Homegrown extremism threats both in the European Union (EU) as well as the United States (U.S.) have grown since the last decade. Past and present studies along with past and current political leadership have directed their focus and funds to counter global threats of extremism and terrorism whilst ignoring homegrown extremism threats. This paper focuses on the threats posed by domestic terrorist groups or homegrown extremist groups using research data from reputable sources and compares and contrasts transactional and domestic terrorism. The paper recommends that homegrown terrorism or extremism can be reduced and subsequently eliminated by creating functional political and economic societies where equity and justice are for all to enjoy.
Comparison of homegrown and international terrorism
The concept "homegrown" emerged within not only academic but also policy-centered reports following the train bombings in 2005 Britain. However, the precise and accurate meaning of his term and its application is somewhat confusing. Academic literature focusing on terrorism reveals two common elements relating to the concept of homegrown extremist groups. The first element rests on the notion that individuals who were born and brought up in the western culture or perhaps have an intense attachment with the western culture. The second idea rests on individuals or independent local groups devoid of any international links or connections.
The accumulated literature on terrorism is mainly focused on structural conditions; for instance, social, political and financial status of a community, which instigates terrorist behavior. Research relating to terrorism has been mainly carried out on some groups in specific regions. O'Hair et al. (2007) has defined political terrorism as a growing threat by using murder and chaos to victimize innocent population in order to attain a specific political agenda. He has categorized terrorism into these types:
• Repressive kind
• Epiphenomenal kind
• Revolutionary kind
• Sub-revolutionary kind
In the end, O'Hair et al. (2007) agrees that terrorism occurs due to social discontentment and psychopathology. He maintains that there's a difference between homegrown and transactional terrorism. Similarly, in his research, Ranstorp (2006) has explained that terrorism doesn't occur due to disintegration of the lower population but rather elite's fragmentation. In other words, she means that it's just not the poverty stricken people engaged in terrorist's activities, but rather motivations can be different. Other studies too have shown that poverty has become a huge contender for terrorist behavior. However, according to Kirby (2007), present day terrorists were quite literate and well mannered. Some are even wealthy coming from good family backgrounds. Whatever the current discourse of terrorism, it is clear that current power balance between the citizens and their respective governments is so heavily inclined towards the government that it is not possible for non-state violent and extremist actors to exist and flourish devoid of government knowledge and backing. In homegrown terrorist organizations ideology is the key that holds the group together and lures in both the wealthy and the poor. In transactional terrorist organizations, poverty has been the driver that propels these homegrown extremist groups forward towards the completion of their agenda.
Homegrown terrorism and extremism is generally a reaction to preexisting society conditions and its framework. The motivations for a person to become a terrorist stem from religious radicalization, sovereignty, extremism and following some polarized independent ideology. Extremism and religious radicalization are important topics for homegrown terrorism. Terrorist activities are quite active in places such as Europe (Corse and Basque) and homegrown terrorism issue is not taken as seriously in America and EU as compared to international terrorism. According to Hoffman (2006) homegrown terrorism is quite prevalent both in America and EU. But international terrorism having political and radicalized motivations is stirring up storms within the political circles in both continents.
Current research on homegrown terrorism has pointed out religious terrorism stemming out of radical Islamic ideology. Lacey (2008) in this case, has examined cases of domestic terrorists since 1977. This was the time when Islamic terrorism started to rise as a movement, especially in the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. The threat of national jihad is high in America and Al Qaeda seems to be breeding such terrorists who declare themselves as martyrs in a holy cause. Therefore, homegrown terrorism has become a huge domestic problem but its reach can extend beyond domestic boundaries as well. It is the biggest threat that democracies face today. Local terrorist outfits coupled with radical ideology have become a threat, which many developed countries...
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