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Terrorism is a dramatization of the most proscribed kind of violence on society with the purpose of creating a mood of terror, fear and apprehension for political or social goals. Despite the end of the American-Soviet cold war in 1989 and the resultant bitter rivalry that occasioned various forms of political violence around the world, it is obvious and incontrovertible that this terrible, horrible and horrifying act of arm protest has not gone away. If anything to go by, the aerial attacks on United States on Tuesday, Sept.11th, which caused massive loss of life, property, and means of livelihood in the country were a rude awakening to the fact that terrorism is still alive.
To be sure, terrorism, regardless of any injustice or grievance that may prompt it, is a crime against humanity. It is a calculated, cruel and cold-blooded violence that is employed by social deviants hiding under the cloak of a group fighting for the oppressed and the exploited. The violence is nothing but geared towards mass murder, maiming of lives and horrible destruction as well as inflicting of pains and sorrow.
Historically, terrorism as a kind of warfare is a century old practice. It is traceable to the Hashashin or Brotherhood of Assassins of radical Muslims sect of the middle ages, individual acts of terror-violence of the ancient Greeks democracy (including the assassination of Julius Caesar in 41 B.C),Roman republic caused by the Sicarri and Jewish zealots against the Roman occupation in Palestine, as well as the reign of terror of the Jacobins and their agents and partisans in the French revolution (1792-1794). Those old amateurish terror groups were later replaced by modern Clandestine movement, well equipped, such movements were evident in the dark years of the cold war, particularly the turbulent 1970’s and 80’s.
However, since the cessation of the cold war in 1989, the wave of terror of the extreme leftist movements, The Red Army Faction, The Red Brigade Faction) has been replaced by fundamentalism of the extreme rightists that cuts across different religions and racial groups. The most spectacular in this regard is the growing appeal of fundamentalist Islam in the Muslim world. The ideological of most of the militant Islamic groups (Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, Armed Islamic group, Gamaa Al-Islarniya, Al Quaeda) and radical states allegedly sponsoring them are reflected in their virulently anti – western, anti – secular and anti – Zionist stance. They see America as "The Great Satan" – which has been dominating, exploiting, oppressing and corrupting the world – and Israel as a Zionist state or a western out post with no permanent right to exist in the middle east.
Ironically, the west was instrumental to the present Islamic revivalism across the world. This could be seen during the cold war when the U.S. along with Zia ul – Haq's Pakistan, was financing, training and arming the Mujahideen forces to resist the soviet occupation of Afghanistan. Disturbingly the overly Islamic Taliban regime and its Osama bin Laden host and his AL Qaeda movement have today become a plague threatening the west and moderate regimes in the Muslim world.
Equally contributing to the renewed international terrorism are the interminable crises in the Middle East (Israel – Palestinian conflicts). Surprisingly, Europe and the U.S have recently witnessed the growth of home grown terrorist groups like the millennial cults, Arizona Patriots, Citizens Militia, Montana Freemen and many more.
Of course the call for international coalition against terrorism is understandable, for one reason, this is because the forces of savagery and violence, as embodied by terrorist can strike anywhere no matter the constant vigilance. What is more, the European countries like Britain (in N. Ireland), France (n the Island of Corsica), Spain (in Basque province and Russia (in Chechnya) are still grappling with the on and off terror campaign of their nationalist /separatist guerillas.
True, the vulnerability of every country to terrorism and the frightening possibility of terrorist acquiring weapon of mass destruction and willing or desperate enough to use them to unleash death and destruction should make the resurgence of terrorism a source of anxiety and fear for mankind.
There are several ethical reasons why terrorist violence should be viewed with total abhorrence.
1. Terrorism is deliberate and cold – blooded exaltation of violence.
2. It is a willful suppression of the moral instincts in man.
3. Terrorism rejects politics as the normal means of resolving conflicts and in so doing ignores the mainstream of civilized thought.
4. It is an enemy of democracy.
5. It is prompted and sustained by fanatical zeal that sees martyrdom and self – sacrifices as being above many other virtues including mercy and pity.
6. It is a threat to civilization.
7. It is a threat to international peace, security and stability.
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Jerry Nwigwe
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