Critical essays are due in Modules 2 and 6. Critical thinking essays will showcase your knowledge of the materials that have been presented.

You are responsible to demonstrate your learning by considering multiple perspectives and referencing at least three sources of content that have been assigned this week (or from other relevant and appropriate sources).

Please respond to one essay question:
1- Right-wing extremists have been one of the largest and most consistent sources of domestic terror incidents in the United States for many years, true or false?
2- What are the main objectives of the Army of God?
3- Discuss and analyze the policy recommendations for countering mass shootings proposed by Nagin, Koper & Lum (2020).
4- How is the face of domestic terrorism changing?
5- Discuss why are some domestic terrorist movements identified as leaderless?
Additional Assignment Requirements

You must follow the writing requirements provided for the course (i.e. ensure you follow APA formatting)
A word count should be provided on your title page.
You must write in the third person
Each body paragraph will have appropriate analysis and discussions
You must use author information appropriately. Author information cannot stand alone
Assignments will be uploaded and use Turnitin an anti-plagiarism tool
Submit all papers to PaperRater.com (Links to an external site.) to proactively check your work for plagiarism. This will assist you with grammar and citations as well.

ANSWER

Word count: 865

The Changing Face of Domestic Terrorism

When we hear about terrorism, most people, including the intelligence and law enforcement communities, will mainly focus on international terrorism, counterterrorism and forget that domestic violence is present and evolving with the changing times and advancements in technology, which in turn results in the changes of the terrorist’s Operandi modus. Domestic terrorism involves the unlawful use or threatened use of violence perpetrated by a group or individuals based within the country, such as within the territory of the USA, without any foreign intervention committed with the intention of intimidation or coercion against the government or its citizens (Jones et al., 2020). Since the dreadful September 11, 2001 attack and killing of worshippers in Sikh Temple in 2012 (Neumann, 2013), domestic terrorism has changed enormously and continues to take new forms and understanding. This assignment argues that the face of domestic terrorism is changing over the years by the new changes in the modus operandi, including the targets, tactics and weapons utilized, emergence of new types of terrorists, and advanced technology creating new vulnerabilities.

Over the years, the modus operandi of domestic terrorism has been changing in the tactics, targets, and weapons utilized. When looking at the targets, most domestic terrorist targets have been the government, military, and the police, such as kidnapping and terrorizing diplomats, government officials, and military bases. This target list changed to include targeting private individuals based on diverse identity markets such as race, gender, and status, diversifying to include busy business enterprises such as malls, schools, transportation infrastructure, and churches. In 2020, according to Jones et al. (2020), the primary targets have changed to include demonstrators. Out of the domestic terrorist attacks perpetuated between January 1 and August 31, 2020, 50% of the targets were demonstrators perpetrated by white supremacists, anti-government extremists from the far right (68%) and left (20%), involuntary celibates, and opponents of the BLM movement followed by 18% representing private individuals, government, military and the police (Jones, et al., 2020). Secondly, when looking at the changes in the weapons, tactics, or methods of employing weapons to achieve terrorist objectives, numerous changes are present. There have been assassinations, armed attacks, hijacking, and bombing. Domestic terrorists depending on the terror objective, have adopted other methods such as firearms, explosives, vehicles, and incendiary devices. According to Cordeiro-Rodrigues (2016), the ALF (Animal Liberation Front) has also changed its violent and terror tactics and weapons. When direct action seemed ineffective, they decided to combine new strategies such as civil disobedience, strikes, sit-ins, tree-sits, hacking websites, emails, causing phone harassments, and even conducting home demonstrations and arson in people’s farms (Cordeiro-Rodrigues, 2016). Moreover, according to Jones et al. (2020), while the use of explosives, firearms, and incendiaries among domestic terrorists was prevalent from 1994-2020, this trend changed in 2015-2020 to include new weapons and tactics of melee attacks (use of sharp objects such as knives), vehicles, threats and hoaxes, including bomb threats or use of fake armaments (Jones, Doxsee, & Harrington, 2020).

The face of domestic terrorism is also changing through the evolution and emergence of new types of terrorists, including the structures and motivating issues. A primary change is a shift from leader-managed to leaderless domestic terrorist groups. For instance, RALM adopting a leaderless resistance movement structure shows an evolution in the organization and structure, providing a new face of domestic resistance movements as well as a tactful growth to increase the survival and longevity rates of the terror groups (Flükiger, 2009). Usually, knowing the leaders of these groups makes them police or intelligence targets, thus jeopardizing their future and identities. However, when the leader is unknown, it is difficult to distinguish between individual extremism from groups, a strategy, and a tactic to keep its members secure. Finally, technology is playing a critical role in facilitating the changing face of domestic terrorism. In the 21^st Century where almost everyone can access the internet, and own smartphones, the incitement, recruitment, and training face of domestic terrorism is evolving. Prior to digitalization, usually meeting, recruitment, and training would be done offline and physically; today, these stages have changed to provide a more effortless and better access way: the internet. Domestic terrorists and groups are using emails, blogs, videos, and even chat rooms, as Neumann (2013) outlines, to inspire, motivate, recruit and even train people to join their ideologies and agenda (Neumann, 2013). Post et al. (2014) show the waves of modern terrorism, showing the changes in contemporary terrorism (fifth wave), including technology’s role in the changes that apply in domestic terrorism. For instance, the advancement of technology has made it easy for domestic terrorist groups as they have an internet strategy to spread news, articles, and insightful information, including one necessary in recruiting and training purposes (Post, McGinnis, & Moody, 2014). Besides, through advanced technology, we have cyberterrorism developing within domestic terrorism, which is a new trend taking the offline terrorist face into a virtual and online platform.

In conclusion, the face of domestic terrorism involves its modus operandi (targets, tactics, and weapons), preparation, organization, and maintenance processes. Therefore, in all these factors, changes have been taking place to align with time, the advancement of technology, and the emergence of new issues in our world.

References

Cordeiro-Rodrigues, L. (2016). Is the Animal Liberation Front morally justified in engaging in violent and illegal activism towards animal farms? CRITICAL STUDIES ON TERRORISM, 9(2), 226-246. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/17539153.2016.1142797

Flükiger, J.-M. (2009). The Radical Animal Liberation Movement: Some Reflections on Its Future. Journal for the Study of Radicalism, 2(2), 111-132. doi:https://muse.jhu.edu/article/254911

Jones, S. G., Doxsee, C., & Harrington, N. (2020). The Tactics and Targets of Domestic Terrorists. CSIS Briefs. Retrieved from https://csis-website-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/publication/200729_Jones_TacticsandTargets_v4_FINAL.pdf

Jones, S. G., Doxsee, C., Harrington, N., Hwang, G., & Suber, J. (2020). The War Comes Home: The Evolution of Domestic Terrorism in the United States. CSIS Briefs. Retrieved from https://csis-website-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/publication/201021_Jones_War_Comes_Home_v2.pdf

Neumann, P. R. (2013). Options and Strategies for Countering Online Radicalization in the United States. Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, 36, 431-459. doi:10.1080/1057610X.2013.784568

Post, J. M., McGinnis, C., & Moody, K. (2014). The Changing Face of Terrorism in the 21st Century: The Communications Revolution and the Virtual Community of Hatred. Behavioral Sciences and the Law, 32, 306-334. doi:10.1002/bsl.2123