2. Modern Terrorism
• Difference between
– violent criminal act
– guerrilla warfare
– terrorism
• Modern Technologies
– handgun
– bomb
3. Early Terrorism
• Anarchists
– Political Assassination
• 1881: Russian Tsar Alexander II
• 1894: French President Carnot
• 1901: US President McKinley
• 1911: Great Treason Plot to kill Japanese
Emperor Meiji
– Bombings
• 1886 Haymarket Bombing
• 1894: Greenwich Observatory
• 1919-20: Bombings in US
• etc.
4. Ideology of Terrorism
Anarchist/Nationalist
• "Propaganda of the Deed"
• Instability of oppressive structures
– Provoking state into oppressive action
• Education of "slumbering" masses
• Romantic authenticity
Later Strategies
• Raising costs/Exhausting the enemy
• Revenge/Retaliation
5. History of Chechnya
• Relevance? Known suspects have
lived in US for 10+ years, never lived in
Chechnya, according to relatives.
• Ethnic Chechens live in wide area
including former Soviet Republics,
Turkey, Russia
• Chechens aren't the only minority
ethnic group in Chechnya
6. Chechen History
• Resisted Mongols, largely independent
multi-ethnic Muslim society until 19th
century.
• Russian expansion south under
Catherine, etc., puts Cossacks in
Chechen territory, leads to conflicts.
• Ottoman-Russian conflict makes this
territory important.
• Determined Russian
occupation, conquest in mid-19th
century
7. Chechen History
• Rising Chechen nationalism against
Russian control, ongoing guerrilla
warfare through 19th century, as well
as well-organized uprisings
• Mass expulsion in late 19th century
drives many Chechens south into
Ottoman territory
• Russian Revolution seen as
opportunity: communism as ally
against Cossack/White Russians
8. Chechen History
• Soviet system still seen as oppressive.
In WWII, Chechen nationalists ally with
Germany in hopes of gaining
independence.
• After German retreat, Stalin punishes
Chechens with mass "relocation",
resulting in widespread death and exile
• After 1957, Chechens allowed free
movement again.
9. Chechen History
• 1991 Fall of Soviet Union seen as
opportunity for Chechen independence,
but Russia refuses to let oil resources go
• Independence movement establishes
government, military. Russia invades in
1994
• Guerrilla warfare and terrorist
resistance, connections to Muslim
paramilitary groups
• ethnic cleansing.
10. Chechen History
• Chechen terrorism, international
pressure, actually succeed in forcing
Russia to negotiate: cease-fire in late
'90s.
• Chechen terrorism (possibly with
support of Russian secret police) gives
Russia opportunity to re-invade.
• Ongoing Chechen insurgency, terrorist
attacks in Moscow, elsewhere.
11. Chechen War in US?
• US is not strongly tied to either side in
Chechen war, but some Chechens
blame US for not pushing Russia
harder
• What we know so far suggests highly
assimilated immigrants.
• Possible influence from Islamic
teachers who believe in Central Asia as
source of Islamic renewal, army.
