Global Terrorism: Origins, Spread and Counter-Terrorism

4.1 Defining Terrorism

There is no universally agreed legal definition of terrorism. The United Nations defines terrorism as "criminal acts, including against civilians, committed with the intent to cause death or serious bodily injury, or taking of hostages, with the purpose to provoke a state of terror in the general public... to intimidate a population, or compel a government or an international organisation to do or to abstain from doing any act."

Types of Terrorism

Type	Description	Example
Religious/Jihadist	Violence in name of religious ideology	Al-Qaeda, ISIS
Ethno-nationalist	Separatist/independence movements using violence	IRA (Northern Ireland), LTTE (Sri Lanka)
State-sponsored	States funding/harbouring terrorist groups	Pakistan-ISI links to Lashkar-e-Taiba
Lone Wolf	Individual radicalised online	Various Western attacks post-2015
Left-wing/Naxal	Revolutionary Marxist violence	CPI(Maoist) — Naxalism in India
Right-wing	White supremacist/fascist violence	Christchurch attack (2019, New Zealand)

4.2 Al-Qaeda and the Global Jihadi Network

Al-Qaeda ("The Base") was founded by Osama bin Laden in 1988 in Afghanistan during the Soviet-Afghan War. Its ideology is based on Salafi-Jihadism — a violent interpretation of Sunni Islam that targets Western powers and their Muslim allies.

Key Events

• 1998: US Embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania — 224 killed
• 2000: USS Cole bombing in Yemen — 17 US sailors killed
• 11 September 2001: Coordinated attacks on World Trade Center (New York) and Pentagon — 2,977 killed; economic damage estimated at $3 trillion+ (including wars triggered)
• 2011: Osama bin Laden killed by US Navy SEALs in Abbottabad, Pakistan (2 May 2011)

4.3 ISIS/ISIL and the Caliphate

The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), also known as ISIL or Daesh, emerged from Al-Qaeda in Iraq after the 2003 US invasion. Under Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, it declared a Caliphate on 29 June 2014 in Mosul, Iraq and at its peak controlled territory the size of the United Kingdom across Syria and Iraq.

Rise and Fall of the Caliphate

• Responsible for mass atrocities — Yazidi genocide, execution of hostages
• Lost its last territorial stronghold (Baghouz, Syria) in March 2019
• Al-Baghdadi killed by US forces in October 2019
• ISIS-K (Khorasan Province) remains active in Afghanistan/Central Asia — carried out Kabul airport bombing (August 2021, 170+ killed) and Moscow concert hall attack (March 2024, 145+ killed)

4.4 Counter-Terrorism Architecture

UN Framework

• UN Security Council Resolution 1373 (2001): Passed immediately after 9/11; required all states to criminalise terrorism, freeze terrorist financing, and deny safe haven
• UN Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT): Created 2011
• FATF (Financial Action Task Force): 39-member body monitoring terrorist financing; India joined in 2010; Pakistan was on FATF's Grey List 2018–2022 due to inadequate action against terror financing

US-Led Measures

• Homeland Security Department created 2002
• PATRIOT Act (2001): Expanded surveillance powers
• Guantanamo Bay detention centre: Controversial detention of terror suspects without trial
• Drone strikes in Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia targeting terror leaders

India's Counter-Terrorism Framework

• National Investigation Agency (NIA): Established 2008 after 26/11 Mumbai attacks; central agency for terrorism investigation
• Multi-Agency Centre (MAC): Intelligence fusion centre post-26/11
• FATF membership and mutual legal assistance treaties (MLATs)
• 26/11 Mumbai attacks (26 November 2008): 166 killed; perpetrators from Lashkar-e-Taiba (Pakistan-based); Ajmal Kasab convicted and hanged

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