Department Of Homeland Security Combats Domestic Terrorism In The United States
Homeland security and terrorism
Name:
Institution:
Abstract
This paper covers how The Department of Homeland Security combats domestic terrorism in the United States. It takes into account the terrorist problems, factions involved and the counter measured imposed. This paper also takes into account the critics levied on the policies outlined in the Department of Homeland Security and solution propositions. The paper achieves this through the Socratic approach which mainly capitalizes on a debating argument that enhances critical thinking on the matters at hand. Various terrorist organizations are reviewed, their ideologies explained and solution to their grievances explained. Also, the overall assumption on the relationship between …show more content…
terrorism and religions is explained in details with close reference to facts and structures of the terrorist organizations.
Homeland security and terrorism
Homeland security is a harmonized national effort that ensures the homeland is secure and protected against any imminent attacks in whichever form that might affect the American interests, way of life and daily aspirations.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was formulated by the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-296), which was later signed into law on November 25, 2002. This new department consisted of the merging of 22 governmental agencies. This was effected on March 1, 2003 as a remedy to avoid the repeat of the September 11 attacks. The government also wanted to pacify the panics caused by the attack on the citizens. Although the DHS does not include security functions from the federal government, it still houses the Departments of Justice, State, Defense and Transportation. In the broad definition of homeland security, some aspects of crime and justice could arguably be included. Monitoring of money transfers, roles of the military in law enforcement, human trafficking, foreign trade, money laundering and foreign policies have implications for the establishment of homeland security policies, Trumellini …show more content…
(2003).
The Department of Homeland Security sources its funding from the United States government. According to data sourced from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the U.S. government spent a whopping $564 billion on homeland security operational budget in 10 years after the September 11 attacks. This expenditure hit its high in the financial year 2009 at $73.8 billion as compared to $72.7 billion spent in 2014 financial year. This indicates a $1.1 billion reduction implying a subsequent reduction in terrorist activities. Critics argue that the definition in law is too focused on explicit and directly attributable counterterrorism activities. This is stages against the broader theories that frequent the national discussion on immigration, border control and disaster management as sub sections of homeland security.
The current budget will likely present various challenges to homeland security programs and ongoing projects. As a result, ongoing capital investments and staff recruitment will compete with the budget demands of other components in the homeland security docket. This scenario, according to critics, has negative effects on the sustenance and effective working of the Department of Homeland Security.
After its formulation, it was stratified into various governing policies namely; counter terrorism and security management, border security and trade, immigration, disaster preparedness, response, and recovery, and departmental management. We will narrow down to counter terrorism and security management.
Terrorism is a notorious transnational threat that entails great risks to U.S. advancement in its global interests, Bush (2003). The government has places various mechanisms in order to finish this issue on terrorism. Domestic terrorism is arguably the oldest form of terrorism in the United States with its roots running from the end of the American Civil War.
Counterterrorism and security management is a docket that deals in the mitigation of terrorism activities through an elaborate security management system. At the heart of this, the United States of America’s puts in more effort in the detection, deterrence and full defeat of terrorist cells like the Al Qaeda and its affiliates. Daniel Benjamin, the Coordinator of the office of the Counterterrorism at the state department, said “Rather than trying to combat directly every single terrorist organization regardless of whether they have the intent or capability to ever attack the U.S. or our citizens, President Barack Obama’s counter terrorism strategy is (focused on) Al Qaeda, its affiliates and adherents.”
Is assumption that all precautionary measures should be placed against Al Qaeda is misleading? Terrorist activities have been on the rise in the past years with various independent groups claiming association and allegiance to Al Qaeda. Some even claim to share philosophical ideologies thus the close alienation, but not direct association, to Al Qaeda. Some critics argue that the recent U.S. counterterrorism accolades on other smaller terrorist cells have instilled fear on Al Qaeda.
Did the killing of Osama Bin Laden cripple Al Qaeda? The killing of the then Al Qaeda leader in May 2011 was as result of an intensive counterterrorism and intelligence operations by the department of Homeland Security. Security experts, however, suggest that Al Qaeda has evolved from just a terrorist cell to a philosophical movement, making it more difficult to curb. This gives them an upper edge in dodging the security traps set by the Homeland security. In August 2013, the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation noted concerns on the Al Qaeda inspired factions in Arabic countries like Egypt, Algeria and Libya.
Do homegrown jihadist cells pose a terrorism threat? Since May 2009, around 50 homegrown jihadist have been arrested in American cities and other hideouts. In most of these cases, the Homeland security hatched attack plots prior to executions. Some of these plots were successful in favor of the terrorists leading to the Boston marathon bombings in 2013. This attack was executed by Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. By close comparison, since the September 11 attacks until the Boston bombing, there have been 21 such plots. Two of them resulted in attacks, and six of them occurred in one year, 2006.
How can homegrown jihadists be eliminated? The Obama Administration acknowledges the existence of homegrown jihadists and will not take chances. In June 2011, it developed the National Strategy for Counterterrorism which fully focused on Al Qaeda’s influences on local American jihadists. John Brennan, a White House Counterterrorism advisor at the time, described the strategy as the first of its kind “that designates the homeland as a primary area of emphasis in our counterterrorism efforts” This policy would combat extremism vehemently.
In detail, the policy would see to it that radicalization is pacified, if not completely eliminated from the society. As such, the radicalization of the citizenry falls rightly under this purview. The strategy is not glued to fighting a specific radical ideology but a series of social cues that might lead to or support radicalization. It is by culture that the Homeland security should disrupt terrorism activities before they happen. This is assigned to the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) to quickly single out a potential threat from the radicalization stage to the violent state. The Attorney General’s Guidelines for Domestic Federal Bureau of Investigation Operations (2008) were amended to accommodate the FBI’s swift disruption of terrorist activities. This amendment mandates the FBI to freely conduct assessments of various groups that pose a threat without factual predication.
Are these amendments flawed? The establishment of these amendments has given rise to a spate of controversies. Civil libertarians have questioned the privacy infringements by the FBI with respect to the amended policies. They farther questioned the efficiency of the FBI intelligence since the Boston bombing was not to happen with such mechanisms in place. Some critics allege that the FBI did not share their intelligence reports with the state regarding the profiles of Tamerlan Tsanaev and his suspected associates. Some went to the extent of attributing the failure to a weak chain of command and inter-agency communication.
Does the United Government have other avenues to counter homeland jihadists? The state came up with two tactical approaches to curb homegrown jihadists. Usage of the “Al Capone” which uses the violations of civil laws to apprehend and fairly prosecute suspected jihadists. This is called so after the state successfully used the mobster’s violations of the tax law to incarcerate the drug baron.
The homeland security has also adopted the use of “agents’ provocateurs”. These, by definition, are people employed to pose as terrorist suspects and incite them to commit a terroristic act thus leading to their apprehension. This method has, over long periods of time, been successful hence becoming a very useful asset in counterterrorism investigations. It is efficient since terrorists are arrested by virtue of intention and not of the commission of a terrorist act.
How does the state control funding of local terrorist cells? The illegal flow of money poses a major threat to various counterterrorism activities. It creates a very distinctive nexus with homeland security policy. These funds are used to fund terrorist groups and smuggle weapons and bomb constituents to potential threats. The money can also be used to bribe the officials thus destabilizing the security systems.
The sale of illegal drugs is also a major terrorist funder, Duyan (2012). The United States generates an estimate between $18 billion to $39 billion annually from the proceeds of cocaine sales from Mexican and Columbian drug lords. The money from the Drug Trafficking Organizations (DTOs) is moved through violent paths into the financing of terrorist cells. Critics argue that drug lords use terrorism as a diversion from their drug trafficking activities. While this is a global issue, the United States is very vulnerable due to the perceived association between the drug networks and terrorism.
Is local terrorism a Muslim affair? It is a common assumption that local terrorism is as a result of Islamic extremism. This is a fallacy. The Phineas Priesthood is a well-known terrorist cell which used the Christian teachings to promote its hateful messages. Despite their alleged Christian beliefs, it is by contrast that the Priesthood preaches hate against anyone that is against their smug beliefs. Some of their beliefs include the castigation of interracial relationships, homosexuality, Judaism and taxation. They advocate for a white-only society and perceive the blacks as sinful. The FBI has recorded various attacks by the faction on abortion clinics and hospitals across the US. The critics are therefore right on this one; terrorism is not an Islamic affair.
The Jewish Defense League (JDL) is also another terrorist cell. It states that it will end anti-Semitism and terrorism at all costs. The JDL gained notoriety for castigating the Soviet Union in early 1968. It has an estimated 15000 members who are strongly driven by its extreme ideologies. According to the FBI report in 2004, a striking 15 terrorist attacks on the US soil were attributed to the Jewish Defense League since the 1980s. Irv Rubin, the JDL leader, was arrested and charged in 2001 for plotting an attack on a Los Angeles mosque. Their ideologies and actions only fit a description of a terrorist cell.
Does culture promote domestic terrorism? Owing to their culture and type of music, the Crips was formed in Los Angeles at the wake of the seventies. Since their inception, they have managed to recruit over 30000 members across the US. This is due to the messages hidden in the infamous gangster rap music. The Crips have no specific agenda or ideology; they act out of need, provocation and impulse. They use murder and executions as a way to scare the public and their gang members. The Crips are also in the front line in the distribution of illegal drugs across Los Angeles.
The Black Liberation Army is also a domestic terrorist cell. It was founded in 1970 by African Americans who advocated for fair treatment. They used violence and intimidation to pass their agenda through. Even though it had witnessed a diminishing influence, the Black Liberation Army still has a number of ardent followers. These remaining followers have carried out a series of small scale attacks and brazen crimes like bank robberies and murders of police officers and sheriffs. Their most bizarre act was back in 1972 members of the cell hijacked a Delta Airlines plane and demanded a $ 1 Million as ransom before diverting the flight to Algeria. The FBI has castigated their criminal acts and branded them domestic terrorists.
The Army of God is yet another non-Muslim terrorist organization that sends religious texts to harm others. They also resolve to violent tactics in order to combat homosexuality and abortions. They are on record for attacking homosexual clubs and clinics across the United States. Eric Rudolph, an influential member of the faction, planted a bomb at the 1196 Olympic Games in Atlanta killing two people and leaving 150 casualties. What shocked many is how he remorselessly explained how the bombing was a necessary action subject to his extreme belief. He claimed that it was a warning to the government for its “abortion on demand” views. Added to his charges were the bombing of a gay club and two clinics. Army of God? Far from it.
The Earth Liberation Front, commonly known as the “Elves” is a very vocal terrorist organization in the United States. They mainly use guerilla tactics in combat and execution of their violent acts. These acts include demolition of expensive and important infrastructure and business premises. Among their forefront ideologies is the protection of ecosystem from industrial destruction. Their signature move is the use of fires as seen in their vicious attack on ski resorts, logging camps, McDonalds cafes and Park Ranger Offices, (Crocker & Army War College, 2003). It goes without mention that the Elves were involved in the infamous destruction of a laboratory in Michigan State University with claims that it was used to create genetically modified organisms (GMO). After farther investigations on the matter, it was found out that the lab was not funded by Monsato (a large GMO company). Monsato only donated $2000 to sponsor 5 African scholars to a biotechnology conference. With pride at hand, the Elves did not accept their mistakes and insisted that their actions were justified.
On top of the domestic terrorist factions is the Klu Klux Klan. It has been in existence since 1865 after the end of the civil war. It was founded by the Confederate veterans that sought to restore white dominance at whichever cost. They assaulted freed slaves and executed those that tried to protect or associate with them. They also destabilized the growing black supremacy by assassinating their key political and religious leaders. Currently, the Klu Klax Klan has shifted its ideologies to criticizing illegal immigrants, homosexuals, criminals and African Americans. It is highly affiliated to virtually all the white supremacist groups in the United States. The FBI thus holds it accountable for all the crimes committed by its affiliates and other groups that look up to it.
Lastly, the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) is highly perceived to harbor potential of being a terrorist organization.
This movement is not as violent as such but the FBI is not taking any chances. The organization is accountable for the destruction of multimillion properties by its purported members. A good example is the arson attack in Fort Collins that destroyed numerous homes and condominiums. Various reports have been filed against the group including assault, rape, looting and vandalism. The FBI has also noted that leaders of the OWS openly incite their members to lead a violent campaign in pursuit of economic freedom and the execution of former President George W. Bush.
In conclusion, the counter terrorism policies, if well implemented, will be highly effective in the war on terror. This can be fostered through proper frameworks, monitoring, research and sufficient funding of counterterrorism policies. It calls for a strong and efficient classification of terrorist cells in order to prevent attacks at the planning
stage.
References
Bush, G. W., & United States. (2003). Homeland Security presidential directive/HSPD-5: Management of domestic incidents. Washington, D.C.: White House Office of the Press Secretary.
Crocker, J. W., & Army War College (U.S.). (2003). Environmental issues in homeland security. Carlisle Barracks, PA: U.S. Army War College.
Duyan, A. (2012). Defence Against Terrorism. Amsterdam: IOS Press.
Top of Form
Trumellini, L. (June 01, 2003). The new American policy for defence and security. Peace Research Abstracts, 40, 3.)
Bottom of Form
Name:
Institution:
Abstract
This paper covers how The Department of Homeland Security combats domestic terrorism in the United States. It takes into account the terrorist problems, factions involved and the counter measured imposed. This paper also takes into account the critics levied on the policies outlined in the Department of Homeland Security and solution propositions. The paper achieves this through the Socratic approach which mainly capitalizes on a debating argument that enhances critical thinking on the matters at hand. Various terrorist organizations are reviewed, their ideologies explained and solution to their grievances explained. Also, the overall assumption on the relationship between …show more content…
terrorism and religions is explained in details with close reference to facts and structures of the terrorist organizations.
Homeland security and terrorism
Homeland security is a harmonized national effort that ensures the homeland is secure and protected against any imminent attacks in whichever form that might affect the American interests, way of life and daily aspirations.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was formulated by the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-296), which was later signed into law on November 25, 2002. This new department consisted of the merging of 22 governmental agencies. This was effected on March 1, 2003 as a remedy to avoid the repeat of the September 11 attacks. The government also wanted to pacify the panics caused by the attack on the citizens. Although the DHS does not include security functions from the federal government, it still houses the Departments of Justice, State, Defense and Transportation. In the broad definition of homeland security, some aspects of crime and justice could arguably be included. Monitoring of money transfers, roles of the military in law enforcement, human trafficking, foreign trade, money laundering and foreign policies have implications for the establishment of homeland security policies, Trumellini …show more content…
(2003).
The Department of Homeland Security sources its funding from the United States government. According to data sourced from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the U.S. government spent a whopping $564 billion on homeland security operational budget in 10 years after the September 11 attacks. This expenditure hit its high in the financial year 2009 at $73.8 billion as compared to $72.7 billion spent in 2014 financial year. This indicates a $1.1 billion reduction implying a subsequent reduction in terrorist activities. Critics argue that the definition in law is too focused on explicit and directly attributable counterterrorism activities. This is stages against the broader theories that frequent the national discussion on immigration, border control and disaster management as sub sections of homeland security.
The current budget will likely present various challenges to homeland security programs and ongoing projects. As a result, ongoing capital investments and staff recruitment will compete with the budget demands of other components in the homeland security docket. This scenario, according to critics, has negative effects on the sustenance and effective working of the Department of Homeland Security.
After its formulation, it was stratified into various governing policies namely; counter terrorism and security management, border security and trade, immigration, disaster preparedness, response, and recovery, and departmental management. We will narrow down to counter terrorism and security management.
Terrorism is a notorious transnational threat that entails great risks to U.S. advancement in its global interests, Bush (2003). The government has places various mechanisms in order to finish this issue on terrorism. Domestic terrorism is arguably the oldest form of terrorism in the United States with its roots running from the end of the American Civil War.
Counterterrorism and security management is a docket that deals in the mitigation of terrorism activities through an elaborate security management system. At the heart of this, the United States of America’s puts in more effort in the detection, deterrence and full defeat of terrorist cells like the Al Qaeda and its affiliates. Daniel Benjamin, the Coordinator of the office of the Counterterrorism at the state department, said “Rather than trying to combat directly every single terrorist organization regardless of whether they have the intent or capability to ever attack the U.S. or our citizens, President Barack Obama’s counter terrorism strategy is (focused on) Al Qaeda, its affiliates and adherents.”
Is assumption that all precautionary measures should be placed against Al Qaeda is misleading? Terrorist activities have been on the rise in the past years with various independent groups claiming association and allegiance to Al Qaeda. Some even claim to share philosophical ideologies thus the close alienation, but not direct association, to Al Qaeda. Some critics argue that the recent U.S. counterterrorism accolades on other smaller terrorist cells have instilled fear on Al Qaeda.
Did the killing of Osama Bin Laden cripple Al Qaeda? The killing of the then Al Qaeda leader in May 2011 was as result of an intensive counterterrorism and intelligence operations by the department of Homeland Security. Security experts, however, suggest that Al Qaeda has evolved from just a terrorist cell to a philosophical movement, making it more difficult to curb. This gives them an upper edge in dodging the security traps set by the Homeland security. In August 2013, the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation noted concerns on the Al Qaeda inspired factions in Arabic countries like Egypt, Algeria and Libya.
Do homegrown jihadist cells pose a terrorism threat? Since May 2009, around 50 homegrown jihadist have been arrested in American cities and other hideouts. In most of these cases, the Homeland security hatched attack plots prior to executions. Some of these plots were successful in favor of the terrorists leading to the Boston marathon bombings in 2013. This attack was executed by Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. By close comparison, since the September 11 attacks until the Boston bombing, there have been 21 such plots. Two of them resulted in attacks, and six of them occurred in one year, 2006.
How can homegrown jihadists be eliminated? The Obama Administration acknowledges the existence of homegrown jihadists and will not take chances. In June 2011, it developed the National Strategy for Counterterrorism which fully focused on Al Qaeda’s influences on local American jihadists. John Brennan, a White House Counterterrorism advisor at the time, described the strategy as the first of its kind “that designates the homeland as a primary area of emphasis in our counterterrorism efforts” This policy would combat extremism vehemently.
In detail, the policy would see to it that radicalization is pacified, if not completely eliminated from the society. As such, the radicalization of the citizenry falls rightly under this purview. The strategy is not glued to fighting a specific radical ideology but a series of social cues that might lead to or support radicalization. It is by culture that the Homeland security should disrupt terrorism activities before they happen. This is assigned to the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) to quickly single out a potential threat from the radicalization stage to the violent state. The Attorney General’s Guidelines for Domestic Federal Bureau of Investigation Operations (2008) were amended to accommodate the FBI’s swift disruption of terrorist activities. This amendment mandates the FBI to freely conduct assessments of various groups that pose a threat without factual predication.
Are these amendments flawed? The establishment of these amendments has given rise to a spate of controversies. Civil libertarians have questioned the privacy infringements by the FBI with respect to the amended policies. They farther questioned the efficiency of the FBI intelligence since the Boston bombing was not to happen with such mechanisms in place. Some critics allege that the FBI did not share their intelligence reports with the state regarding the profiles of Tamerlan Tsanaev and his suspected associates. Some went to the extent of attributing the failure to a weak chain of command and inter-agency communication.
Does the United Government have other avenues to counter homeland jihadists? The state came up with two tactical approaches to curb homegrown jihadists. Usage of the “Al Capone” which uses the violations of civil laws to apprehend and fairly prosecute suspected jihadists. This is called so after the state successfully used the mobster’s violations of the tax law to incarcerate the drug baron.
The homeland security has also adopted the use of “agents’ provocateurs”. These, by definition, are people employed to pose as terrorist suspects and incite them to commit a terroristic act thus leading to their apprehension. This method has, over long periods of time, been successful hence becoming a very useful asset in counterterrorism investigations. It is efficient since terrorists are arrested by virtue of intention and not of the commission of a terrorist act.
How does the state control funding of local terrorist cells? The illegal flow of money poses a major threat to various counterterrorism activities. It creates a very distinctive nexus with homeland security policy. These funds are used to fund terrorist groups and smuggle weapons and bomb constituents to potential threats. The money can also be used to bribe the officials thus destabilizing the security systems.
The sale of illegal drugs is also a major terrorist funder, Duyan (2012). The United States generates an estimate between $18 billion to $39 billion annually from the proceeds of cocaine sales from Mexican and Columbian drug lords. The money from the Drug Trafficking Organizations (DTOs) is moved through violent paths into the financing of terrorist cells. Critics argue that drug lords use terrorism as a diversion from their drug trafficking activities. While this is a global issue, the United States is very vulnerable due to the perceived association between the drug networks and terrorism.
Is local terrorism a Muslim affair? It is a common assumption that local terrorism is as a result of Islamic extremism. This is a fallacy. The Phineas Priesthood is a well-known terrorist cell which used the Christian teachings to promote its hateful messages. Despite their alleged Christian beliefs, it is by contrast that the Priesthood preaches hate against anyone that is against their smug beliefs. Some of their beliefs include the castigation of interracial relationships, homosexuality, Judaism and taxation. They advocate for a white-only society and perceive the blacks as sinful. The FBI has recorded various attacks by the faction on abortion clinics and hospitals across the US. The critics are therefore right on this one; terrorism is not an Islamic affair.
The Jewish Defense League (JDL) is also another terrorist cell. It states that it will end anti-Semitism and terrorism at all costs. The JDL gained notoriety for castigating the Soviet Union in early 1968. It has an estimated 15000 members who are strongly driven by its extreme ideologies. According to the FBI report in 2004, a striking 15 terrorist attacks on the US soil were attributed to the Jewish Defense League since the 1980s. Irv Rubin, the JDL leader, was arrested and charged in 2001 for plotting an attack on a Los Angeles mosque. Their ideologies and actions only fit a description of a terrorist cell.
Does culture promote domestic terrorism? Owing to their culture and type of music, the Crips was formed in Los Angeles at the wake of the seventies. Since their inception, they have managed to recruit over 30000 members across the US. This is due to the messages hidden in the infamous gangster rap music. The Crips have no specific agenda or ideology; they act out of need, provocation and impulse. They use murder and executions as a way to scare the public and their gang members. The Crips are also in the front line in the distribution of illegal drugs across Los Angeles.
The Black Liberation Army is also a domestic terrorist cell. It was founded in 1970 by African Americans who advocated for fair treatment. They used violence and intimidation to pass their agenda through. Even though it had witnessed a diminishing influence, the Black Liberation Army still has a number of ardent followers. These remaining followers have carried out a series of small scale attacks and brazen crimes like bank robberies and murders of police officers and sheriffs. Their most bizarre act was back in 1972 members of the cell hijacked a Delta Airlines plane and demanded a $ 1 Million as ransom before diverting the flight to Algeria. The FBI has castigated their criminal acts and branded them domestic terrorists.
The Army of God is yet another non-Muslim terrorist organization that sends religious texts to harm others. They also resolve to violent tactics in order to combat homosexuality and abortions. They are on record for attacking homosexual clubs and clinics across the United States. Eric Rudolph, an influential member of the faction, planted a bomb at the 1196 Olympic Games in Atlanta killing two people and leaving 150 casualties. What shocked many is how he remorselessly explained how the bombing was a necessary action subject to his extreme belief. He claimed that it was a warning to the government for its “abortion on demand” views. Added to his charges were the bombing of a gay club and two clinics. Army of God? Far from it.
The Earth Liberation Front, commonly known as the “Elves” is a very vocal terrorist organization in the United States. They mainly use guerilla tactics in combat and execution of their violent acts. These acts include demolition of expensive and important infrastructure and business premises. Among their forefront ideologies is the protection of ecosystem from industrial destruction. Their signature move is the use of fires as seen in their vicious attack on ski resorts, logging camps, McDonalds cafes and Park Ranger Offices, (Crocker & Army War College, 2003). It goes without mention that the Elves were involved in the infamous destruction of a laboratory in Michigan State University with claims that it was used to create genetically modified organisms (GMO). After farther investigations on the matter, it was found out that the lab was not funded by Monsato (a large GMO company). Monsato only donated $2000 to sponsor 5 African scholars to a biotechnology conference. With pride at hand, the Elves did not accept their mistakes and insisted that their actions were justified.
On top of the domestic terrorist factions is the Klu Klux Klan. It has been in existence since 1865 after the end of the civil war. It was founded by the Confederate veterans that sought to restore white dominance at whichever cost. They assaulted freed slaves and executed those that tried to protect or associate with them. They also destabilized the growing black supremacy by assassinating their key political and religious leaders. Currently, the Klu Klax Klan has shifted its ideologies to criticizing illegal immigrants, homosexuals, criminals and African Americans. It is highly affiliated to virtually all the white supremacist groups in the United States. The FBI thus holds it accountable for all the crimes committed by its affiliates and other groups that look up to it.
Lastly, the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) is highly perceived to harbor potential of being a terrorist organization.
This movement is not as violent as such but the FBI is not taking any chances. The organization is accountable for the destruction of multimillion properties by its purported members. A good example is the arson attack in Fort Collins that destroyed numerous homes and condominiums. Various reports have been filed against the group including assault, rape, looting and vandalism. The FBI has also noted that leaders of the OWS openly incite their members to lead a violent campaign in pursuit of economic freedom and the execution of former President George W. Bush.
In conclusion, the counter terrorism policies, if well implemented, will be highly effective in the war on terror. This can be fostered through proper frameworks, monitoring, research and sufficient funding of counterterrorism policies. It calls for a strong and efficient classification of terrorist cells in order to prevent attacks at the planning
stage.
References
Bush, G. W., & United States. (2003). Homeland Security presidential directive/HSPD-5: Management of domestic incidents. Washington, D.C.: White House Office of the Press Secretary.
Crocker, J. W., & Army War College (U.S.). (2003). Environmental issues in homeland security. Carlisle Barracks, PA: U.S. Army War College.
Duyan, A. (2012). Defence Against Terrorism. Amsterdam: IOS Press.
Top of Form
Trumellini, L. (June 01, 2003). The new American policy for defence and security. Peace Research Abstracts, 40, 3.)
Bottom of Form