Dr.ABHAYA KUMAR SINGH
Reader
Dept. of Defence & Strategic Studies
K. S. Saket Post Graduate College,
(Dr. R. M.L. Awadh University) AYODDHYA, FAIZABAD.
Concept of Terrorism:
Terrorism is an age old phenomenon but has acquired new dimensions in view of technological and societal changes. The nature, targets and rhetoric of terrorism have changed dramatically since the end of the cold war and the emergence of globalisation. Terrorism today, has changed from being a vehicle of intra-state violence to a transnational phenomenon, where loosely organized international network of terrorists use mercenaries, organized crimes cartels, sophisticated weaponry and modern communication to operate from, through and into various countries. To quote Mr. Jaswant Singh, Four democratizations: of easy access to rapid communication, to technology, to easy to travel and a democratization of access to weapon of destruction, 1 has largely been responsible for the increasing trend towards transnational terrorism.
With the development in science, technology and communication knowledge, terrorists and states sponsoring terrorism, are believed to be gaining access to non-conventional weapons of mass destruction like nuclear, biological and chemical weapons. Termed as weapons of mass destruction, these are the dream of any terrorist group. One of the most violent and horrendous dimensions of transnational terrorism using modern systems, non-conventional weapons and having transnational linkages was seen on September11, 2001.The single act has brought a conceptual change in the terrorism warfare theory where ‘Idea terrorism’ has been used. 2 Radical changes have taken place in the ways in which terrorist acts have been committed against the most powerful country of the world without using conventional terrorism weapons. They used equipments, machines and
References: 1. Jaswant Singh, “Reflections: Septeptember11, 2001 and After”, Strategic Analysis, vol. xxv, no.9, December2001, p.990. 4. Times of India, July16, 2005. 7. Ayub Khan, Friends Not Master, Oxford Uni. Press, London, (1967), p.124. 8. Sardar Abdul Kayum Khan, Kashmir Problem: In a Appraisal, Tariq Jahn and Gulam Sarver (ed.) Kashmir Problem: Challenges and Response, Institute of Policy Studies, Islamabad, (1990) p.6. 9. Ajit Bhattacharji, Z.A.Bhutto Double Speak: turning Defeat into Victory, The Times of India, May3, 1995. 11. Dr.Nand Kishore, Cross-Border Terrorism in Kashmir, Daksh, vol.12, December, 2001, p.427. 8. Maj.Gen. Jaswant Deva, ISI & Its Chicanery in Exporting Terrorism, Indian Defence Review, 1995. 9. The Hindu, April2, 1994. 11. Hindustan Times, July3, 1994 12 14. The Hindu, December23, 2001. 15. The Hindu, January9, 2002. 16. S.Kalyanraman, Operation Pakistan: An Indian Exercise in Diplomacy, Strategic Analysis, vol.26, no.2, Oct.-Dec., 2002, p.487. 21. The Indian Express, September19, 2006. 23. Ibid, p. 1311. 24. Walter Liqueur, Terrorism and History, In the New Terrorism, Oxford Uni. Press, 1999, New York, p.11. 25. Jennifer Jane Hocking, Government Perspective. In David L. Paletz and Alex P. Schnid ed. Terrorism and the Media, Sage Publications; New Delhi, 1992, p.97.)