Terrorist Groups

Terrorist Groups (Your Name (Your University

2007

Domestic Terrorist Groups Defined

The definition of domestic terrorist groups ' in the United States had been changed and modified several times through the years In 1994 , the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI ) Terrorist Research and Analytical Center defined it as the employment of illegal force and violence against persons or property by two or more persons with the objective of coercing and intimidating the government and the citizens to achieve their political and social

goals (Presley , 1996

The present definition of the

term is now found in Section 2331 of Title 18 , United States Code which was amended by the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 otherwise known as USA Patriots Act of 2001 (Mailman , Merritt , Van Vliet Yale-Loehr , 2002 It provides that acts of domestic terrorism are those which (A involve acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State (B ) appear to be intended - (i ) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population (ii ) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion or (iii ) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction assassination , or kidnapping and (C ) occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States ( Section 2331 of the U .S .C

The FBI 's Counterterrorism Division in its report in 1999 entitled Terrorism in the United States ' defined domestic terrorism involving groups as that which involve groups or individuals who are based and operate entirely within the United States or its territories without foreign direction , and whose acts are directed at elements of the U .S government or population (Knight , n .d

There are differences on how people perceive the concept of domestic terrorism . UN Ambassador of Israel believes that it is deliberate and systematic murder , maiming , and menacing of the innocent to inspire fear for political ends (Netanyahu , 1986 . Under the Texas Criminal Laws , domestic terrorism is defined as when a person commits an offense if he threatens to commit any offense involving violence to any person or property with intent to (1 ) cause a reaction of any type to his threat by an official or volunteer agency organized to deal with emergencies (2 ) place any person in fear of imminent serious bodily injury or (3 ) prevent or interrupt the occupation or use of a building , room , place of assembly , place to which the public has access , place of conveyance , or other public place or (4 ) cause impairment or interruption of public communications , public transportation , public water , gas or power supply , or other public service (Texas Criminal Laws , 1985

Brief Historical Overview

During the 17th century the English Parliament was almost destroyed when the group of Fawkes detonated a large quantity of gunpowder beneath the building . They sought to restore the Catholic faith in England . The term may not have become popular until the last part of the...