be large To become large, group needs To become large, group needs

popular/political appealpopular/political appeal Need a cause that is acceptable to a large Need a cause that is acceptable to a large

segment of the publicsegment of the public Most terrorist groups do not have this Most terrorist groups do not have this

appeal and thus failappeal and thus fail

Group Size and Campaign LengthGroup Size and Campaign Length


Ted Robert Gurr’s analysis of terrorist Ted Robert Gurr’s analysis of terrorist groupsgroups Most terrorist actions involve only a few Most terrorist actions involve only a few

people who generate more noise than people who generate more noise than injuryinjury

The majority of successful groups The majority of successful groups embrace doctrines such as nationalism or embrace doctrines such as nationalism or religion religion

Large terrorist groups are more Large terrorist groups are more successful than small groupssuccessful than small groups


Length of Terrorist Campaigns:Length of Terrorist Campaigns: Most terrorist campaigns end within 18 Most terrorist campaigns end within 18

months of the initial outburst of violencemonths of the initial outburst of violence Terrorism is short-lived because it Terrorism is short-lived because it

seldom generates supportseldom generates support


Implications of Gurr’s AnalysisImplications of Gurr’s Analysis Conclusions imply that most terrorist Conclusions imply that most terrorist

organizations are small, short-lived organizations are small, short-lived operationsoperations

IF terrorism is the result of a popular IF terrorism is the result of a popular social issue, the power of the group is social issue, the power of the group is enhancedenhanced

Strong support for a group is more Strong support for a group is more important than the actual number of important than the actual number of operativesoperatives

Group Size is ImportantGroup Size is Important


Italian Terrorist GroupsItalian Terrorist Groups Between 1975 and 1985, there was a Between 1975 and 1985, there was a

large number of terrorist actions in Italylarge number of terrorist actions in Italy Only large groups involved in sustained Only large groups involved in sustained

actions/terrorist campaignsactions/terrorist campaigns Everything else was ‘single incident’ Everything else was ‘single incident’

terrorismterrorism


HezbollahHezbollah Serves as example of large successful Serves as example of large successful

groupgroup Began as political groupBegan as political group In 1982, moved to Bekaa Valley in In 1982, moved to Bekaa Valley in

LebanonLebanon Hezbollah is large enough to maintain a Hezbollah is large enough to maintain a

campaign, and religion provides campaign, and religion provides common base among its memberscommon base among its members


Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elaam Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elaam (LTTE)(LTTE) LTTE is bound by nationalism and ethnic LTTE is bound by nationalism and ethnic

identityidentity LTTE began fighting Sri Lankan LTTE began fighting Sri Lankan

government in 1976government in 1976 Claimed to represent Tamil minorityClaimed to represent Tamil minority May have up to 10,000 membersMay have up to 10,000 members


Terrorist Campaigns After WW IITerrorist Campaigns After WW II Campaigns of large terrorist Campaigns of large terrorist

organizations accounted for majority of organizations accounted for majority of world terrorismworld terrorism

Large terrorist organizations have Large terrorist organizations have prompted governments to employ prompted governments to employ macropoliciesmacropolicies

Large groups represent political threatsLarge groups represent political threats


Values Vs. Large Base of SupportValues Vs. Large Base of Support Most terrorists try to hide their most Most terrorists try to hide their most

radical positions and sensationalistic radical positions and sensationalistic violence to appeal to a broader baseviolence to appeal to a broader base

Creating Terrorist OrganizationsCreating Terrorist Organizations

Creating Terrorist Organizations Creating Terrorist Organizations

Pyramid Organization:Pyramid Organization: Support is most common job in terrorist Support is most common job in terrorist

groupsgroups Fraser and Fulton’s hierarchy of terrorist Fraser and Fulton’s hierarchy of terrorist

group:group: Smallest group at the top is responsible for Smallest group at the top is responsible for

commandcommand Second level is active cadre—people who carry Second level is active cadre—people who carry

out organization’s missionout organization’s mission Third level is most important: active supportersThird level is most important: active supporters Fourth level is passive supporters; largest groupFourth level is passive supporters; largest group

Creating Terrorist OrganizationsCreating Terrorist Organizations

Anthony Burton’s Structure of Subunits:Anthony Burton’s Structure of Subunits: Terrorist organizations have two primary types Terrorist organizations have two primary types

of subunits:of subunits: CellCell ColumnColumn

The most basic unit is the cell. Composed of 4-The most basic unit is the cell. Composed of 4-6 people and specialized as tactical or 6 people and specialized as tactical or intelligence sectionintelligence section

Groups of cells create columns, which are Groups of cells create columns, which are semiautonomous groups with a variety of semiautonomous groups with a variety of specialties and a single command structurespecialties and a single command structure

New Models for a New DayNew Models for a New Day


Umbrella OrganizationUmbrella Organization Several smaller pyramids gather under Several smaller pyramids gather under

sheltering group that sheltering group that Manages suppliesManages supplies Obtains resourcesObtains resources Creates support structuresCreates support structures Gathers intelligenceGathers intelligence

Sheltering umbrella disassociated from Sheltering umbrella disassociated from violence, casting a blind eye when violence, casting a blind eye when semiautonomous pyramid groups take semiautonomous pyramid groups take actionaction


Organizations that emerged in the Organizations that emerged in the 1990s:1990s: Virtual organizations were created through Virtual organizations were created through

computer and information networkscomputer and information networks Chain organizations linked separate groups Chain organizations linked separate groups

with similar philosophies or religions with similar philosophies or religions without creating hierarchywithout creating hierarchy

Centralized hubs developed to manage or Centralized hubs developed to manage or support individual cellssupport individual cells

““Leaderless resistance”—groups or Leaderless resistance”—groups or individuals operating on their ownindividuals operating on their own


New Organizational Styles:New Organizational Styles: As organizations change, network As organizations change, network

provides strengthprovides strength Network is supported by larger Network is supported by larger

nonviolent followingnonviolent following Motivated by nationalistic, ethnic, or Motivated by nationalistic, ethnic, or

religions concernsreligions concerns Role of force multipliers dominates Role of force multipliers dominates

terrorismterrorism

The Problems of Managing The Problems of Managing OrganizationsOrganizations


Special organizational problems:Special organizational problems: SecrecySecrecy DecentralizationDecentralization TrainingTraining Internal DisciplineInternal Discipline Gaining immediate tactical support for Gaining immediate tactical support for

operationsoperations


Bodansky’s types of activities Bodansky’s types of activities accompanying terrorist campaigns:accompanying terrorist campaigns: Intelligence—includes everything from Intelligence—includes everything from

selection/observation of targets to selection/observation of targets to forging of documentation/travel papersforging of documentation/travel papers

Direct logistical network—established to Direct logistical network—established to supply terrorists with weaponssupply terrorists with weapons

Support network—for safe houses, Support network—for safe houses, transportation, food sources, and transportation, food sources, and medical suppliesmedical supplies


Terrorist attacks require political Terrorist attacks require political support, planning, organization, and support, planning, organization, and resourcesresources

The Individual: The Ultimate Small The Individual: The Ultimate Small GroupGroup


Technology and the individual:Technology and the individual: A technological structure can be A technological structure can be

changed into a weapon if attackedchanged into a weapon if attacked Examples: power grid, fuel distribution Examples: power grid, fuel distribution

system, computer networksystem, computer network For the first time in history, a single For the first time in history, a single

individual can become a lone force of individual can become a lone force of significant destructionsignificant destruction


Jessica Stern and the disturbing trend Jessica Stern and the disturbing trend in terrorism:in terrorism: Terrorists motivated by religion are Terrorists motivated by religion are

gathering into loose groups with no gathering into loose groups with no leaderleader

Many groups are virtual organizations Many groups are virtual organizations held together by ideology and held together by ideology and informationinformation


Louis BeamLouis Beam A right-wing extremist leader involved A right-wing extremist leader involved

with Ku Klux Klan and Aryan Nationswith Ku Klux Klan and Aryan Nations Believed that a group could not evade Believed that a group could not evade

law enforcement, so he called for law enforcement, so he called for elimination of organizationselimination of organizations


““Leaderless Resistance”Leaderless Resistance” Extremist groups do not need extensive Extremist groups do not need extensive

organizationsorganizations Only necessary to take actionOnly necessary to take action

Examples:Examples: Green Party extremists in GermanyGreen Party extremists in Germany Animal Liberation FrontAnimal Liberation Front Timothy McVeighTimothy McVeigh


Lone WolfLone Wolf In the right-wing fantasy novel Hunter, In the right-wing fantasy novel Hunter,

protagonist (individual) serves as protagonist (individual) serves as example of how an individual extremist example of how an individual extremist can murder people of color and Jews in can murder people of color and Jews in the name of White supremacythe name of White supremacy

Eric Rudolph—charged in connection Eric Rudolph—charged in connection with 4 bombings ranging from 1996 with 4 bombings ranging from 1996 Atlanta Olympics to 1998 abortion clinic Atlanta Olympics to 1998 abortion clinic bombingbombing


BerserkerBerserker White defines berserkers as crazed, White defines berserkers as crazed,

frightened true believersfrightened true believers Can leave a trail of cluesCan leave a trail of clues

chapter 3: changing group structures and the metamorphosis of terrorism

Documents

terrorist groupsfraser

modern terrorist groups

publicmost terrorist

terrorist campaigns

membersgroup size

italyonly large groups

importantgroup size

supportgroup size