TERRORISM AND ITS IMPLICATION ON GLOBAL SECURITY IN THE 21ST CENTURY A CASE STUDY OF SUDAN

Abstract

Beginning with the 2000s, numerous scholars, politicians and political analysts alike have characterized terrorism as global, religious, irrational and rising. The main characteristics of the “ terrorism”, its political, local and rational character, are outmoded in accordance with this line of thinking. Global terrorism is thought to be an enemy worth changing the National Security Strategy of the states in the international system, and even suspending some civil not to mention human rights. However, the decline or disappearance of many prominent terrorist figures or entire groups have been ironically overlooked, or selectively ignored as irrelevant to the “new” terrorism. This study challenges the aforementioned common knowledge and suggests that the “global terrorism” has very few if any differences from the “classical old” one.

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the study

Statement of problem

Research questions

Objective of the study

Significance of the study

Scope of the study

Limitation of the study

Operationalisation of the study

CHAPTER TWO

Gap in iterature(quaote authors)

Theoretical framework

Research hypothesis

Research methodology

CHAPTER THREE

Testing of hypothesis

CHAPTER FOUR

Testing of hypothesis

CHAPTER FIVE

Summary of findings

Conclusion

Recommendations

Reference

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

• Background of the study

The September 11, 2001 attack on the twin towers in New York and Pentagon building in Washington brought to the fore a general recognition that terrorism is a global problem that required urgent attention. The response was a war on terror against groups defined as a murderous, oppressive, violent and hateful, whose Islamic radicalism is fingered as responsible and seen as a threat to peace, security and prosperity of the global community. What came in consonance with the war on terror is the phrase ‘axis of evil’ popularized by the former American president George W Bush and as the war assumed a global dimension, terrorists were driven from their previous safe heavens as country’s were either for or against in this war. Given this scenario, it has become a common refrain that failed states are the fertile grounds for terrorism which threatens their national security and invariably the global security as well. Nigeria, is one such states where failure has given rise to insurgent groups like Boko Haram which uses terror and violent agitation for making demand on the state has emerged. In recent years, the world has become increasingly aware of the terrorist activities that have been taking place and their impacts on the lives of people as well as the social, economic, and political stability of nations. The negative impacts of terrorism in the world can no longer be underestimated and their understanding has never been more important than it has become, especially after the world became aware of what happened in the United States on September 11, 2001. Terrorist attacks have claimed the lives of many people destroying property worth millions of dollars (Drakos & Kutan, 2003). Industries have been decimated and countries have cautioned their citizens against visiting terrorism destinations that have been associated with terrorism, which harms the entire industry. Having established the level of awareness that has been created and the increasing concern on the impacts of terrorism, the issues affecting the future of our security needs to be resolved by all means necessary. This resolution can only begin with the understanding of just precisely how terrorism impacts on security, with particular attention of Nigeria, which has been one of the most vulnerable destinations. Considered as one of the world’s most popular tourism destinations, Nigeria needs to be studied, both in terms of existing literature as well as empirically. Terrorism is violence or threat of violence calculated to create an atmosphere of fear or alarm and thereby bring about some social and political changes. This definition is in line with the explanation offered by a South American Jurist more than 30 years ago, according to him “Terrorism consists of acts that are in themselves may be classic-crimes, murder, arson, the use of explosives, but that differ from classic crimes in that they are excited with the deliberate intention of causing panic and terror within an arranged or organized society¹. It is the use of violence and most especially the fear it causes among people for political objectives.²

It was also defined by the Terrorism Research Center as “the systematic use of physical violence against non combatants but with an audience greater than the immediate victim in mind to create a general climate of fear in a large population in order to affect some kind of political and social changes”³.

The United States Federal Bureau of investigation (FBI) defines terrorism as “the unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimate or coerce a government, the population or any segment thereof in furtherance of political and social objectives”⁴. In basic terms, terrorism is an act of inflicting terror upon the people in the process of achieving personal or political objectives. Although from the above definitions, it can be rightly concluded that there is no precise or widely accepted definition of the concept of terrorism, it is generally believed that terrorism is the use of covert violent actions in order to achieve certain objectives. It is a form of covert attack directed at targets that are outside a certain range of clearly military targets. Though the terrorist attack on the world trade centre in New York and the Pentagon in Washington DC constitute a prime case, most terrorist attack are aimed at domestic regimes or other targets within the terrorist own country⁷.

Terrorism is not new on the world stage. Northern Ireland had been dealing with terrorists for more than forty years, Israel with Palestinian terrorists for much the same period and Spain with Basque terrorists.

Although the use of terrorism as a political tool extends far back into history, recent decades have seen a rise in the practice for several reasons. One is the overwhelming advantage in weapons that governments usually have over dissident groups. Because many governments are armed with aircraft and other high tech weapons that are unavailable to opposition forces, it has often become nearly suicidal for armed dissidents to use conventional tactics.

Second, terrorists’ targets are now more readily available than in the past: people are more concentrated in urban areas and even in large buildings; there are countless airline flights, and more and more people travel abroad. Third, the mass availability of instant visual news through television and satellite communications makes it easy for terrorists to gain an audience. This is important because terrorism is not usually directed at its victims as such; rather it is intended to frighten others. Fourth, technology has led to the creation of increasingly lethal weapons that terrorists can use to kill and injure large numbers of people. These technological “advances” include biological, chemical, nuclear, and radiological weapons. Terrorists attacks are relatively regular event. In 2000 there were 423 international terrorist attacks – many of these carried out across national borders and there were many other incidents of domestic terrorism. However, through this time, Americans worried little about terrorism for example, in a survey conducted in 1999 that asked Americans to name two or three top foreign policy concerns, only 12 percent of the respondents mentioned terrorism as a worry. This American’s sense of security was shattered by the September 11, 2001 terrorists attacks which included the destruction of the World trade Center, major damage to the pentagon, the crash of a hijacked airliner in Pennsylvania, and the deaths of over 3,000 people.  Soon thereafter President George W. Bush responded by announcing a war on terrorism⁹. An American led coalition of forces intervened in Afghanistan, toppling the Taliban government that had supported Al Qaeda and attacking Al Qaeda forces in the country. Later President Bush charged that Iraq, Iran and North Korea constituted an “axis of evil” that, among other things were guilty of state terrorism. In March 2003, the United States, in alliance with Great Britain and other countries known as the coalition of the Willing attacked Iraq, arguing in part that Iraq’s support of terrorism made it an international threat and an outlaw nation. Terrorist make use of various means in achieving their aims, irrespective of whether it is individual group or state sponsored terrors. Some of which are briefly stated as follows:

Kidnapping: Seizure of one or more victims are then moved to a hideout. This method is regularly abducted by the Niger Delta Terrorists Movements.

Barricade Hostage: Seizure of a facility with whatever hostages available, these is made cotangent on meeting terrorist demand.

Bombing: Major bombing is the use of any type of explosives or device for terrorist purposes, including those delivered through mail when sufficient demand or casualties occurs, the terrorists group claims responsibility. Example Commuter bombing in 2004 March that killed 191 people and wounded 1,8000. and July 7: London bombings – Bombs explode on one double-decker bus and three London Underground trains, killing 56 people and injuring over 700, occurring on the first day of the 31st G8 Conference. The attacks are the first suicide bombings in Western Europe.

Hijacking: An attempt to seize an airplane, ship or other vehicle with whatever hostage maybe in it, to force some actions or movement to another country upon an agreement by authorities involved to terrorists demand.

Armed attack: An attempt to seize or damage facility with no intent to hold for negotiating purposes.

Assassination: An attempt whether successful or not to kill a pre selected victim usually with small arms or letter bombs, are executed form this small category, in many cases, there is a specific intended victim.

Sabotage: this is willful destruction of properties by any means including bombing.

Exotic Pollution: The use of exotic substances such as atomic, chemical or biological to contaminate materials of the targeted state. For example, the introduction of mercury into orange shipped form Israel.

Threat for hoax: The stated intent by a terrorist group to carry out an attack or a false alert of authorities about the coming of terrorists attack by a named group. Most of these means terrorists adopt in carrying out their activities are becoming obsolete because of the fact that most governments that are more effective in combating terrorist elements. Few governments are as inclined as they were some years ago to release captured terrorists simply to avoid further terrorists attacks. Most government have adopted non concessions, non-negotiations politics in dealing with hostage cases or situation. Physical security around likely target has increased for example, it has become more difficult now, although it is still possible to smuggle weapons abroad through airlines. Embassies are becoming virtual fortress (especially after the terrorists attack on the United States embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in August 1998).

Diplomatic and top executives often travel in armored limousines with armed body guards (for example, the coming of former United States President Bill Clinton into Nigeria and Ghana with armored limousines and several CIA and FBI agents). But despite these undeniable achievements, the total volume of terrorist’s activities in the world has increased. At the same time terrorism has become bloodier and the terrorist seem to be less reluctant to inflict casualties. The latest fear exercise after the September 11^th incident is the fear of terrorist making use of instruments of mass destruction in achieving their aims. One aspects of the problem of definition of the term terrorism is the difficulty in distinguishing between terrorism and a freedom fighter for example, the man who attacks a plane and proceeds to kill some or all the passengers. The man who wrap bomb around his waist and drives into a shopping mall causing maximum damages of government may well be a freedom fighter to his kith and kin.

• STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

In modern democracy and civilization, it is generally believed that terrorism is business, haven said that, Terrorist organizations use two types of power applications in accordance with the purpose/ intention and the created affect. These are the methods of forcing and using rough power. While the purpose of using the rough power is to influence the politics of the government by way of destruction, the method of forcing aims to change the politics of the governments by applying pressure. Therefore the political leadership of the state is the target of the strategic planning of the terrorist organizations. If the political leadership of the state is not chosen as a target, the terrorist organizations focus on the terrorist actions to influence the politics of the political leadership. Consequently, with the terrorist actions, to lessen the determination of the political power on fighting against the terrorism is aimed. Because the attacks to the heart of the state will cause “partial affect” and create a psychological pressure on the political leaders. It is in view of the above that the researcher intend to investigate the implication of terrorism on global security in the 21^st century with emphasis on Sudan.

• RESEARCH QUESTIONS

To aid the completion of the study, the following research questions were formulated;

1. Is there any significant relationship between terrorism and global security?
2. Are they political impact of terrorism on government policies and principles?

• Does the activity of terrorist group impair foreign direct investment?
  • OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The main objective of the study is to examine the implication of terrorism on global security in the 21^st century with emphasis on Sudan, but to aid the completion of the study, the researcher intends to achieve the following specific objective:

1. To examine if the activity of terrorist group impair foreign direct investment
2. To preview weather terrorism has any political implication on government policies and principles

• To examine if there is any significant relationship between terrorism and global security
  • SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study is significant in various ways to various sectors, as will be seen below; Studies in this subject have exhaustively pin pointed the negative impact of terrorism on global security, which no doubt has so far affected the peace and stability of the international community. it will present in a precise manner, the effects of terrorism to security threats in the Middle East and the nation at large. It is believed that the findings of this research work should provide detailed information on how to tackle with the issue of terrorism in our nation. It is also expected that the study will be of benefit to all the citizens of this country, as it will create awareness of the implication of terrorism in our country Nigeria and the globe at large

It is possible that by the outcome off this thesis that terrorism will reduce in a great dear. The research will also be beneficial to the researcher. This is because the study will expose the researcher to so many related areas in the course of carrying out his research. This will enhance the researcher’s experience, knowledge and understanding on the manner of terrorism and its implication on global security level.

1.6  Scope of the Study

This study will cover terrorism, its implication on global security of the 21th century. The Study concentrate on areas of on which terrorism has effected and its degradation to the nation, while the case study was chosen at Sudan.

1.7  Limitation of the Study

During the course of performing/researching this project work, the researcher encountered a lot of challenges as well as opposition which ranges from financial constraints, time factor, sourcing of material etc. this factors in their own ways, slowed down the speed progress of this work that resulted to the researcher not being able to finish the research work on time as is required

The research would have research on a wider range but because of this limitation, the researcher now narrowed it down to Sudan.

1.8 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS

Terrorism

Terrorism is, in the broadest sense, the use of intentionally indiscriminate violence as a means to create terror among masses of people; or fear to achieve a religious or political aim. It is used in this regard primarily to refer to violence during peacetime or in war against non-combatants

Global security

International security, also called global security, refers to the amalgamation of measures taken by states and international organizations, such as the United Nations, European Union, and others, to ensure mutual survival and safety

Terrorist

A person who uses unlawful violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

₦5,000.00 – DOWNLOAD FULL PROJECT DOWNLOAD FULL PROJECT Added to cart

---

---

---

---

---

Related Project Topics :