Question

• Summarize the background of the terrorist organization, its purpose, and structure.
• Explain the political, religious, and ideological views and motivations.
• Which definition or definitions of terrorism most closely fit your chosen terrorist organization?
• Discuss if the organization identifies with left wing views, right wing views, or other political ideology and why.
• Expand on the impact that right- and/or left-wing extremism has on terrorism.

Answer 1

·Summarize the background of the terrorist organization, its purpose, and structure.

Al-Qaeda has its roots in the Mujahedeen; these were volunteers from the Middle East who came to Afghanistan. The Mujahedeen were in support of the uprising against the Soviet forces who occupied Afghanistan; they proclaimed to be warriors who fought to defend fellow Muslims . Around 1988, Osama bin Laden became one of the leading financiers of the organization, which recruited Mujahedeen from mosques around the world. In 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait, and the government of Saudi Arabia allowed the stationing of us troops in the country. Osama was against this actions, and thus he started anti-government activities, and in 1991 he was expelled from Saudi Arabia. According to Gunaratna, (2002), after theexpulsion, Osama established Al-Qaeda headquarters in Khartoum, Sudan, where he started his attacks on the US, and later in 1996 he declared war against the US. Osama was their principalfinancier and leader, and they operated in different countries as cells.

· Explain the political, religious, and ideological views and motivations.

Al-Qaeda is a separatist group, which has goal was for the Muslim countries to be separated from the influence of America. The group was against the stationing of American troops in Saudi Arabia who fought the Iraq government; they advocated for political autonomy and independence. They are anti-imperialist who are against the conquest and occupation by foreign powers They are religious oriented, and thus they try to inflict as many casualties as possible, to them, the loss of life is irrelevant. They also believe that killing of those labeled as nonbelievers is right and acceptable in their attacks. The Al-Qaeda mostly targets symbols of authority such as banks, government offices, multinational corporations, national airlines among others.

·Which definition or definitions of terrorism most closely fit your chosen terrorist organization?

Al-Qaeda can be defined as a religious terrorist group, which is motivated by religious grievances and ideologies, and this type of terrorism is dangerous because those who practice it are willing to sacrifices themselves for the sake of the course, the practice fanaticism claims . They are ready to use any tactics necessary to prove their point, even suicide bombings. They base their actions and activities on religious teachings, which encourage and justify these self-sacrifices. These teachingsencourage them to kill nonbelievers in their attacks, they usually do not kill other Muslims in their attacks, because they claim that they are the chosen ones of Allah.

· Discuss if the organization identifies with left-wing views, right wing views, or other political ideology and why.

The Al-Qaeda are based on left wing beliefs and ideas, and this is because they aim to support Muslims who seem that they cannot support themselves, the organization is progressive in nature. The group believes in equality amongst all people, and they are anidealist who is against oppression by regimes .They fight for redistributed opportunities and wealth; they believe in freedom and equality for all. The Al-Qaeda believes that there are unjustified inequalities, which are caused by foreign regimes, and thus they must be reduced or eliminated. They advocate for reforming, radical, and socialist.

· Expand on the impact that right- and/or left-wing extremism has on terrorism.

Left wing extremism are ideologists, and they usually target the younger generation who will follow them without fully understanding the ideology represented states . They encourage violence as the only means to overcome the political and socio-economic structure that are existence. Their first strategy is guerilla warfare which will create a vacuum at the lowest level of governance; they target local police, policepersonnel, and lower-level government officials. All these has negatively influenced terrorism because they encourage violence, killings, and intimidation. Left wing extremism promotes the use of all means possible and necessary to overcome the challenge or inequality, and this lead to terrorist to use “all in” tactics in their activities