Affiliations Between Domestic Terrorists And Transnational Terrorists

Transactional Terrorism

Transnational terrorism refers to unlawful employment of indiscriminate violence or force by internationally-connected groups over properties and persons in various parts of the globe. It is done to cause both economic and psychological impact. Domestic terrorism entails violence over the national infrastructure or civilian population, mostly though not always by the nation citizens and frequently with the intent to influence, tocoerce, or intimidate national policy. Terrorist on the other hand is an individual who employs terrorism for political purposes. Thus, transnational terrorist is an individual engaged in terrorism group-network and takes part in performing terrorism actsin different parts of the world. Normally, domestic terrorists have some connection with the main stream of transnational terrorists’ network. The main terrorist networks such as the al-Qaeda and al-Shabab do approach radicalized youth in different parts of the world and feed them with their thoughts as well as the right skills required to be perfect in the job. These individuals are then provided with resources and duties to accomplish in their own countries. These duties include planning for local attacks and recruiting more followers by feeding other youths with radicalization ideas. This is what makes domestic terrorist. However, in the actual sense these few individuals involved in domestic terrorism are highly empowered by the main international network of terrorists. The empowerment includes provision of training, financial support and the provision of other resources such weapons (Enders et al., 2010).

Terrorism is normally spread from one country to another by sending a few strong members to recruit people in a country of interest. This has enhanced the growth of al-Shabab and al-Qaeda to the neighboring countries where they seek for more members. Beside this, terrorist are normally assigned duties in different nations of interest where they are transported from their country of origin to live in a different countries where they continue with their missions. The group work in a strong network where members receive assistance they need from the main stream. Those sent for terrorism missions in other countries are the persons that we regard as transnational terrorists. Individuals with good operation skills are sent for different mission and thus they commonly move from one country to another with intention of fulfilling the organization goals. They may perform the terrorists act by themselves or they would use recruited country man to enhance terrorism acts (Kransner, n.d.).

The threat of terrorism has highly migrated from the main terrorist organization background to different parts of the world. This includes the migration of the terrorist threat from al-Qaeda in Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan, and al-Shabab in Somalia to rest of the world. This is mainly due to political rivalry the terrorists have with other countries. They focus on destroying their rivals by destroying their economy, social setting, and psychological well-being through massive killing. This has highly resulted to a number of terrorist attempts in western countries and direct and successful attempts to their allies in developing nation. Al-Qaeda rivalry with Americans has initiated various attacks in their respective embassies in Africa for instance in Kenya   and Tanzania in 1997.  It has also initiated Al-Qaeda support to Al-Shabab to enhance subsequent attacks to Kenya in the recent past (Gunaratna, n.d.).The growth and spread of radicalized young Muslims in different parts of the world has also played a great role in the spread of terrorism threat from its route to other nations. This has highly been brought about by the feeling of discrimination among Muslims (minority groups) in different countries. The view terrorism as the only way they can raise their voice or reclaim what they think should belong to them. They also view it as a way to punish their oppressors. This has highly contributed the growth domestic terrorism and also the expansion of transnational terrorist networks (Philips, 2002).

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