Definition,
types, Nature and factors that precipitate terrorism.
Different scholars both local and
international and so many other groups have all agreed to the fact that
terrorism is highly sophisticated both in manner and in form. Various opinions
and different philosophies have resulted in the numerous though not one
generally accepted definition of this concept of terrorism thus several types
and forms of terrorism have come to play all over the world with its attendant
influencing factors which include; the societal environmental, class of
perpetrators, level of technological advancement and the involvement of state
apparatus.
There are certainly fundamental values question related to finding what is
terrorism” as contrasted to “criminality” (Sloan, 1978). The often or repeated
statement “ one mains terrorist is another mans freedom fighter, reflects
genuine difficulties about what constitute “ terrorism” (Roberts 2002, Heng,
2002) therefore the concept, terrorism is ambiguous one rendering little room
for definitional conscious. Not only that the difficulty among the social scientists has been how to
construct and device objective criteria
to analytically study terrorism. For instance, Sloan (1979) clearly opined that
while the tope of terrorism is in deed inherently emotive, the fact remains
that one can and must device objective criteria
to study incidents of terrorism. However despite its definitional
problems, certain scholars have presented definitions that are cast in a more
rigorous and objective perspective. In the work of Jenkins (1978), he defined
political terrorism” as a threat of violence, individual acts of violence, or a
campaign of violence designed primarily to instill fear…”
America’s states
Department defines terrorism as” premeditated politically motivated violence
perpetrated against non- combatant targets by sub- national groups or
clandestine agents, usually intended to influence an audience” in essence,
political terrorism is goal- oriented employed in pursuit of political, social,
ideological or economic objective as contained in (Barkan and Snowden, 2001,
cook 1989). It is a calculated violence directed at affecting the views and
behaviour of specific groups. Therefore, political terrorism may be conceived
as the threat and use of extra-normal forms or political violence in varying
degrees, with the objective of achieving certain political objectives/goals. Such
goals constitute the long range and short term objectives that the group or
movement seeks to obtain…” (Shultz,1978).
In addition, terrorism could be used
to publicize a cause, promote ideology, achieve religious freedom, attain the
release of political prisoners or rebel against government (money et al, 2002,
Crenshaw, 1981). What actually defines terrorism is not the motive but the
means utilized in driving the motive.