Dr Mohamed Kirat
By Dr Mohamed Kirat
“The link of terrorism with any religion or sect or ethnicity has become a repertoire of extremist organisations to brainwash ordinary people, young people and recruit them to join these organisations, and here we are today witnessing the massacres and the use of intimidation and torture of extremists from different religions and sects, and therefore the legalisation of terrorism on religion or class according to a particular group or political passions is unacceptable.
With this statement, Sheikha Alia Ahmed bin Saif Al Thani, the permanent representative of Qatar to the United Nations addressed the United Nations Commission on the Sixth (Legal) Committee on “Measures to Eliminate International Terrorism”. Given the complexity of terrorism and the confusion of its definition worldwide, Qatar has called on the international community to organise an international conference to define terrorism to put an end to manipulation, opinionated interpretations, and different approaches to the phenomenon which threatens the security of mankind.
Terrorism has become a phenomenon of the twenty first century and has become a political instrument used to get media coverage and access to national and international public opinion, making it a strategic tool to get worldwide attention.
In a world where states are increasingly subject to the consequences of globalisation, national security has become an ever more important issue. No international phenomenon has demonstrated this necessity more than terrorism. Following the watershed attacks of 9/11, governments have found themselves confronted, not only with a need to implement protective policies against attacks, but also respond to the, often inflated and media-propelled, collective will and fear of the population.
In formulating an effective counter-terrorist strategy, the construction of a universal definition of terrorism is needed. The subjectivity of the term, however, ensures that this is, by no means, an easy undertaking. The difficulty in assigning a truly comprehensive definition to terrorism lies in the fact that, not only is it challenging to be specific when motives, targets and methods differ so broadly from case-to-case, but the complexity of untangling the overlaps within each of these categories makes the task virtually impossible.
One of the main challenges posed by terrorism on the international scale is the definition of the word “terrorism” to the extent where there is no comprehensive agreed upon definition among the nations of the world. Today there is no definition of terrorism for several reasons related basically to the difference in interests, norms, approaches and values between the states and communities of the world. Still there is a huge controversy between terrorism and legitimate resistance to foreign occupation, and between terrorism and self determination. The Arab Convention to combat terrorism defines it as “any act of violence or the threat of it, whatever its motives or purposes, that occurs implementation of the criminal enterprise, individually or collectively, is intended to sow panic among the people or intimidate them, or endanger their lives or liberties and put their security in danger, or damage the environment, or one of the facilities or property (public and private) or occupying or seizing them, or endangering a national resource “(the first article of the Arab Convention for combating terrorism 1998).
Although this definition highlights the nature and manifestations of terrorist activity; but it did not address the means and methods used by terrorists, which are numerous and varied, but may take modern forms such as electronic means and devices.
As stated in the United Nations resolutions, terrorism is: “those acts which endanger innocent lives or threaten the fundamental freedoms, or violate human dignity.” In the same context, terrorism is also defined by UN experts as “a strategy of violence internationally forbidden, stimulated by ideological concerns, which envisages the creation of horror within the community to gain access to power, or undermine it.” This definition has focused on the ultimate goal of terrorism, which is access to power, or undermine it, but in some cases, terrorism is aimed at creating confusion and chaos in the society. The motives and causes of terrorism are not always ideological, but may be economic, cultural or social.
These definitions show a difference and a clear divergence in determining what is terrorism, and this is due to several reasons such as the confusion of the concepts and terminologies associated with the rights of the peoples to freedom, independence and self determination. Furthermore, some countries do not have legislation and laws that define the differences between criminal behaviour, aggression and the scourge of terrorism, as there is no difference in terms of legislative and legal crime, especially between the organization and terrorist behaviour. Major key players in world politics define terrorism, terrorist behaviour, terrorist organisations and terrorist groups and personalities according to their interests, values, ideology and strategies.
Terrorism is an unexpected and a sudden event which uses violence and aggression and is usually undertaken by an individual or group and is usually directed against innocent civilians, and target media presence, and publicity to draw the attention of the largest possible number of people in order to reach public opinion to influence the decision-maker to achieve social, political and strategic goals. Terrorism is a complex phenomenon encompassing a score of interrelated factors and reasons, where the factors interfere with the personal, psychological, cultural, political, economic and social development to form the phenomenon of terrorism, which aims to achieve the objectives through violence and murder, crime and elimination and extermination of others. Terrorism reflects a situation of resentment, despair, marginalisation, exclusion and the denial of civil and human rights.
In assessing the differences between definitions, it appears that the largest disparity lies within the description of terrorist motivations. This disparity, alone, warrants study and yet the importance of focusing on the difficulty of defining the motivations of terrorists is more significant in its implications. It is vital to be comprehensive in the categorisation of motivations because the methods and targets selected by terrorists are often reflected by their purpose.
The writer is a professor of Public Relations and Mass Communication at the College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University.
By Dr Mohamed Kirat
“The link of terrorism with any religion or sect or ethnicity has become a repertoire of extremist organisations to brainwash ordinary people, young people and recruit them to join these organisations, and here we are today witnessing the massacres and the use of intimidation and torture of extremists from different religions and sects, and therefore the legalisation of terrorism on religion or class according to a particular group or political passions is unacceptable.
With this statement, Sheikha Alia Ahmed bin Saif Al Thani, the permanent representative of Qatar to the United Nations addressed the United Nations Commission on the Sixth (Legal) Committee on “Measures to Eliminate International Terrorism”. Given the complexity of terrorism and the confusion of its definition worldwide, Qatar has called on the international community to organise an international conference to define terrorism to put an end to manipulation, opinionated interpretations, and different approaches to the phenomenon which threatens the security of mankind.
Terrorism has become a phenomenon of the twenty first century and has become a political instrument used to get media coverage and access to national and international public opinion, making it a strategic tool to get worldwide attention.
In a world where states are increasingly subject to the consequences of globalisation, national security has become an ever more important issue. No international phenomenon has demonstrated this necessity more than terrorism. Following the watershed attacks of 9/11, governments have found themselves confronted, not only with a need to implement protective policies against attacks, but also respond to the, often inflated and media-propelled, collective will and fear of the population.
In formulating an effective counter-terrorist strategy, the construction of a universal definition of terrorism is needed. The subjectivity of the term, however, ensures that this is, by no means, an easy undertaking. The difficulty in assigning a truly comprehensive definition to terrorism lies in the fact that, not only is it challenging to be specific when motives, targets and methods differ so broadly from case-to-case, but the complexity of untangling the overlaps within each of these categories makes the task virtually impossible.
One of the main challenges posed by terrorism on the international scale is the definition of the word “terrorism” to the extent where there is no comprehensive agreed upon definition among the nations of the world. Today there is no definition of terrorism for several reasons related basically to the difference in interests, norms, approaches and values between the states and communities of the world. Still there is a huge controversy between terrorism and legitimate resistance to foreign occupation, and between terrorism and self determination. The Arab Convention to combat terrorism defines it as “any act of violence or the threat of it, whatever its motives or purposes, that occurs implementation of the criminal enterprise, individually or collectively, is intended to sow panic among the people or intimidate them, or endanger their lives or liberties and put their security in danger, or damage the environment, or one of the facilities or property (public and private) or occupying or seizing them, or endangering a national resource “(the first article of the Arab Convention for combating terrorism 1998).
Although this definition highlights the nature and manifestations of terrorist activity; but it did not address the means and methods used by terrorists, which are numerous and varied, but may take modern forms such as electronic means and devices.
As stated in the United Nations resolutions, terrorism is: “those acts which endanger innocent lives or threaten the fundamental freedoms, or violate human dignity.” In the same context, terrorism is also defined by UN experts as “a strategy of violence internationally forbidden, stimulated by ideological concerns, which envisages the creation of horror within the community to gain access to power, or undermine it.” This definition has focused on the ultimate goal of terrorism, which is access to power, or undermine it, but in some cases, terrorism is aimed at creating confusion and chaos in the society. The motives and causes of terrorism are not always ideological, but may be economic, cultural or social.
These definitions show a difference and a clear divergence in determining what is terrorism, and this is due to several reasons such as the confusion of the concepts and terminologies associated with the rights of the peoples to freedom, independence and self determination. Furthermore, some countries do not have legislation and laws that define the differences between criminal behaviour, aggression and the scourge of terrorism, as there is no difference in terms of legislative and legal crime, especially between the organization and terrorist behaviour. Major key players in world politics define terrorism, terrorist behaviour, terrorist organisations and terrorist groups and personalities according to their interests, values, ideology and strategies.
Terrorism is an unexpected and a sudden event which uses violence and aggression and is usually undertaken by an individual or group and is usually directed against innocent civilians, and target media presence, and publicity to draw the attention of the largest possible number of people in order to reach public opinion to influence the decision-maker to achieve social, political and strategic goals. Terrorism is a complex phenomenon encompassing a score of interrelated factors and reasons, where the factors interfere with the personal, psychological, cultural, political, economic and social development to form the phenomenon of terrorism, which aims to achieve the objectives through violence and murder, crime and elimination and extermination of others. Terrorism reflects a situation of resentment, despair, marginalisation, exclusion and the denial of civil and human rights.
In assessing the differences between definitions, it appears that the largest disparity lies within the description of terrorist motivations. This disparity, alone, warrants study and yet the importance of focusing on the difficulty of defining the motivations of terrorists is more significant in its implications. It is vital to be comprehensive in the categorisation of motivations because the methods and targets selected by terrorists are often reflected by their purpose.
The writer is a professor of Public Relations and Mass Communication at the College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University.
