Case study: terrorist and extremist

Case Study: Terrorists and Extremists

As described in the Module 7 Power Point presentation, criminologist Gwynn Nettler outlined all terrorism shares six characteristics:

1. No Rules-No moral limitations on the type or degree of violence that terrorists can use.
2. No Innocents-No respecter of persons; from soldiers to children; all are game.
3. Economy-Kill one, frighten 10,000
4. Publicity-Terrorists seek publicity, and publicity encourages terrorism.
5. Meaning-Terrorist acts give meaning and significance to the lives of terrorists.
6. No Clarity-Beyond the immediate aim of destructive acts, the long-term goals of terrorists are likely to be poorly conceived or impossible to implement. Terrorism that succeeds escalates.

The last seven slides of the Module 7 Power Point presentation depicted the following case studies of actual terrorist or extremist type events. Select one of these case studies, do further research on it and complete a 2-page essay discussing the application of these six characteristics in the event you select. In addition, the student will state if the chosen event was a Domestic or International event and why it is so.

Students must include a minimum of two references, one being from an outside, non-GU source.

Please be very sensitive to the issues of plagiarism! All of the written work submitted must clearly be your own. Keep in mind transcription of material (copying), followed by parenthetical identification of the source with little or no original thought added does not constitute an adequate essay. You are expected to provide some evidence that at least a significant portion of the each essay is your own reaction to, thought about or evaluation of the subject of the essay, composed in your own words. Agreement, disagreement, examples, etc. are appropriate – as long as evidence of some thoughtful and pertinent independent thought, reaction, or response to the term or question is included.

1. Ramzi Yousef 1993 World Trade Center Bombing
2. Beirut, Lebanon vehicle bombing of the Marine barracks
3. Ruby Ridge
4. Oklahoma City Murray Federal building bombing
5. Theodore Kaczynski letter bombs
6. Waco Siege
7. Lockerbie PAN AM Flight 103 bombing