8/17/11

Key in Understanding Terrorism: History of Terrorism

Terrorism has been used in different forms in different historical settings: The Reign of Terror, the Russian anti-Czarist Movement, Revolutionary Anarchist, the Bolsheviks, Fascist and Nazi Regimes, and by the PLO in the 1970s.

Addressing Terrorism in Southeast Asia: a Matter of Strategic or Functional Approach?

Terrorism in Retrospect
P o s t - W o r l d W a r I I Terrorism: Anti-colonial struggle in Palestine, Algeria, and Cyprus. Attempted secessionist and national liberation movements in Northern Ireland, Spain, and Turkey (Kurds and Armenians) in the 1970s.

The First Challenge: Defining Terrorism

Terrorism is a pejorative term. States and non-state actors have tried to adopt a moral viewpoint regarding terrorism--the decision to call someone or label some organization terrorist is subjective. Terrorists cloak themselves with the terminology of military and/or revolutionary jargon.

Then how do we define terrorism?

T e r r o r i s m i s a political act. It is directed at attaining certain political aims, driven by political motivations and purposes.

How do we define?
T e r r o r i s m i s directed to the pursuit of power, the acquisition of power, and the use of power to effect political changes.

8/17/11

How do we define terrorism?

Terrorism is violence or the threat of violence used and directed in the pursuit of political goals. Terrorism is an act of political violence, but not every form of political violence is terrorism.

Political Acts of Violence

Conventional Waradversaries are more or less symmetric in political organization, equipment, training, and doctrine.

Political Acts of Violence

Irregular or asymmetric warfare--the adversaries are asymmetric in o r g a n i z a t i o n , capabilities, and the weaker side, usually a sub-state actor, attempts to bring political change by organizing and fighting more effectively that its stronger adversary (usually state actors).

Terrorism and other forms of Asymmetrical Warfare

G u e r r i l l a s - operate as a military unit, attack enemy military forces, and seize, and hold territory and c i v i l i a n population.

Forms of Asymmetric Conflicts

Criminals--uses violence as a means to attain s p e c i f i c objectives,i.e., money, material g o o d s a n d market.

Forms of Asymmetric Conflicts

Terrorist--also uses violence but terrorists do not function in the open as armed units, do not attempt to control or hold a territory, deliberately avoid engaging enemy military forces. Violence is employed and is political in nature. Violence, however, is designed to have a farreaching repercussion beyond the immediate target.

8/17/11

Then what is terrorism?

I t i s a n a c t o f violence, committed to the pursuit of political goals.

What is terrorism?
The purpose is to instill fear and intimidate a wider audience. Since it is an act (or a tactic) terrorism can be used by guerrilla and criminal groups (Narco-Terrorism).

Is designed to have farreaching psychological effects beyond the immediate victims (usually innocent civilians).

Definitions of Terrorism
The unlawful use of force or violence against persons or p r o p e r t y t o intimidate or c o e r c e a government, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives. (DOD).

Definition of Terrorism
T h e s u s t a i n e d u s e o r threatened use of violence by a small group for political purposes such as inspiring fear, drawing widespread attention to a political grievance and/or provoke a draconian response from a state. Terrorism does not result in political change on its own, but it is undertaken to provoke a violence or drastic response from the target. (James D. Kiras)

Definitions
T e r r o r i s m i s a n anxiety-inspiring method of repeated violent action, employed by (semi-)clandestine individuals, group or state actors for idiosyncratic, criminal or political reasons.

Defining Terrorism: the Psychological Dimension!

Terrorism is a form of psychological warfare, in that it aims to induce fear in a target audience and to generate a reputation of strength and resilience for the terrorism group.

8/17/11

The Essence of Terrorism

Terrorism should be understood primarily in terms of its political objective: propaganda. By committing violence against its victims, the terrorists seek not only to coerce and kill but also, more importantly, to persuade others about the validity or rightness of its cause.

Elements of Terrorism
Politically motivated violence. U s u a l l y d i r e c t e d against soft targets. With an intention to affect (terrorize) a target audience.

Anatomy of A Terrorist Situation

The terrorist. The supporter. The victim. The medium. The target audience. The onlooker. The analysts

Terrorism as a Threat to National Security

U n d e r m i n e s individual security and life through r a n d o m victimization.

Terrorism as a Threat to National Security

U n d e r m i n e s t h e societys trust to the states capacity to provide and insure security to individuals.

Terrorism as Threats to the National Security

Forces liberal or minimal states to adopt maximal forms of political control and repression vis--vis the civil society.

8/17/11

Terrorism as a Non-Traditional Security Challenge

A s a f o r m asymmetric conflict war of the third kind. I n t e r n a t i o n a l terrorism is a system with transnational c a u s e s a n d components.

Terrorism as Non-Traditional Security Challenge

International terrorism is a systemic threat or a threat without threateners. International terrorism is a result of a convergence of various international developments.

Addressing Terrorism: The Dilemma

There are no clear cut solution to international terrorism, which is a complex security challenge. What works in one situation may fail in other cases.

Addressing Terrorism
Certain countert e r r o r i s m measures may spell-short term success but could sow the seeds of future discontent and grievances.

Essence of CounterTerrorism (or Insurgency)

These (counter-terrorism) principles do not comprise the golden key to certain victory against irregular enemies (terrorists or insurgents). Every historical case, past, present, and future, is different, so the (counter-terrorism) advice may not be practicable in the circumstances of a particular insurgency. If a COIN (or counterterrorism) campaign has any prospect of success, it needs to be founded upon an understanding of these principles.

Counter-Terrorism: Functional or Strategic?

F u n c t i o n a l o r cooperative security approach. S l e d g e h a m m e r method through disproportionate/ militarized response (Strategic).

Colin Gray, 2007

8/17/11

The Functional Approach

C o n s i d e r i n g c o u n t e r terrorism as an effort similar to addressing international concerns like public health, educational, and law-enforcement concerns than something that can be resolved by force alone. The goal is to gain political advantage over the terrorist in terms of time, legitimacy, and political support.

Functional Approach
D i s r u p t i n g a n d preventing terrorist plots. Deterring would be terrorist. Limited and selected use of violence against terrorist with the aim of minimizing physical destruction and human casualties.

Functional Approach
Managing media access to defuse the terrorist most powerful weapon: its political message. T e r r o r i s m a n d t h e preservation of the democratic society. C o u n t e r i n g t e r r o r i s t financial operations and ability to execute their plans.

Functional Approach
Creating a cooperative international counter-terrorist environment. Treat terrorism as a universal crime. Each state should punish or extradite a terrorist. States must develop common security interest against terrorism and develop multilateral approaches to address this threat (cooperative security).

Essence of the Functional Approach

But they never call them war (counterterrorism); they are called emergencies. This terminology meant that the police and intelligence services were provided with exceptional powers and were reinforced where necessary by the armed forces, but they continued to operate within a peacetime framework of civilian authority. If force had to be used, it was at a minimal level and so far as possible did not interrupt the normal tenor of civil life. -Michael Howard, 2002-

The Limits
All the abovementioned measures are timeconsuming. Successful counter-terrorist operations take years if not decades

8/17/11

Accepting the Bitter Pill: The Time Element

Global or international terrorism can never be totally eliminated and at most it can only be minimized at a level that it does not threaten international stability and order.

Second Approach: The Strategic Approach

S l e d g e h a m m e r method through disproportionate/ militarized response.
Otherwise known as the direct approach that assumes that counter-terrorism/ insurgency operates by the same general logic/law of fighting a war.

Strategic or Direct Approach

Plays to the strengths of the more powerful counterinsurgent/terrorist force by drawing these irregular fighters into open combat with the purpose of destroying them. Overawing the terrorist/ insurgents by bold initiative and by resolute military/political actions, where on the battlefield or as part of a general counter-terrorism/ insurgency plan.

The Strategic or Direct Approach

T h e d i r e c t approach assumes that punishing or destroying the terrorist/insurgents can transfer allegiance back to the state or its agents.

Limitations or Critique
Addressing terrorism is not a simple extension of war among state actors. Terrorists counter-strategy of survival, amorphous structure, and surprise attacks. Preemptive military actions may exacerbate the competitive elements among states.

Limits and Critique to the Direct Approach

C a n c a u s e collateral/civilian damages and t h r e a t e n potentially cooperative population/state.

8/17/11

The Terrorist Challenge in Southeast Asia

T h e e x i s t e n c e o f pre-9/11 militant groups in Indonesia Islamic Defenders; Laskar Jihad; and Jemaah Islamiyah. T h e e m e r g e n c e o f Jemaah Islamiyah and the formation of Majelis Mujahidin Indonesia (MMI).

JIs Alleged Terrorist Network 1) formation of central

command; 2) training of hard-core and dedicated jihadist; and 3) the spread of a wide association of established insurgent militant organizations as well as loosely based radical groups in Southeast Asia.

Jemaah Islamiyah: AlQaedas Clone?

Despite its in road to Southeast Asia, AlQaeda did not succeed in creating a seamless Islamist international, nor has it established a network of networks led by AlQaedas effective control.

9/11 and the Second Front

Initial bombings in LRT station in Manila and 38 churches in Java in December 2000. 9/11 heightened the global awareness and paranoia on terrorism, and led to the d i s c o v e r y o f individuals and groups linked with Bin Laden and Al Qaeda.

9/11 and the Second Front

The Arrest of 15 alleged JI members in Singapore from December 2001 and January 2002. T h e t r a g i c B a l i B o m b i n g i n October 2002

The Second Front

Provision of military and intelligence assistance to a number of SEA states. Deployment of a limited number of Special Forces troops in the Philippines for counter-terrorist training. Law enforcement and counter-terrorism training to Indonesia.

8/17/11

The Second Front

Law enforcement and i n t e l l i g e n c e cooperation with Thailand. Joint military exercise with counterterrorism component. G e n e r a l p o l i t i c a l support to Malaysia and Singapores counter-terrorism campaign against domestic dissidents

The Second Front

ASEAN as the focal point of the ASEAN states counterterrorism efforts. T h e P h i l i p p i n e s , Indonesia, and Malaysia troika. Various bilateral adhoc arrangements among ASEAN State against international terrorism.

The 2003 Summit in Cambodia on Counter- Terrorism Cooperation.

Crisis in the War on Terror: The Bush Doctrine

A t t a c k i n g a t h r e a t before it materializes. D e v e l o p i n g b e t t e r i n t e l l i g e n c e ; transforming the US m i l i t a r y ; a n d strengthening U.S. alliances. Transforming counterterrorism as a national or grand strategy.

The Bush Doctrine

Preemptive defense as a militarized response that ignores the socalled causes of terrorism. Preemptive defense may undermine state sovereignty.

The Crisis on War on Terror

Australias announcement of a p o l i c y o f preemption. The failed Balikatan 03-01Joint U.S.Philippine military operation.

8/17/11

Crisis on the War on Terror

Preemptive defense exacerbated the competitive elements in U.S.ASEAN relations from 2003-2005.

ASEAN Approach to CounterTerrorism: its Functional!

Undertaking of several training in psychological operation/warfare for lawenforcement officials and on counter- intelligence operations against terrorism. The utilization of the ARF cooperation in the areas of law enforcement and intelligence agencies.

ASEAN Approach
Establishment of the ARF Inter-sessional Meeting on CounterTerrorism and Transnational Crime (ISM-CTTC). A S E A N s s e v e r a l agreements with other countries on countert e r r o r i s m , transnational crimes, and non-traditional security challenges.

The ASEAN Approach

The establishment of Southeast Asian Regional Center for Counter-Terrorism in in Kuala Lumpur. Formation of the ASEAN Ministerial M e e t i n g o n Transnational Crime.

The Essence of the ASEAN Approach

Overcoming terrorism requires more than military and lawenforcement solutions.
Former ASEAN Secretary-General Ong Keng Yong, 2005

Challenges to the ASEAN Approach

Southeast Asias porous borders. The emerging nexus of human trafficking, smuggling, secessionist and terrorist movements. Lax immigration procedures and a vibrant forged passport (document) industry.

10

8/17/11

Challenges to the ASEAN Approach

The general limitations of ASEAN as a regional organization because of existing bilateral political disputes, the lack of details and binding provisions in ASEANs initiatives on counter-terrorism, and the emphasis on narrowly defined conception of sovereignty and national interests. Terrorism is a case of a systemic security challenge as it also strives with the forces of globalizationnew media, communication technology, and open borders.

Stark Reality of CounterTerrorism in the 21st Century

Terrorism can never be eradicated in a globalizing, interdependent, and open international systemThus, sooner of later the world has to accept the stark reality that international terrorism, as an old Gershwin song puts it, is here is stay.

11