Challenges of Domestic Terrorism

Challenges of Domestic Terrorism

Terrorism is the number one challenge to the nation’s well-being and efforts to maintain peace and order. Several countries have been victims of terror attacks from international organized gangs such as the Al-Qaeda. In the US, the citizens suffer a new form of terror attack described as Domestic Terrorism. The civilian population suffers hate crimes that intend to intimidate and influence national policy. Also, it includes mass attacks on the internet, and the impacts are similar to those of foreign terrorism. Among the primary drivers in the upsurge in the US involve white supremacy, and the future challenges are likely to get worse following the rise in hate groups, technological advancement, and limited training for first-person respondents in times of emergency (Beirich & Potok, 2009). The evolution of terrorism has moved from the threats by organized terror groups to the state’s ethnically motivated violent extremism. The digital landscape and advancement in technology contribute significantly to the new era of domestic terrorism and future challenges.

The rise of hate groups is likely to become a significant problem in the coming years leading to domestic terrorism. The US experience a widening political polarization and the aspect fuels an upsurge in violent extremist groups (Piazza, 2011). The political climate is full of fears of the re-emergence of racism and xenophobia. The hate groups claim to actively work on behalf of the government, and not against it. As a result, several militant groups have emerged and are willing to engage in violent attacks. The country today experiences a massive divide, which stems from the fear of loss of national sovereignty as a result of the election of a Black-American president. Other factors include rising numbers of non-white immigration, economic hardship, rapid demographic changes, legalized same-sex marriages, and civil rights movements such as “Black Lives Matter” (Beirich & Potok, 2009). Many US citizens live in bitterness, increasing the number of participants in hate groups such as the Neo-Nazi and the KKK, hate-motivated violence and continued domestic terrorism.

The Advancement of technology also presents another opportunity for domestic terrorism to thrive in the future. Technology primarily presents an opportunity for civilization, yet people take advantage of the phenomenon to engage in criminal activities and fulfill their malicious needs. First, the internet offers a central platform for extremist groups to engage in violence-motivated discussions and share hate messages across the globe (Hardy & Williams, 2014). Second, domestic terrorist groups use a video game to launch attacks on the minority groups indirectly and spread the message of white supremacy (Hardy & Williams, 2014). Finally, the advancement in technology presents an opportunity for the development of superior weapons to launch warfare and engage in successful missions. For instance, the terrorists get the opportunity to launch attacks using drones, ricin bacteria, nuclear bombs, and guns.

Lack of training among first emergency respondents is also an opportunity for successful domestic terrorism in the future. The US suffers a lack of training and preparedness for emergency first respondents due to the budget crisis leading to inadequate training on counter-terrorism techniques. It is nearly impossible for first responders to function effectively during stacks and save lives in the absence of a well-coordinated response plan. The nation, therefore, needs to work proactively towards preventing further damages. It needs to adopt a fully-incorporated national emergency plan that emphasizes proper training as a critical mitigation role to long-term risks associated with terror emergencies.

References.

Beirich, H., & Potok, M. (2009). USA: Hate groups, radical-right violence, on the rise. Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice, 3(3), 255-263.

Hardy, K., & Williams, G. (2014). What is ‘cyberterrorism’? Computer and internet technology in legal definitions of terrorism. In Cyberterrorism (pp. 1-23). Springer, New York, NY.

Piazza, J. A. (2011). Poverty, minority economic discrimination, and domestic terrorism. Journal of Peace Research, 48(3), 339-353.