Terrorism

Terrorism Paper

Whitney Cervantez

CJS 235

3/25/18

Tamara Broyles

Terrorism Paper

This paper I will use the incident of the most recent terrorist attack that lasted three weeks starting in Austin, TX and ended with the ‘serial bomber’ Mark Anthony Conditt bombing himself off Interstate 35 in a car in Round Rock, TX. Following I will bring up the history of terrorism, it’s origin I will explain how terrorists seek their victims and their overall goals. Then I will discuss a current plan that the government is working on in efforts to combat terrorism. Near the end of this paper I will discuss current and future practices in response to terrorism and related violence.

The first person killed in the Austin bombings was a 39-year-old male by the name of Anthony House, on March 2nd, according to authorities. The unexpected package that went off at his home was the first in the series of blasts. House was married with an 8-year-old daughter and was also the step son of a well-known Austin pastor. Draylen Mason, 17, killed on March 12th in one of two package explosions. Not only did this bomb take Mason's life but seriously injured his mother. A following 75-year-old Hispanic woman was hurt in the second bombing. Mason was enrolled at the University of Texas next year. Wounded were two white men 22 and 23 years old, in the fourth bombing. A fifth bomb went off at a local FedEX facility in Schertz, TX. Though no one was injured an employee was treated for ringing in her ears. The serial bomber that had Texas "on edge" 23 year old Mark Anthony Conditt died after detonating a bomb inside a car on interstate 35 after a SWAT officer fired at him, Austin Police Department Chief Brian Manley said according to KXAN News. The explosion happened on interstate highway 35 in Round Rock, TX (a little outside of Austin) near Old Settlers Boulevard around 2 a.m that Wednesday 3/21/2018. Invistigators had recently identified this man as Caucasian person of interest and then a suspect, a found the vehicle he was known to drive at a Red Roof Inn in Round Rock, TX. The officials filed a federal criminal complaint and arrest warrant against Conditt Tuesday night, charging Conditt with one count of Unlawful Possession and Transfer of a Destructive Device. At this time the complaint affidavit remains sealed.

Terrorist a person, usually a member of a group, who uses or advocates terrorism. Also defined as a person who terrorizes or frightens others. Although terrorism has been practices for centuries the actual term can be traced to the French Revolution during 1789 –1795 it describes the actions of the French government. During the French Revolution, aka The Reign of Terror many of the enemies were put on trial and executed. Terrorists according to our text book explain how terrorists acts are the clash of political, religious or social beliefs that results in violence. An article from Time on February 27, 2013 speaks of the danger of the lone wolf terrorist. The article describes a new era in terrorism that is emerging; "the lone wolf" terrorist front and center. Anders Breivik in Norway, who murdered numbers of young people in bombing and mass- shooting attack, to Nidal Malik Hasan in the United States who killed many of his fellow soldiers opening fire at a military base. These lone wolves have recently demonstrated that they can be just as dangerous as organized terrorist groups. Domestic terrorism is the terror that is organized within our country, domestic and non international such as al qaeda. An example of domestic terrorism is the Ku Klux Klan. Founded in 1866 the KKK extended into nearly almost every southern state by year 1870, they became a vehicle for white southern resistance to the Republican Party’s Reconstruction- era policies aiming at established political and economic equality for blacks. Members would wage an underground campaign of intimidation, using violence directed at not just black republican leaders but also white one’s at that. Congress ended up passing legislation designed to curb Klan terrorism, the organization saw it’s primary goal- the reestablishment of white supremacy- fulfilled through Democratic victories in state legislatures across the South in the 1870s.

The plan to combat terrorism; the threat that ISIS a middle eastern terrorist group poses a threat fears of homegrown terrorist attacks in the U.S will keep national security and terrorism issues at the forefront for 2016. Society, our public wants to know and be assured that their government is working to keep them safe from terrorism but does not support extreme and reckless proposals. Policymakers should make it a point to embrace a tough and smart approach to defeating ISIS. Stratagies must show it will eliminate the threat of terrorism without going too far and putting the United States on a long- term war footing. Prevention of immediate threat is an example. To address ISIS threat in the near- term, the United States must protect our communities to prevent terrorists from entering our country. Protecting communities, stopping terrorists from entering the U.S and even keeping guns out of terrorists hands are steps that lawmakers are working on . The GAO uncovered that between February 2004 and December 2014 people on the FBI’s terror watch list underwent 2.233 background checks when trying to purchase firearms and explosives. Enhancing coalition efforts going forward in the U.S, coalitions must continue increasing the pressure on ISIS, through more airstrikes continued training of local forces to take back territory from ISIS and better information sharing. In Syria if there is no ceasefire agreed upon, the United States should consider working with coalition partners to enforce a no- fly zone over northern Syria along the border with Turkey.

Future approaches need to have room for change, changes in policies and possibly even in the way things are defined. Terrorism is evolving, just like petty crime it grows, evolves and adapts. Those in favor of justice should also evolve, grow and adapt by being as unbiased as possible while being able to judge accordingly to the situation. Terrorism is not just domestic, it can be within your local state or an hour away in another city, such as my case being that I live in San Antonio and the serial bomber began his lone wolf attacks in the capital; Austin, TX. We can’t just assume things will work out for the better because that is not pragmatic and very naïve. Terror happens because there is a lack of understanding the society of which we are all a part of. My society is your society, regardless of borders. Ideologies change of course which may leave room for people to come together and either build on violent ideas or come together to redirect and recondition people’s train of thought because that is where it all stems from.

References

NY Times. (). Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/19/us/austin-bombings-explosion.html

FOX News. (). Retrieved from http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/03/21/austin-package-bomb-attacks-timeline.html

KXAN. (). Retrieved from http://www.kxan.com/news/crime/source-bombing-suspect-involved-in-shooting-on-i-35/1065119748

Thirdway. (). Retrieved from https://www.thirdway.org/report/the-plan-to-combat-terrorism

CBS Austin. (). Retrieved from http://cbsaustin.com/news/local/though-austin-bombings-likely-connected-theres-no-obvious-link-among-the-sites

The Daily Beast. (). Retrieved from https://www.thedailybeast.com/police-treated-first-austin-bombing-victim-as-a-suspect-before-two-new-explosions-proved-them-wrong

People. (). Retrieved from http://people.com/crime/who-are-austin-bombing-victims-anthony-house-draylen-mason/

Dictionary. (). Retrieved from http://www.dictionary.com/browse/terrorist Nation Time. (). Retrieved from http://nation.time.com/2013/02/27/the-danger-of-the-lone-wolf-terrrorist/

History. (). Retrieved from https://www.history.com/topics/ku-klux-klan