Definition of Terms:

 Extremist -a person who holds extreme or fanatical political or religious views

 Radicalism- the beliefs or actions of people who advocate complete political or social reform.
 Assassination- act of killing a prominent person for either political, religious, or monetary
reasons.
 Nationalism- way of thinking that says that some groups of humans, such as ethnic groups,
should be free to rule themselves.
 Capitalism-economic system in which private individuals or businesses own capital goods.
 Communism-system where all property is public and people work and are given things by the
government according to their needs.

What is Terrorism:

 Ineluctably political in aims and motives

 Deliberate creation and exploitation of fear through violence or the threat of violence in the
pursuit of political change
 Designed to have far-reaching psychological repercussions beyond the immediate victim or
target
 Violent-or, equally important, threatens using violence

Forms of Terrorism

• Ethnic terrorism- (according to Bayman : 2002)

- different from terrorism organized in the name of ideology, religion, or economic development

- ethnic terrorists are known to be more nationalistic and can easily form their national identity than
religious terrorists.

Examples of ethnic terrorists:

Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE) –(Velupillai Prabhakaran-KIA, Sri Lanka)

Kurdish Workers Party (PKK)- (Abdullah Ocalan, Kurdistan-region in Iraq)

and the Irish Republican Army (IRA)- (----, Ireland)

•Ideological terrorism- (according to Manalo : 2004)

- based on the needs and goals of a group, which it satisfies by means of violence.

- goal of these groups is to unite their members and connect with other communities who will support
them.
Subtypes of Terrorism

 Religious terrorism

-which are terrorist groups which are extremely religiously motivated

 Criminal terrorism-

-which are terrorists acts used to aid in crime and criminal profit.

 DISSENT TERRORISM

which are terrorist groups which have rebelled against their government.

 State-Sponsored terrorism,

- which consists of terrorist acts on a state or government by a state or government. Example:Hizballah

 Terrorists and the Left and Right

- which are groups rooted in political ideology.

 Left-wing - characterized by an emphasis on "ideas such as Liberty, equality, fraternity, rights,

progress, reform and internationalism"

 Right-wing- characterized by an emphasis on "notions such as authority, hierarchy, order, duty,
tradition, reaction and nationalism"

2 General Types of terrorism:

Domestic Terrorism- terrorist activities are directed at elements of our government or

population without foreign direction.

Example: The CPP–NPA’s goal is to overthrow the Philippine government and turn it into a

communist nation.

3. International terrorism

- terrorist activities are foreign-based and/or directed by countries or groups outside the Country .

Example: Example: 9/11 is an example of International Terrorism.

 Methods of Terrorism

 Bombing
 Mass shooting/Killing
 Biochemical weapons-
 Cyberterrorism
 Kidnapping (beheading)
 Hijacking
 Sabotaging

Structure of Terrorist groups:

1. Leadership
- " The leader's charisma or personal appeal is the key to the unity of his group members."
2. Members
- "...recruiting new members who are needed to strengthen their organization and to replace
members who are arrested, killed, or have fled."
3. Command centers of terrorist groups
- This is where they plan and organize their attacks. They give maximum protection to their
camp. (X) easy access to anybody
4. Funds
- "Terrorism will continue as long as funds are made available for these terrorist groups."

MAJOR TERRORIST GROUPS IN THE PHILIPPINES

1. MNLF- (Moro National Liberation Front)

a. aims to have an independent Islamic state in Mindanao

b. Utilizes guerrilla tactics (ambushes, sabotage, raids, etc.)
c. able to get tremendous support from several provinces of Mindanao

History:

The Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) is an Islamic separatist organization based in the
southern Philippines that seeks autonomy for Filipino Muslims, called Moros. The MNLF was
established in 1972, and it led the Moro separatist movement until the 1996 Final Peace
Agreement between the MNLF and the Philippine government. Since 1996, the MNLF has been
surpassed in strength and influence by its rival group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF),
which began its own peace talks with the Philippine government. Today, the MNLF consists of
many factions, some of which support current negotiations between the Philippine government
and the MILF.

Formed 1972
Disbanded Group is active.
First Attack October 21, 1972: The MNLF launched an attack on various targets in Marawi City, including
the Philippine Constabulary, a government radio station, and a state university (unknown
killed, unknown wounded).
Last Attack September 9, 2013: Forces from Nur Misuari’s MNLF faction entered
Zamboanga City, attacked government forces, and ultimately took about 300
civilian hostages. Fighting lasted until September 28 (6+ killed, 24 wounded).
Updated May 2019

Organizational Structure

Leadership

The MNLF long operated as a unified, centralized organization under Nur Misuari’s
leadership. However, the group has factionalized and weakened over time, especially after the
1996 agreement. Today, the MNLF consists of various factions headed by different leaders. These
leaders sometimes cooperate with each other and sometimes express antithetical opinions and
goals, especially regarding the MILF-Philippine government talks and the proposed Bangsamoro
region. There are conflicting reports on who serves as the MNLF’s chairman. The Philippine
government, the OIC, separate MNLF factions, and the media name multiple individuals as the
organization’s chairman.

Ideology and Goals

The MNLF uses nationalist rhetoric to call for an independent state in the Southern
Philippines. Its 1974 manifesto discusses the Moro people as a nation based more on a shared
homeland in the southern Philippines and oppressed by the central government, rather than a group
characterized by a common religion. While the group has not emphasized an Islamic agenda, the
MNLF claims to represent Filipino Muslims. It made a few references in its manifesto to defending
Islam and has historically sought Islamic supporters like the OIC. It enjoys the OIC’s official recognition.

The MNLF initially sought a fully independent state for the Moros, but its leadership
accepted an autonomy arrangement in the 1996 Final Peace Agreement. Currently, the MNLF is
divided in its aims. Some factions – led by Sema and Alonto – have supported the MILF-Philippine
agreement and the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), while other factions – led by Misuari and Hashim
– have voiced opposition and insisted upon full implementation of the 1996 agreement.

Targets and Tactics

The MNLF has historically depended on armed struggle and government negotiations to
achieve its aim of an independent state or autonomous region for Filipino Muslims. Throughout the
1970s, the MNLF fought the Philippine government and armed Christian groups. The MNLF’s militant
activity began with attacks against government targets in Marawi City after then-President Ferdinand
Marcos declared martial law in September 1972. Although the MNLF had some capacity to engage in
conventional warfare, a massive military operation launched by the Armed Forces of the Philippines
in 1973 forced the group to turn to guerrilla tactics with support from Libya and Malaysia. MNLF
negotiations with the government began in the mid-1970s and continued for two decades,
interspersed with violence. The MNLF often renewed its attacks against the government when it was
dissatisfied with the results or implementation of peace agreements. For example, such violence
occurred after the 1977 referendum on autonomy in the southern Philippines. The MNLF’s attacks have
mostly involved firefights with government troops. The MNLF conducted scattered kidnappings, boat
and airplane hijackings, and attacks on civilians in the 1970s. However, the group has generally
focused on targeting government troops rather than civilians. The MNLF has used both guerrilla tactics
and conventional warfare effectively.

The 1996 Final Peace Agreement formally ended the MNLF’s armed struggle but did not
completely cease the MNLF’s use of violence. Most notably, Misuari led his faction in two significant
violent campaigns in 2001 and 2013. In 2001, Misuari’s followers launched a major attack against
government troops. In the 2013 attack, MNLF members entered Zamboanga City, took hostages, and
fought government forces. Violent activity by other MNLF factions (i.e., those factions not led by
Misuari) has been less prominent.

Major Attacks
 October 21, 1972: MNLF operatives launched an attack on various targets in Marawi
City, including the Philippine Constabulary, a government radio station, and a state
university. This attack was conducted in response to then-President Ferdinand
Marcos’ declaration of martial law. It is generally considered the beginning of the
MNLF’s armed uprising against the Philippine state (unknown killed, unknown
wounded).
 February 7, 1974: The MNLF entered Jolo, the capital of Sulu, and reportedly tried to
declare Mindanao’s independence for the first time. The group allegedly attacked Jolo
and held it for days before the Philippine military retook the city. The Battle of Jolo
devastated the city, although reports differ over whether the MNLF or government
forces were mostly responsible for the destruction (unknown killed, unknown
wounded).
 October 10, 1977: A MNLF commander invited a Philippine military general to a
market in Patikul under the pretense of a ceasefire meeting. MNLF forces then
ambushed the general and his men (34 killed, unknown wounded).
 November 19, 2001: Misuari’s followers attacked multiple Philippine military camps
on the island of Jolo, allegedly to undermine ARMM elections in which Misuari was
expected to lose. (111+ killed, unknown wounded).
 September 9, 2013: Forces from Nur Misuari’s MNLF faction entered Zamboanga City,
attacking government forces and ultimately taking about 300 civilian hostages.
Fighting lasted until September 28 (6+ killed, 24 wounded).

State Sponsors And External Influences

Even before its formal establishment, the MNLF benefited from the influence of foreign
actors, especially Malaysia. Beginning in 1969, the Malaysian government supplied training and
weapons to Filipino Muslims, some of whom would later become MNLF members. MNLF leader Nur
Misuari was one of those Malaysian-trained members. The group’s connections to Malaysia are also
apparent in the fact that the MNLF was officially formed on the Malaysian island of Pulau Pangkor in
1972.
 After its establishment, the MNLF also secured financial support and military training from
Libya, the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), and other foreign sources. From 1972 to
1975, Libya and the OIC provided approximately $35 million to the MNLF, including arms and
equipment that were funneled to the group through Malaysia. In the mid-1970s, Libya became the
major training site for MNLF members. Syria, Pakistan, and the Palestine Liberation Organization
also trained MNLF members beginning in the 1980s. In 1975, The OIC officially recognized the MNLF
as the representative of Filipino Muslims, and the MNLF has continued to trumpet its status as an
OIC non-state observer to emphasize its legitimacy. Until the 1996 Final Peace Agreement, the OIC
annually supplied $1 million to the MNLF.

The OIC also played a pivotal role in the MNLF-Philippine government negotiations leading
up to the 1996 Final Peace Agreement, and it was a signatory to the official document. More
recently, the OIC has also supported the MILF in its negotiations with the Philippine government.
The MILF-Philippine government talks, and eventual signing of the BOL, marginalized the MNLF. The
OIC has advocated a peace process open to all stakeholders including the MNLF, which it still
formally recognizes.

2. Abu Sayyaf-
a. objective: global dominance of Islam through armed struggle
b. Engages in kidnapping, bombing, and other criminal activities
c. recruitment: offering 50,000 pesos as a monthly salary and with modern firearms.
d. took advantage of the media

History: Executive Summary

The Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) is an Islamic se paratist organization in the Philippines
founded by Abdurajak Abubakar Janjalani in 1991. Heavily influenced by Al Qaeda in its early
stages, the ASG started as a splinter group of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and
seeks an independent Muslim state in the southern Philippines. In the early 2000s, the ASG
attracted attention through high-profile bombings, assassinations, kidnappings, and attacks. The
ASG renewed its campaign to establish an Islamic state in June 2017, when it gained control of
parts of Marawi, a city in the southern Philippines. It is regarded as the most dangerous militant
group in the Philippines.

Ideology and Goals

The ASG aims to establish an independent Salafist Sunni Islamic state in the Mindanao region
for the Filipino minority known as the Moros. The ASG also aims to expel the Christian settlers
who migrated to Mindanao from other regions in the Philippines such as Luzon and the
Visayas. These Christian settlers began migrating to the southern Philippines with government
encouragement in the 1910s; they now comprise 75% of the region. Despite the ASG’s stated
goals, the organization shows signs of becoming motivated more by material gain than by
ideological struggle. Some analysts and officials now liken the ASG to a criminal gang.
 Major Attacks
 April 4, 1991: The ASG conducted a grenade attack in Zamboanga City, killing
two U.S. Christian evangelists. (2 killed, unknown wounded).
 April 14, 1995: The ASG attacked the Christian town of Ipil. (53 killed, 48
wounded, ~30 hostages).
 March 4, 2003: A bomb exploded in a shed outside the main terminal building
of the Davao International Airport. An ASG spokesman called a national radio
station the following day, claiming responsibility for the attack. (21 killed,
148 wounded).
 July 31, 2018: A car bomb exploded at a checkpoint in Basilian’s Lamitan City,
killing at least 10 people, including the driver, a Philippine Army Special Forces
sergeant, four Philippine Army-led local militiamen, and several civilians
including a woman and child. The AFP has assigned blame on militants linked to
the ASG. (at least 10 killed, unknown wounded).

State Sponsors And External Influences

The ASG may have been secretly supported by Libya during the rule of Muammar el-
Qaddafi. Qaddafi had previously demonstrated support for the Moro separatist movement in
general, for example by sending funds and arms to the MILF. Acting as negotiator, Libya was
instrumental in securing the August 2000 release of six hostages who were kidnapped by the
ASG, including three French citizens, a German and a South African. In return for the release, a
charitable foundation led by Qaddafi’s son gave $25 million in supposed development aid to the
Philippines’ southern region, although this money may have actually gone to the ASG.
Additionally, despite claims that no ransom was ever given, Qaddafi himself may have paid the
ASG $6 million for the six hostages. While Libya officially denounced the ASG’s kidnapping
operations, the ASG reportedly received Libyan money multiple times during Qaddafi’s
rule, under the guise of charitable or humanitarian donations.

3. CPP-NPA- (Communist Party of the Philippines - New People's Army)

a. aims to overthrow the Philippine government through violence
b. Carries out assassinations and kidnappings of political figures and U.S. military
personnel stationed in the Philippines
c. recruits minors

History:

Formed December 26, 1968

Disbanded Group is active.

First Attack August 21, 1971: Three members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s
Army (CPP-NPA) threw four grenades onto the stage of a Liberal Party rally in Manila’s Plaza
 Miranda. Then-President Ferdinand Marcos was initially blamed for the attack, which had
killed much of his opposition. (9 killed, 95 wounded).

Last Attack August 15, 2015: A CPP-NPA unit launched two attacks on the same day in the province of
Agusan del Sur. The fighters destroyed a truck using an improvised explosive device and later
attacked two men, one a civilian, and the other an Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)
auxiliary forces member. (1 killed, 1 wounded).

Updated August 2018

The Communist Party of the Philippines–New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) seeks to overthrow
the Philippine government in favor of a new state led by the working class and to expel U.S.
influence from the Philippines. The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) formed in 1968, and
its armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA), was founded in 1969. Because the CPP and NPA
are so closely intertwined, they are often jointly referred to as the CPP-NPA. The CPP-NPA has
historically focused on building support among the rural peasantry, although it has operated
throughout the Philippines. While it peaked in size and influence in the 1970s and 1980s, the CPP-
NPA still engages in significant levels of violence and is the world’s oldest existing Communist
insurgency.

Ideology and Goals

The CPP-NPA seeks to overthrow the Philippine government in favor of a new people’s
democratic state led by the working class, and the group also seeks to expel U.S. influence from
the Philippines. Its other goals include redistributing land to the landless poor and initiating a
cultural revolution. The CPP-NPA primarily models its armed struggle on China’s Maoist
movement, focusing especially on the idea of a protracted people’s war and mobilizing the
masses in rural areas.
Targets and Tactics

The CPP-NPA has generally focused on building support in rural areas, aiming to inspire
a people’s democratic revolution among the peasantry. It deploys Sandatahang Yunit
Pampropaganda (SYPs), which are armed propaganda units consisting of eight to fifteen fighters.
The CPP-NPA has historically used rural-based guerrilla tactics against small police or military
units. It has also assassinated several individual Philippine and U.S. government soldiers, police
officers, and officials. In the 1980s, it set up “sparrow” units, which consisted of one to five
operatives, for urban assassinations. Especially beginning in the 1980s, the CPP-NPA has also
engaged in urban guerrilla warfare and attempted more regularized military formations, such as
battalions, to engage in large-scale, conventional attacks. In some regions, the CPP-NPA fought
in groups of up to two hundred. However, in the early 1990s, Sison’s criticism of these
divergences from the strategy of rural-based guerrilla warfare led the CPP-NPA to return largely
to its earlier tactics in the countryside. The CPP-NPA generally targets politicians and
government forces—using assassinations, bombs, or other means—but it has also attacked
companies that do not pay “revolutionary taxes” to the CPP-NPA.

Because of its opposition to U.S. intervention and influence in the Philippines, the CPP-
NPA has also attacked U.S. interests in the country. It conducted attacks against U.S. military
 installations before U.S. bases in the Philippines closed in 1992. After 1992, the CPP-NPA
continued to target U.S. soldiers, embassy employees, and other personnel.

Major Attacks
 October 3, 2011: Three CPP-NPA units, totaling approximately two hundred fighters,
attacked three mining companies in Surigao del Norte. The targeted companies
allegedly had not paid the so-called revolutionary taxes to the CPP-NPA. CPP-NPA
fighters took four hostages, who were released shortly, and caused around $1 billion in
damage (3-4 killed, unknown wounded).
 August 21, 2010: Approximately forty CPP-NPA fighters ambushed a police vehicle
outside the city of Catarman, using two improvised explosive devices and gunfire. They
killed all occupants of the vehicle (8 killed, 0 wounded).
 April 21, 1989: CPP-NPA operatives assassinated Colonel James Rowe, who led a U.S.
Army division providing military assistance to the Philippine government (1 killed, 1
wounded).
 August 21, 1971: Three members of the CPP-NPA threw four grenades onto the stage of
a Liberal Party rally in Manila’s Plaza Miranda. Then-President Ferdinand Marcos was
initially blamed for the attack, which had killed much of his opposition (9 killed, 95
wounded).
State Sponsors And External Influences

From its 1969 establishment until the 1976 normalization of Philippine-Chinese

relations, the CPP-NPA received support, weapons, and funds from China. However, even
though the CPP-NPA modeled its armed struggle on China’s own Maoist movement, Chinese
support for the CPP-NPA seems to have been limited. The CPP-NPA also sought support,
weapons, funds, and training from like-minded groups overseas, including the Japanese Red
Army (JRA), the Maoist factions of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), the Sandinistas
of Nicaragua, the Communist Party of El Salvador, and many other organizations. The CPP-NPA’s
efforts to elicit support from these groups were only partially successful. The extent of the
group’s connection with other foreign groups is unknown. Although the CPP-NPA attempted to
expand its presence and support abroad from the 1970s onward – for example, by dispatching
representatives throughout Europe and the Middle East – those efforts appeared largely
ineffective, especially after the general decline of Communist groups in the late 1980s and
1990s.

4. BIFF- (Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters)

a. Founder: Ameril Umbra Kato
b. breakaway group from the MILF. It targets both military and police outposts.
c. objective of these attacks is to sabotage the peace process between the
government and the MILF.

History:

Formed December 2010

Disbanded Group is active.
 August 5, 2012: BIFF members launched attacks on eleven towns in the province of
First Attack Maguindanao, focusing on Philippine military targets. Fighting between the BIFF and
government forces lasted until the following day. (3 killed, 1+ wounded).
Last Attack December 25, 2017: Insurgents attacked a military unit in Maitemaig, Datu Unsay,
Maguindanao, Philippines. No group claimed responsibility but the attack was attributed to
the BIFF. (10 killed, 5 wounded).

Updated
August 2018

The Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), sometimes called the Bangsamoro Islamic
Freedom Movement (BIFM), is an Islamic separatist organization based in the southern Philippines.
It seeks an independent Islamic state for the Filipino Muslim minority, known as the Moro people,
who live primarily in the Philippines’ Mindanao region. The BIFF was founded in 2010 by Ameril
Umbra Kato as a splinter group of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). It has attacked
government forces and civilian targets, especially to undermine peace talks between the MILF and
the Philippine government.

Ideology and Goals

The BIFF is an Islamist organization that seeks to establish an independent Islamic state in
the southern Philippines for the Filipino Muslim minority, known as the Moro people. The BIFF was
formed as a splinter group of the MILF in response to the latter’s acceptance of an autonomy
arrangement rather than full independence during negotiations with the government. BIFF
espoused an extreme version of Islam and admired Wahhabism.

Targets and Tactics

Since its 2010 formation, the BIFF has mainly attacked government forces, including police
and military facilities. Besides clashing with Philippine soldiers, the BIFF has also attacked civilian
targets through bombings and raids, especially in attempts to undermine the MILF-Philippine
government peace process. At least one BIFF attack, led by BIFF leader Mohammad Ali Tambako in
2013, has specifically targeted Christians. BIFF attacks often utilize IEDs triggered by mobile phones,
and they have generally resulted in fewer than twelve casualties.

Major Attacks
 December 30-31, 2016: As in 2012, BIFF members attacked several villages with rifles and
IEDs, focusing this time on a Philippine Army detachment in Datu Salibo, Maguindanao.
Seven BIFF members were reportedly killed, and five others were wounded, during the raid
on the Army detachment. A soldier’s wife was reported to be wounded. (7 killed, 6
wounded).
 January 25, 2015: Philippine Special Action Force (SAF) soldiers targeted two key bomb-
makers in an operation in Maguindanao. During the pursuit, the soldiers were attacked by
rebel forces that included BIFF members. Consideration of the Bangsamoro Basic Law, an
 important element of the MILF-Philippine government negotiations, was temporarily
suspended after this attack. (~67 killed, 12+ wounded).
 December 9, 2014: The BIFF bombed a bus in the province of Bukidnon. Philippine
authorities alleged that the attack was a test for new BIFF recruits and may also have been
to attempt to extort the bus company, which had previously received demands for payment
to the BIFF. (11 killed, 31 wounded).
 January 28, 2014: The Philippine National Police (PNP) blamed the BIFF for bombing a bus
terminal in Maguindanao in an attempt to distract government forces pursuing high-ranking
BIFF leaders. The BIFF denied responsibility for the attack. (0 killed, 2 wounded).
 August 5, 2012: BIFF members launched attacks on eleven towns in the province of
Maguindanao, focusing on Philippine military targets. Fighting between the BIFF and
government forces lasted until the following day. (3 killed, 1+ wounded).

State Sponsors And External Influences

There are no publicly available external influences for this group.

5. Maute Group
a. Founder: Abdullah Maute, Omar Maute and Jorge Abu Najem
b. long-standing goal: absolute control over the entirety of Mindanao
c. established links with the Abu Sayyaf and ISIS
d. recruits minors as child warriors

History:
Ideology and Goals
Targets and Tactics
Major Attacks
State Sponsors And External Influences

MAJOR INTERNATIONAL TERRORIST GROUPS

1. Al Qaeda
History:

Formed August 11, 1988

Disbanded Group is active.

First Attack August 7, 1998: Al Qaeda operatives detonated car bombs outside the U.S. embassies in Dar Es
Salaam, Tanzania and Nairobi, Kenya. The majority of casualties occurred in Nairobi. The
bombings took place on the 8th anniversary of U.S. troops' presence in Saudi Arabia. (223
killed, 4,000+ wounded)

Last Attack On January 7, 2015, two gunmen attacked the offices of the satirical newspaper Charlie
Hebdo in Paris. The paper had previously been targeted by Islamic extremists for its satire of
Islam and was listed in an AQ “most wanted” list. An AQ affiliate, Al Qaeda in the Arabian
 Peninsula (AQAP), claimed the attack, and there is evidence that at least one of the gunmen
traveled to Yemen, participated in AQ training, and receiving funding for an attack. (12 killed,
11 wounded)
Al Qaeda (AQ) is one of the most powerful terrorist organizations in the world, with a long
history and a global reach. It is composed of a core group of operatives and leadership largely based
in Pakistan and Afghanistan and maintains relationships with a number of affiliate organizations
around the world. AQ and its affiliates have been responsible for many of the deadliest terrorist
attacks in the past twenty-five years.

Ideology and Goals

Al Qaeda aims to rid the Muslim world of Western influence, to destroy Israel, and to
create an Islamic caliphate stretching from Spain to Indonesia that imposes strict Sunni
interpretation of Shariah law. However, not all AQ members and affiliates agree on the same laws.
Some consider Shiite Muslims to be apostates, while others do not. This disagreement has caused
rifts between AQ and its affiliates — for example, when AQI targeted Shiites in Iraq against the
instructions of bin Laden.

Targets and Tactics

Al Qaeda uses a wide variety of tactics to achieve their goals. AQ and its affiliates employ
suicide bombings, IEDs, rocket and small arms attacks, grenades, kidnapping and hostage-taking,
ransoms, hijackings, and propaganda to further these goals against a number of different
countries, both in the Middle East and around the globe. Al Qaeda also has reportedly sought
nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons, and the group attempted to purchase weapons-grade
uranium as early as 1997.

AQ and its affiliates have attempted and carried out a number of assassinations. It
assassinated Ahman Shah Massoud, a powerful anti-Taliban military and political leader in
Afghanistan, on September 9, 2001. The group killed former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto
in a suicide bombing attack in 2007. It may have been involved in two assassination attempts against
Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf in 2003. In addition to political leaders, AQ also reportedly was
behind multiple attempts to kill Kurt Westergaard, the Danish cartoonist who published cartoons
depicting the Prophet Mohammed. AQ also allegedly trained at least one of the gunmen who
attacked the offices of French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, included on an AQ “most wanted”
list, and may have funded the 2015 attack.

AQ and its affiliates target U.S. and Western presence and interests in the Middle East, as
well as political figures and security forces that attempt to prevent AQ from reaching its goal. AQ
affiliates rarely attempt to attack the U.S. homeland, although AQAP was behind two attempted
airplane attacks in the mid- to late-2000s. Some analysts believe that AQ has not carried out another
9/11-scale attack partly because it is waiting for the resources and opportunity to undertake a larger
attack. Others claim that AQ is not currently planning larger attacks because it is no longer capable
and instead is willing to rely on smaller, more achievable attacks. In December 2018, the United
Kingdom’s security minister, Ben Wallace, voiced concern that AQ, newly “resurgent,” may be
planning future attacks on passenger planes in Europe in the style of 9/11.
 Major Attacks
 November 15, 2003: Carried out over two days (November 15 and November 20, 2003), four
truck bombs ran into 2 Jewish synagogues, a bank, and the British Consulate in Istanbul,
Turkey. The bombing at the British Consulate may have been coordinated with U.S.
President Bush's meeting with Tony Blair, which occurred the day of the second bombing
(11/20/2003). (67 killed, 700+ wounded)
 September 11, 2001: In the most destructive attack ever attributed to Al Qaeda, operatives
hijacked four U.S. jetliners and piloted two into the World Trade Center towers and one into
the Pentagon building. The fourth plane crashed in Pennsylvania, probably en route to an
additional target. It was the first major foreign attack on American soil since Pearl Harbor,
the most violent day in America’s history after the battle of Antietam in 1862 and resulted in
economic damages valued at between $100 billion and $2 trillion. Following the attacks, the
United States invaded Afghanistan to find and prosecute those responsible for the attacks,
driving bin Laden and his organization to flee to remote regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan.
(2,996 killed, 6,000+ wounded)
 October 12, 2000: An AQAP suicide bomber drove a small watercraft towards the side of the
hull of the U.S.S. Cole naval ship, detonating a large bomb stored on the watercraft upon
impact. (17 killed, 39 injured)
 August 7, 1998: Two truck bombs detonated outside the U.S. embassies in Dar Es Salaam,
Tanzania and Nairobi, Kenya. The significant majority of casualties occurred in Nairobi. The
bombings took place on the eighth anniversary of U.S. troops' presence in Saudi Arabia. Al
Qaeda and the Egyptian Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility. (223 killed, 4,000+ wounded)

State Sponsors And External Influences

 AQ has a fraught relationship with the Shiite state of Iran. Documents declassified by the CIA
in 2017 reveal that Iran provided funding, arms, and training in Hezbollah camps to Al Qaeda
militants in order to facilitate attacks against the United States.
 Pakistan has a long history of interacting with militant Islamist organizations and has served
as both a supporter and victim of extremist violence. When the U.S. and Saudi Arabia sent
money to the mujahideen fighting the Soviet Union in the 1980s, it was funneled through
Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate (ISI)

2. ISIS

History:

The Islamic State (IS) – also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and the
Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) – is a Salafi militant organization whose goal is to
establish an Islamic caliphate in Iraq and Syria and spread its influence globally. IS is known for
its large contingent of foreign fighters, meticulous bureaucratic and financial system, and strong
online media presence. IS developed in 1999 when Abu Musab al-Zarqawi began to train
extremist militants in Afghanistan. During the American occupation of Iraq, Zarqawi’s militants
became a major participant in the Iraqi insurgency, first under the name Jama’at al-Tawhid
wa’al-Jihad (JTJ) and then, after swearing fealty to Al Qaeda, as Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI). The group
declined in power until 2011 when the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq and the onset
of the Syrian Civil War created a power vacuum, allowing the group to reemerge. In 2013, the
group changed its name to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and captured extensive
territory in Iraq and Syria. In 2014, ISIS officially declared the creation of a caliphate and
changed its name to the Islamic State (IS). On the ground, IS has fought Syrian government
forces, Syrian rebel groups, the Iraqi military and militias, and Kurdish peshmerga groups. The
U.S. also supported the Iraqi military, certain Syrian rebel groups, and the Kurdish peshmerga
with airpower and weapons. These groups slowly retook IS territory beginning in 2015. The last
IS territory was seized in Syria in March 2019, and as of August 2019, the group is reorienting to
a decentralized, guerilla-style insurgency. IS continues to carry out attacks through sleeper cells
in Iraq and Syria and globally through a network of affiliate organizations and “colonies”.

The Islamic State (IS) – also known as the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) or the
Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) – is a Salafi-Jihadist militant organization that operates
primarily in Syria and Iraq. The group’s goal is to establish an Islamic caliphate in Iraq and Syria
and eventually spread its influence globally. The foundations of IS were laid in the 1990s and
early 2000s, when IS-founder Abu Musab al-Zarqawi began recruiting Jordanian criminals and
training extremist militants at a camp in Herat, Afghanistan.

During the American occupation of Iraq, the group was a major participant in the Iraqi
insurgency, first under the name Jama’at al-Tawhid wa’al-Jihad (JTJ) and then, after swearing
fealty to Al Qaeda, as Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI). Facing backlash from the community and increased
pressure from American and Iraqi forces, the group declined in strength and influence.
However, this downward trajectory reversed in 2011. The withdrawal of American troops from
Iraq and the onset of the Syrian Civil War created a power vacuum, which AQI stepped in to fill.
In 2013, the group changed its name from AQI to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. Throughout
2013 and 2014, the group seized territory in Syria and Iraq. ISIS changed its name to the Islamic
State and declared the establishment of a caliphate in Iraq and Syria in June 2014.

IS was notable for its public beheadings of Western captives, its large contingent of
foreign fighters, and its substantial media presence. On the ground, IS displayed brutal efficiency
and violence in battles against the Assad regime and Syrian-allied Shia forces, Syrian opposition
groups, the Iraqi military, and the Kurdish peshmerga. The U.S., in conjunction with European
and Arab allies, began airstrikes against the group in fall 2014. By 2017, IS lost control of its
largest population centers and began to revert to more traditional terrorist tactics, developing
sleeper cells and assimilating into the broader population. On March 23, 2019 IS lost its final
piece of territory in Baghuz, Syria. Though now without territory, the group remains highly
active and continues to launch small- and large-scale terrorist attacks globally.

Ideology and Goals

Targets and Tactics

IS’s targets have shifted throughout its existence. During the Iraq War, the Islamic State
(then known as AQI) primarily targeted American and coalition forces, as well as Shia civilians,
Shia militias, and Sunni militias who resisted AQI’s presence. In opposition to the commands of
Al Qaeda leadership, AQI frequently targeted civilians and other Muslims in brutal suicide
bombings and attacks. As U.S. and coalition forces withdrew from Iraq, the group began
targeting the Maliki government and local Shia militias. IS expanded throughout northern Iraq in
2013 and began targeting rebel groups and local militias in Syria. The group eventually joined
the broader civil war in Syria, targeting the forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the
Turkish government. Additionally, IS fought other rebel groups and the Western-backed Syrian
Democratic Forces (SDF). In the territory under its control, IS instituted oppressive laws against
local communities. More specifically, the group persecuted non-Sunni religious groups –
including Shias, Yazidis, and Christians – as well as homosexuals and secular leaders.

IS’s tactics are multifaceted, reflecting the versatile nature of the group. IS functioned
simultaneously as a state, an insurgency, and a terrorist organization. The group’s strategy
involved a complicated bureaucratic system to fund its war effort; a light, organized military;
and a strong media presence to recruit new members and inspire attacks abroad. After the
caliphate’s defeat in 2019, IS has transitioned to a more traditional terrorist organization,
developing a network of sleeper cells and maintaining its online presence.

Major Attacks

 August 19, 2003: JTJ bombed the U.N. Headquarters in Baghdad (23 killed, 100+
wounded).
 August 2009: AQI claimed responsibility for the bombings of several government
buildings in Baghdad (250 killed, 1000+ wounded).[
 May 2010: AQI carried out attacks across Iraq in response to the killings of AQI leaders
Masri and Baghdadi (85 killed, 300+ wounded).
 January 27, 2019: IS-affiliated militants set off two bombs at a church in the southern
Philippines. The bombing came a week after local voters rejected a referendum for
inclusion in an autonomous Muslim region. Separatist Islamist groups in the Philippines
had been demanding autonomy for years, and the attacks have been described as a
form of revenge against the local population (20 killed, 81 wounded).
 April 21, 2019: Suicide bombers and gunmen attacked three hotels and three catholic
churches in coordinated attacks in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The militants were from National
Thowheed Jama’ath, a group with connections to IS. Photos showing National
Thowheed Jama’ath group members pledging their allegiance to IS were released by
Amaq News Agency after the attack occurred (300+ killed, 500+ wounded).

State Sponsors And External Influences

 JTJ and AQI under Zarqawi: 1999-June 2006
JTJ relied on Osama bin Laden’s funding to create Zarqawi’s training camps in Herat,
Afghanistan. The group did not receive resources from any state or other external actor
at this time.
 AQI decline: June 2006-December 2011
 In 2006, U.S. forces in Iraq found documents that proved that Iran provided AQI
with funding and weapons, as well as negotiated the release of AQI prisoners. Because
Iran is majority Shia and AQI had always been hostile toward Shiite Muslims, the state’s
support of the group was likely an attempt to sabotage the U.S. intervention in Iraq. In
2009, the Iraqi government accused the Syrian government of harboring terrorist cells,
an allegation that Syrian officials denied.
 AQI and ISIS expansion under Baghdadi: January 2012-2014
Private donations from wealthy individuals in the Gulf region were vital in the early
years of ISIS’s resurgence. Qatar was criticized for being complacent in this process and
not adjusting its laws to stop the flow of money to ISIS. While not an explicit
endorsement, Qatar’s lack of willingness to comply with international finance norms
benefitted ISIS.
Meanwhile, Iran ceased its assistance of the group. The Iranian government
reversed its policy of aiding the group in 2014. Instead, the country offered assistance to
U.S. counterterrorism efforts against ISIS.
 IS contraction under regional and global pressure: 2014-2018
The Turkish government, Iraqi Kurdish militias, and the Assad regime purchased oil
from IS during the Syrian civil war. These actions implicitly funded the group; however,
they should not be considered as deliberate endorsements of IS. The deals were
established through preexisting networks of oil smugglers, an example of wartime
necessity rather than a purposeful decision of finance IS.
 The Death of the Caliphate (2018-Present):

As of August 2019, IS is not receiving support from any known state sponsor or
external actor.

3. Taliban
History:

The Afghan Taliban – not to be confused with the Pakistani Taliban – is a Sunni Islamist
militant organization created in 1994 to establish a strictly Shariah-governed Afghan state. The
Taliban achieved this goal in 1996 and ruled Afghanistan as the main governmental body through
2001. After 9/11, the American-led invasion pushed the Taliban regime out of power. Since 2001,
the Taliban has actively fought to push U.S. and NATO military forces out of Afghanistan and
delegitimize the current government of Afghanistan. The Taliban utilizes both conventional and
unconventional tactics to pursue its goals. The group’s power is concentrated and maintained in the
hands of mullahs from the Kandahari Pashtun tribes, known as the Quetta Shura.]In recent years,
the Afghan government has made peace processes with the Taliban its priority, yet as of 2018,
reports indicate that the Taliban is in full control of 14 districts in Afghanistan (4% of the country)
and maintain an active physical presence in an additional 263 districts (66%).

Ideology and Goals

Since its inception, the Islamic State has sought to establish an Islamic caliphate based
on its Salafi philosophy and fundamentalist interpretation of Shariah law. Below is a
 chronological explanation of how the group’s goals and ideology changed throughout its
existence. In its earlier iterations as JTJ and AQI, the group focused on achieving more concrete
goals, such as driving foreign forces from Iraq. As the organization grew, it put more emphasis
on the establishment of a caliphate and the creation of a global Salafi jihadist movement.

Targets and Tactics

The central targets of Taliban violence are coalition troops and Afghan government forces.
The Taliban utilizes suicide bombings, IED’s conventional warfare, unconventional warfare, rocket
attacks, assassinations, guerilla warfare, massacres, kidnappings, targeting of civilians, and targeting
of NGOs. Civilian aid workers have increasingly been the targets of Taliban attacks and suicide
bombings.

Following the surge of U.S. troops in 2009, Taliban forces increased attacks against civilians
in Afghanistan. A 2011 UN report identifies Taliban forces as responsible for 76 percent of civilian
deaths in 2009, 75 percent in 2010, and 80 percent in 2011.

Since the U.S. coalition invasion of Afghanistan, the Taliban has placed explosives in public
gathering locations, suicide bombers in public markets, and female suicide bombers have been used
to target international forces. The Taliban has been known to use civilians to draw coalition forces
into an area and subsequently detonate an explosive device or carry out an attack against these
forces. These attacks often kill more civilians than coalition forces. The Taliban has consistently
targeted women in their attacks; since 2007, the Taliban has placed IEDs in more than 15 girls'
schools. The Taliban has recently increased direct attacks against U.S. government entities, evident
by the group’s targeting of U.S. military bases and an attempted attack on U.S. Secretary of Defense
James Mattis on September 27, 2017.

Major Attacks
 September 8, 2006:A suicide bomber drove a car into a U.S. armored vehicle outside
the U.S. embassy in Kabul and detonated explosives, killing 16. Two American soldiers
were killed in the attack. It was the deadliest attack since the 2001 invasion began. (16
killed, 29 wounded).
 February 27, 2007:A suicide bomber later identified as Mullah Abdul Rahim blew
himself up the front gate of the U.S. military base at Bagram while U.S. Vice President
Dick Cheney was present in the compound. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the
attack and said that Cheney was the intended target. Cheney survived the attack
unharmed. The explosion killed and wounded several American and allied soldiers as
well as Afghan and Pakistani truck drivers and laborers who were waiting for access at
the gate. (23 killed, 12+ wounded).
 June 11, 2013:A suicide bomber detonated a bomb outside Kabul's Supreme Court
killing six judges, among others. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack and
said the court employees had been targeted for "legalizing the infidels" and "cruel"
behavior against Afghans. (17 killed, 40+ wounded).
  April 19, 2016:Armed militants in Afghanistan stormed a key government security
agency in Kabul as part of a coordinated assault, killing at least 28 people and
wounding more than 320. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, which
included a suicide car bombing. (28 killed, 320 wounded).
 April 21, 2017:Taliban militants disguised as Afghan army personnel attack an army
base in the Balkh province. The attack was conducted by multiple suicide bombers and
gunmen. Afghanistan’s defense minister and army chief of staff resign following the
attack. (100 killed, unknown wounded).
 June 20, 2018:Taliban militants attacked Afghan soldiers and captured a military base
in the Western province of Badghis. This was their first major attack after a ceasefire
was called for the Eid al-Fitr holiday. (46 killed, unknown wounded).

State Sponsors And External Influences

The Taliban was publicly supported and funded by the Pakistani government from 1994 to
2001 during its rule of Afghanistan. Pakistan withdrew public support for the Taliban government
after the U.S. invaded Afghanistan in 2001, but the ISI continue to support the Taliban covertly.
Pakistan has denied claims that the ISI supports the Taliban, U.S. intelligence reports from the raid
on Osama bin Laden’s compound in Abottabad, Pakistan indicate evidence that the ISI never cut
relations with the Taliban.

In December 2015, Zamir Kabulov, President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy to Afghanistan
stated that Russia is coordinating with the Taliban to hinder the spread of ISIS in Afghanistan.In
2017, the U.S. military claimed that it had received reports that Russia was arming the Taliban.
Russia denied the allegations

In 2001, Saudi Arabia began privately funding the Taliban. The Taliban finance minister
claimed that the group raised money from foundations and wealthy individuals within the country.
However, Saudi Intelligence chief Turki al-Faisal denied that the Saudi government provided any
support for the Taliban.

4. Boko Haram
History:

In 2002, Mohammad Yusuf formed Boko Haram as a Sunni Islamist sect to oppose
Western education and establish an Islamic state in Nigeria. The group has carried out
numerous attacks since 2009, including the 2011 bombing of the U.N. headquarters in Abuja,
but is best known for the 2014 Chibok schoolgirl kidnapping, when the group abducted over 300
young Nigerian girls. Its primary base of operation is northeastern Nigeria, but it has conducted
limited operations in Cameroon and Niger. In March 2015, Boko Haram became an affiliate of
the Islamic State (IS). In August 2016, leadership struggles led to a split within Boko Haram,
pitting the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP) against Jama’atu Ahl al-Sunnah lil-Dawa
wal-Jihad (JAS).
 Ideology and Goals
Boko Haram, which translates roughly to “Western education is forbidden,” is a Sunni
Islamist militant organization that opposes Western education and influence in Nigeria. Its founder
Mohammad Yusuf was heavily influenced by the opinions of Ibn Taymiyyah, a fourteenth century
scholar of Islamic fundamentalism. Yusuf originally followed and preached the Izala doctrine, which
advocates the establishment of a Muslim society that follows the lessons of its pious ancestors.
After his initial radicalization in 2002, Yusuf’s ideology evolved and radicalized into a philosophy that
rejected all Western and secular aspects of Nigerian society.

Boko Haram originally advocated a doctrine of withdrawal from society but did not aim to
overthrow the Nigerian government. Yusuf’s death and increased conflict with the Nigerian
government in 2009 sparked the political opposition and violent campaign that Boko Haram became
known for. Under the leadership of Abubakar Shekau and Abu Musab al-Barnawi, the group sought
to establish an Islamic caliphate to replace the Nigerian government

Targets and Tactics

Initially, Boko Haram primarily targeted state and federal buildings, including police stations
and prisons, but it turned toward civilian targets under Abubakar Shekau’s leadership, such as
schools, religious institutions, markets, and entire towns. While the group relied mostly on arson
and small arms, it also used IEDs, car bombs, and suicide tactics after 2011.

Boko Haram’s suicide tactics have changed over time. Originally, militants struck
governmental targets. However, by January 2018, women and children (non-volunteers) targeted
civilians and then unusual targets such as internally displaced persons camps. As a result of media
attention and global prominence, Boko Haram realized after the Chibok girls kidnapping, that female
participation in terrorist violence could stimulate additional shock, horror, and thus media value.
Women were often recruited into Boko Haram as a result of marriage, often were not searched, and
could easily hide suicide vests in loose, billowy clothing. This made them exceedingly valuable
assets.

Major Attacks
 July 27, 2009: Boko Haram launched a series of attacks in Maiduguri, Borno, Nigeria, setting
several churches, police stations, and a prison on fire (75+ killed, unknown wounded.
 August 26, 2011: A suicide bomber from Boko Haram crashed a car filled with explosives
into the main building of the United Nations headquarters in Abuja (23 killed, 87 wounded).
 September 17, 2013: Boko Haram raided the town of Benisheik. Members disguised in
military uniforms set up checkpoints just outside of the town and shot all those who tried to
flee (142 killed, unknown wounded).
 April 14, 2014: Boko Haram kidnapped more than 300 girls aged 16 to 18 from a secular
school in Chibok. In November 2014, Boko Haram claimed that the abducted girls had been
converted to Islam and married off. As of May 2016, 219 girls were still missing, but a few
living as wives and mothers among Boko Haram fighters were rescued. They reported that
 most of the girls were still alive, with the exception of 6 (unknown killed, unknown
wounded). As of Jan 19, 2018, 106 girls had escaped Boko Haram, with the vast majority
freed following negotiations facilitated by the International Committee of the Red Cross
between Boko Haram and the Nigerian Government.
 January 3, 2015: Boko Haram attacked the towns of Baga and Doron Baga, Borno, Nigeria
over four days. Boko Haram shot indiscriminately from armored vehicles and set numerous
buildings on fire. On January 12, the Nigerian government reported that 150 people had
died in the attacks, but satellite images released by Amnesty International suggested a much
higher number (2,000 killed, unknown wounded).
 December 9, 2016: Two female suicide bombers attacked a market in Madagali
village. Nigerian military officials reported 30 dead, 68 wounded, while open source news
reported 57 dead, 177 wounded.
 November 21, 2017: Teenage suicide bomber detonated explosives during morning services
at a mosque in Mubi, Nigeria (50+ killed).
 February 21, 2018: Boko Haram seized 110 schoolgirls from a school in Dapchi, Nigeria.

State Sponsors And External Influences

There are no publicly available external influences for this group.

MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT TERRORISM

 ‘A new threat…’
 and aimed at the West
 One man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter’
 War on terror’
 terror is a single enemy; defeatable with military power; ‘no rules apply’

PRINCIPLES OF TERRORISTS

 For terrorists, morality has a different meaning. Terrorists judge morality based solely on
outcomes.
 "Terrorist moral code actually approves of any action insofar as it contributes to achieving a
given aim."

PREVENTION OF TERRORISM

 Education!!!
 Understand the differences in cultures, religions, beliefs and human behaviors
 COUNTER INTELLIGENCE - establish surveillance and monitoring system on terrorism attack
(improve protective system for citizens)
 Establishing of social and economic programs
 Weakening of citizens' support for terrorist groups
 Instituting changes in the government
 Partnership with other countries
 Putting the priorities of the government in order
 Unity of government agencies and among the League of Nations