Republic of the Philippines

Laguna State Polytechnic University

Province of Laguna

Cervantes, Erecka May J. Systems Thinking

BSInfo – 3SMP4 Security Systems

Figure 1. Terrorism

International terrorism refers to terrorism that goes beyond national boundaries in terms
of the methods used, the people that are targeted or the places from which the terrorists operate.
Terrorism, the calculated use of violence to create a general climate of fear in a population and
thereby to bring about a particular political objective. Terrorism has been practiced by political
organizations with both rightist and leftist objectives, by nationalistic and religious groups, by
revolutionaries, and even by state institutions such as armies, intelligence services, and police. It
was first coined in the 1790s to refer to the terror used during the French Revolution by the
revolutionaries against their opponents. The Jacobin party of Maximilien Robespierre carried out
a Reign of Terror involving mass executions by the guillotine. Although terrorism in this usage
implies an act of violence by a state against its domestic enemies, since the 20th century the term
has been applied most frequently to violence aimed, either directly or indirectly, at governments
in an effort to influence policy or topple an existing regime. (Jenkins, 2020)
In order to attract and maintain the publicity
necessary to generate widespread fear,
terrorists must engage in increasingly
dramatic, violent, and high-profile attacks.
These have
included hijackings, hostage takings, kidnapp
ings, mass shootings, car bombings, and,
frequently, suicide bombings. Although
apparently random, the victims and locations
of terrorist attacks often are carefully selected
for their shock value. Schools, shopping
centres, bus and train stations, and
restaurants and nightclubs have been
targeted both because they attract large
crowds and because they are places with Figure 2. Terrorist War
which members of the civilian population are
familiar and in which they feel at ease.
(Jenkins, 2020) CAUSES OF TERRORISM
• Psychological Perspective - Those who engage
in terrorism may do so for purely personal
reasons, based on their own psychological
state of mind. Their motivation may be nothing
more than hate or the desire for power. For
example, in 1893 Auguste Vaillant bombed the
French Chamber of Deputies. Prior to his
conviction and subsequent execution Vaillant
explained his motivation in terms of hate for
the middle classes. Vaillant wanted to spoil the
sense of economic and social success, by
tainting it with his violence.

Figure 3. Terrorist
• Strategic Perspective - Terrorism is sometimes
seen as a logical extension of the failure of
• Ideological Perspective - Ideology is
politics. When people seek redress of their
defined as the beliefs, values, and/or
grievances through government, but fail to win
principles by which a group identifies its
government’s attention to their plight, they
particular aims and goals. Ideology may
may resort to violence. From this viewpoint,
encompass religion or political
terrorism is the result of a logical analysis of the
philosophies and programs. Examples of
goals and objectives of a group, and their
terrorist groups motivated by ideology
estimate of the likelihood of gaining victory. If
include the Irish Republican Army (IRA), in
victory seems unlikely using more traditional
Sri Lanka the Liberation Tigers of Tamal
means of opposition, then one might calculate
Eelam (LTTE), and the Bader Meinhoff in
that terrorism is a better option. (United States
Germany.
Institute of Peace)
 Figure 4. Impact of terrorism

The high-profile terrorist attacks in the United States, Bangladesh, Iraq, France, and Istanbul are
only some of the more than 7,000 known terror attacks between the Nov. 13, 2015, attack in
Paris and July 2016. While the human cost is devastating, the economic impact may be
larger than most realize. The following are five ways that terrorism has an impact on the
economy. (Ross, 2019)

• Direct Economic Destruction

• Increased Uncertainty in the Markets
• Insurance, Trade, Tourism, and FDI
• War Is the Health of the State
• Increased Nationalism and Foreign Skepticism
 Figure 5. Trend in Economic Impact

The global economic impact of terrorism was estimated to be US$26.4 billion in 2019. This is 25
per cent less than the prior year and the fifth consecutive year that it has declined. The
improvement over the last four years is largely driven by the declining level of terrorism in Iraq,
Nigeria, Pakistan and Syria. Since its peak of $116 billion in 2014, the economic impact has
decreased by 77 per cent reflecting the reduction in terrorism deaths, injuries and attacks globally.
This is the fifth consecutive year of decline. The total economic impact of terrorism includes the
direct cost of terrorism deaths, injuries and property damage, as well as the indirect costs from
deaths, injuries, property damage and GDP losses. It also includes a multiplier effect on the direct
costs. Direct costs are expenditures incurred by the victim, the perpetrator and the government.
Indirect costs accrue after the fact and include the present value of the long-term costs arising
from the incidence of terrorism, such as lost future income and physical and psychological trauma.
(Institute for Economics & Peace, 2020)
 Figure 6. Global Terrorism Index

The Global Terrorism Index (GTI) is a comprehensive study analyzing the impact of terrorism for
163 countries covering 99.7 per cent of the world’s population. The GTI is based on the Global
Terrorism Database (GTD); the most authoritative data source on terrorism today. The GTI
produces a composite score so as to provide an ordinal ranking of countries on the impact of
terrorism. The GTD is unique in that it consists of systematically and comprehensively coded data
for 170,000 terrorist incidents. (Institute for Economics & Peace, 2020)
Figure 7. Terrorist Incidents

Figure 8. Terrorist groups

COVID-19 AND TERRORISM
The COVID-19 pandemic is expected to worsen the impact of terrorism in certain regions, and
present complex challenges for national and international counter-terrorism responses. The
COVID-19 pandemic could present opportunities for terrorist organizations to consolidate and
expand their operations and territory, as governments turn their focus from counter-terrorism
operations to addressing the public health crisis. Where a state’s presence is already weak, or
contested, there could be an opportunity for terrorist organizations to become alternate service
providers, gaining favour with local populations through the delivery of essential services or social
care. The pandemic might also provide a captive audience for terrorist organizations, facilitating
radicalization and recruitment efforts. Both al-Qaida and ISIL have issued formal statements on
the pandemic, offering guidelines to stop the spread of the virus, but also with messaging aimed
at new recruits. Al-Qaida has suggested that non-Muslims in the West should use this period to
convert to Islam. ISIL has urged its followers to actively continue to wage global jihad, and to take
advantage of strained security and government forces to launch attacks. (Institute for Economics
& Peace, 2020)

COUNTER-TERRORISM
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe promotes a co-operative and co-
ordinated approach to countering terrorism at all levels, including co-ordination among national
authorities, co-operation among states, co-operation with relevant international and regional
organizations and, where appropriate, establishment of public-private partnerships between state
authorities, the private sector (business community, industry), civil society and the media.

These efforts are guided by and supportive of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism
Strategy and relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council, in accordance with the OSCE
Consolidated Framework for the Fight against Terrorism.
Strategic focus areas for OSCE counter-terrorism activities

▪ Promoting the implementation of the international legal framework against terrorism and
enhancing international legal co-operation in criminal matters related to terrorism;
▪ Countering violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism, following a
multidimensional approach;
▪ Preventing and suppressing the financing of terrorism;
▪ Countering the use of the Internet for terrorist purposes;
▪ Promoting dialogue and co-operation on counter-terrorism issues, in particular, through
public-private partnerships between State authorities and the private sector (business
community, industry), as well as civil society and the media;
▪ Strengthening national efforts to implement United Nations Security Council resolution
1540 (2004) on non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction;
▪ Strengthening travel document security; and
▪ Promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms in the context of
counter-terrorism measures. (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe , n.d.)
CAUSAL LOOP
International terrorism Social Inequality Death
Political grievance Human rights abuse Counter-terrorism

International Social
Terrorism inequality

Human rights
Death abuse

Political
grievance
 International Counter-
terrorism terrorism

Human rights
Death abuse

Political
grievance

References
(n.d.). Retrieved from United States Institute of Peace:
https://www.usip.org/sites/default/files/terrorism.pdf

(n.d.). Retrieved from Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe :

https://www.osce.org/countering-terrorism

Institute for Economics & Peace. (2020, November). Retrieved from

https://www.visionofhumanity.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/GTI-2020-web-1.pdf

Jenkins, J. P. (2020, July 27). Retrieved from Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/topic/terrorism

Ross, S. (2019, May 20). Retrieved from Investopedia:

https://www.investopedia.com/articles/markets/080216/top-5-ways-terrorism-impacts-
economy.asp
Figure 1. Terrorism
https://world101.cfr.org/sites/default/files/images/background-
image/2017/05/CFR_Terrorism_Image01_0.jpg

Figure 2. Terrorist War

https://st4.depositphotos.com/1006542/21448/i/600/depositphotos_214488610-stock-photo-bearded-
terrorist-rifle-hands-stands.jpg

Figure 3. Terrorist

https://image.shutterstock.com/image-photo/rebel-militant-terrorist-guerrilla-concept-260nw-
1401389099.jpg

Figure 4. Impact of terrorism

https://images.mapsofworld.com/answers/2018/07/infographic-impact-of-terrorism.jpg

Figure 5. Trend in Economic Impact

https://www.visionofhumanity.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/GTI-2020-web-1.pdf

Figure 6. Global Terrorism Index

https://www.visionofhumanity.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/GTI-2020-web-1.pdf

Figure 7. Terrorist Incidents

https://www.visionofhumanity.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/GTI-2020-web-1.pdf

Figure 8. Terrorist groups

https://www.visionofhumanity.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/GTI-2020-web-1.pdf