People around the world often wonder about how others always come to fatal decisions in their lives. In this case, it's terrorism. What kind of thought gives a person the motive to even think of the subject on becoming a terrorist? Here is something to know “Around the world statistics representing that 27% of respondents joined al Shabab for economic reasons. 15% joined due to religious reasons – and 13% being forced to join and participate in the actions,”(Ibrahim 1). The action would signal an act of strong grief and support of an Islamic community like a sheep to its shepherd. Overall people around the world are becoming terrorist for many reasons. Many unknown, and many because of the laws and rights in our country. Although a big problem often not too fond of, we must approach it to what we must do in order to stop this action of soon to be terrorist or terrorist in the making. Finding ways like looking at the bigger picture rather than just a smaller portrait. Fixing our problems in the states. Or their mistakes that they may make that they don't understand. Or even if it get to a certain point, facing the problem head on, with war.
Context of Issue
The day of Christmas in 2014, a Nigerian Islamic man named Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, was planning to operate an Islamic terrorist attack on an airline. At the moment he is infamously known as the “underwear bomber,”( Ibrahim 1). This attack was justified by the fact of either being supportive of terrorism actions. Being a supporter of the Islamic community or a radical. This was specifically because of the fact that when he attempted this act he tried to hide the bomb in his trousers while being on board the Northwest Airlines Flight 253 on route to Detroit Michigan from Amsterdam. During the confession Umar had stated clearly,”blessed weapon to save the lives of innocent Muslims", he told the court. And also saying,” "The US should be warned that if they continue to kill and support those who kill innocent Muslims, then the US should await a great calamity… or God will strike them directly," Umar Farouk added. Throughout the article it says no one was harmed in his act, but were terrified to even know there was a man out there along with them to do this intentionally. This evidence coming from BBC.com and Azeem Ibrahim's article called, “Islamic extremist are motivated by moral disgust. The message from this article and my topic relates by giving information about how he was motivated about Umar Farouk Abdulmutallabs’ act of terrorism. Simply by the moral disgust of the Islamic name towards Americans in our nation.
Across the world, there was the U.S war with terrorism. In Iraq we had gone to fight our enemy in the heart of their home. We had gone to take and destroy their army and weapons of terrorism. Columbus Dispatch says, “The U.S war in Iraq has caused an increase in terrorist activity in the country, which has spilled over into neighboring nations such as Turkey, George Anne Geyer claims in the following viewpoint(Dispatch, 1).” The increase of terrorism was due to the war on Iraq from the United States. Our actions alone triggered something worse for us. Also along with this he says, “We fought to destroy to regimes, ur what we ended up doing was destroying two states. Neither in Afghanistan nor in Iraq are we able to re-create the state, which means that the fourth generation, no state forces will come to dominate both places.” And”, he summed up,” neither we nor any other states knows how to differ the fourth generation( Dispatch,1).” This is stating that even if we were to attack and conquer them. The next coming generation of them would come to defy us once again. So Americans would just come back to square one, fighting them and dealing with their act of terrorism. The way of their lives are made to believe that Americans are the enmities. It's their BELIEF to believe in that by heart. It's all summed up by what you believe in.
Impact of Issue
The start/or act of terrorism starts from the beginning, lacking the knowledge of who were. To actually become a terrorist. The United States have been doing this but not to a point to where we've stopped anything that would fully prevent an issue and i fully believe that if we were to go back and take a look at this carefully we may be able to stop or prevent an attack. Like earlier, this certain tactic is very well aware by the people and government, but isn't taken as serious as it should be.
In the image above, this chart explains the amount of people being killed by either “far right extremist” or “radical Islamic extremists”. Darker blue being the people killed by “far right extremist” and lighter blue representing people killed by actual Islamic terrorist. In the graph yes, people are killed by overall bad people who are against the actions of a society, nation, or government. But it's the type of people and their belief in why they are doing it. As we can see the far right extremist aren't taken to action in the participation of terrorism. Far right extremist are people who are against the political right opposing socialism and social democracy. Radical Islamic extremist who are different oppose simply the action of government democracy and are against it. As we can see, the radical Islamic extremist are more active in their acts by a bit more than far right extremist. Killing more people than them in their participation in terrorism.
The act of terrorism has gone through long enough, from wars, attacks, rebellions, and etc. We have to be concerned more than ever because of how well developed we have become in the world. How advanced we've gotten. How much power one person has in his hands. How others can do such a terrible thing to destroy millions of people lives. As I have said earlier from this, “ 27% of respondents joined terrorist groups for either economic reasons. 15% religious beliefs/reasons, and 13% forced to do such things”(Ibrahim 1).There are plenty of other reasons for the act of terrorism just those reasons either being personal or local. If we can stop them from turning to the wrong side, we could end terrorism forever.
Referencing from the topic above a man named Nasir Abbas’ was a “normal” kid as he claims. According to Nick O’ Brien, grown up in Singapore and not very Islamic. He didn't pray five times a day, his mother didn't wear a scarf, and his father an activist. Though through his life he believed that Islamic lives were all innocent. That other countries were evil for captivating them and giving them unfair treatment. As he grew up he was fascinated and was upset with this self fact. Becoming more dedicated each day. One day Nasir found out about Afghanistan he was wanting to go there because of the huge population of Islamic activity. He finally went as a military related to the military segment. Here he learned everything there is to know about combat, physical training, and etc. Now as he has done this, his dedication skyrocketed. He was soon a threat to the U.S and other worldly areas was part of the infamous al qaeda terrorist group. He participated in many activities involving terrorism. At the moment he is dead. He was shot on a Sunday night by an armed and unidentified man, written in an article according to Nick O’ Brien. Overall Nasir Abbas’ was grown up believing in that others who gave the unfair treatment to his people should pay for his people's suffering.
There was another man named Harry Sarfos who was apart from an Islamic group written in an article by, Ricky Gladstone saying Harry Sarfos an ordinary man was taken in to be a former Islamic member soon participating in terrorist activities. Before everything he had reached out to Islamic terrorist groups through social media simply. They'd exchange messages, giving information about each other. And would soon meet in Turkey in a mall. There Harry was recognized as a Islamic member. Then after, had participated in the acts, killing, destroying lives and people. At the moment he defends himself saying he hasn't killed anyone during the three months. But is facing prison now in Germany and sits to tell such a story. From Harry's view he was interested in these acts. He was simply agreed to their beliefs also. Could and would not come back from that.
According to a news article online biased by Politicol by Daniel Benjamin, they've done research to see how people don't care too much about terrorism as much now. While it is a harsh subject to touch on. Terrorism is still very important. But is simply not getting the light it deserves. Based on thesis article it says, “Consider this sign of the times: In late August, U.S. officials expressed confidence they had finally killed Ibrahim al-Asiri, the most fabled al-Qaeda bombmaker of the post-9/11 period. Asiri was reported to have created undetectable bombs and experimented with implanting them inside operatives’ bodies(Benjamin, 1).” Showing how with their leader down. They're acts are to be suppressed and not as much has a threat. Many experts have still conducted ways to solve why terrorism is still a motive for their reasons, despite this article.
Possible Solutions/Recommendations.
Though these things are happening, we must be able to first stop the action of actually getting into this kind of act. Others may say there is no clear reason for people's actions of terrorism. But I believe there is and there's a solution. What we could is set the belief straight. This method can work especially for the younger targeted group. You see, when you are young, there are things you'd believe and that's what we want to have them first to believe in something good not bad.
Another possible strategy is fixing what we as America need to fix. Our nation isn't perfect as we all know. And it's clearly not helping with our neighboring countries. Others like the many terrorist out in the world, just don't agree with America's actions in government. That's sometimes the case of terrorism, our government how we set ourselves and how others think of us in the first place. You see, some people may say there is no real reason for their actions of terrorism, but I believe that when it happens there's a reason to behind it.
Today there are ways we monitor terrorist uprising. It's everywhere from schools, jobs, and etc. for example,” it monitors potential terrorists, promptly identifies individuals who may be becoming radicalised and provides at-risk people and buildings with additional security(Rapport 1).” This tactic gives a variety of supportive ways to help prevent the cause of terrorism or the act and start of it. Also , “Terrorists go through a radicalisation process before turning to violence. Teachers and youth workers try to recognise this and report their suspicions to the police and criminal justice authorities, if necessary. Neighbourhood teams from the police play an important role in this process. In this way, it is possible to stop radicalisation in time and prevent it from leading to terrorism(Rapoport,1).” These are many ways that today we use to alert ourselves from threats and/or etc.
Conclusion
Thoughts on why motives toward terrorism are very vital for our understandings and studies on it. Prevention for terrorism is very limited. The act of terrorism has increased throughout these past years. Therefore, having to know their motives of why they do it in the first place is important so we may fix our problem or theirs. The general saying of anti-terrorism say we must fight them head on, but me along with others support that we must take a step back and look at the whole situation rather than just a smaller picture. The more active use of this strategy may not prevent all acts of terrorism, but will help us understand what we can do as a whole to understand each other more rather than just fighting one another.