Over the last decade the threat from national and international terrorism has fast become the leading national security concern of many countries, from the threat posed by Al-Qaeda to the United States to the two recent bombing in Volgograd (Russia) occurring in close succession in the run up to the 2014. Given the importance in understanding such organisations, the following paper is divided into two sections which will analysis one U.S domestic terrorist organisation and one international terrorist organisation respectively.
The Animal Liberation Front (ALF)
The Animal Liberation Front (henceforth ALF) is an international organisation which, typical of many terrorist organisations, membership and the hierarchical structure of the ALF is designed so small discrete groups can act independently as a ‘franchise’, while retaining the name of the organisation. What has become clear over the last decade is this brand of eco-terrorism has slowly becomes an increasing threat to national security. Indeed, such is the threat posed by animal rights activists and ‘eco-terrorists’ as a whole, the deputy Assistant director of the FBI (John E. Lewis) stated that: “Special interest terrorism differs from traditional right-wing and left-wing terrorism in that extremist special interest groups seek to resolve specific issues” (Lewis 2004). Furthermore: “The FBI reports more than 600 incidents, causing $43 million in damage, since 1996” (Southern Poverty Law 2002).
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Unlike a great number of targeted terrorist organisations, the fluidity and flexibility of ALF has allowed it to operate as a quasi-legitimate interest group with an online presence. According to ALF’s own website its mission is to: “[Carry] out illegal actions against industries who profit from animal exploitation. These actions most often take the form of liberating live animals […] or economic sabotage in the form of property destruction.” (Animal Liberation Front 2013). Thus, this specialised terrorist groups ideology is based on the protection and liberation of animals from a militaristic stance and principally recruits from within national countries although information on precisely how this occurs is limited.
Al-Shabab in Somalia
The second international terrorist organisation this paper analysis’s is Al-Shabab, the Somalian based Al Qaeda group that on the 21st of September 2013 launched a prolonged terrorist attack on the Westgate Shopping Mall in Egypt (Karimi et al. 2013). Unlike the ALF, Al-Shabab has a far more regimented organisational structure mainly because they still control large areas in Somalia, particularly in the north of the country. Indeed, in contrast to many other terrorist organisations, Al-Shabab is perhaps better described as a traditional terrorist organisation as it has an established and known hierarchical structure. Currently its leader is Sheikh Moktar Ali Zubeyr who has a number of lieutenants under his command.
One of the important characteristics about Al-Shabab is that its recruitment stretches beyond the confines of its own country. As Wiser notes in his article, Somali-American youth are particular vulnerable to recruitment and pose the additional threat of holding U.S citizenship (Wiser 2013). At the heart of Al-Shabab ideological beliefs is a fundamental Islamist view, insisting on imposing strict Islamic doctrine and Sharia law in Somalia; Indeed, as Anderson notes in his article, many smaller villages in Somalia which is under the organisations control impose a strict version of Islamic law with punishments including stoning and death for relatively minor offenses (Anderson 2009). In conclusion, there is clearly a number of significant differences between domestic and international terrorist organisations. In relation to the two organisations this paper has examined the main difference is in the organisational structure, ALF is diverse with groups able to act independently, while Al-Shabab has a specific and regulated chain of command.
- Anderson, J, L. Letter from Mogadishu, “The Most Failed State,” The New Yorker, December 14, 2009, p. 64
- Animal Liberation Front. ‘Who is ALF’ 2013. http://www.animalliberationfront.com/
- John E. Lewis. Deputy Assistant Director Federal Bureau of Investigation. Before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Washington DC May 18, 2004. http://www.fbi.gov
- Karimi, F. Almasy, S. and Leposo, L. “Kenya mall attack: Military says most hostages freed, death toll at 68” CNN September 23, 2013. http://edition.cnn.com
- Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty Threatens Terrorist-Style Attack. Southern Poverty Law Enter Intelligence Report, Fall 2002, Issue Number: 107. http://www.splcenter. org/
- Wiser, D. Al Shabaab Recruitment of Somali-Americans Threatens National Security: Experts say U.S. needs a more effective strategy. The Washington Free Beacon. October 3, 2013. http://freebeacon.com
