Concept Paper: ?Grounded Theory Study Comparing Al Qaeda?s Multi-Layered Social Network to Emerging Online Jihadist Networks? 1. Introduction In a post-9/11 environment where terrorists have been isolated, driven into remote, lawless areas such as Somalia, Pakistan, and Yemen, the Al Qaeda network has been cut off from gathering for fear of military action or covert drone strikes. Al Qaeda?s leadership and operational assets have been driven underground. However, the ideological bonds that united those within Al Qaeda have found traction in a new generation of online jihadists, inspiring those who wish to continue the Salafist struggle. There is still much to learn about Al Qaeda, how it was formed, evolved, took action against the United …show more content…
"Social Network Analysis in the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence." Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Political Networks Paper Archive. 2010. http://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1048&context=pn_wp, accessed 20 Jun 2011. Rasool, Pir Abdul, Qureshi, Nasrullah Memon, and Uffe Kock Wiil. "EWAS: Modeling Application for Early Detection of Terrorist Threats." From Sociology to Computing in Social Networks (2010), pp. 135-156. http://www.mip.sdu.dk/~memon/EWaS.pdf, accessed 25 Jun 2011. Ressler, Steve. "Social Network Analysis as an Approach to Combat Terrorism: Past, Present, and Future Research." Homeland Security Affairs. (The Journal of the Naval Postgraduate Center for Homeland Defense and Security.) Volume II No. 2: July 2006. http://www.hsaj.org/?download&mode=dl&h&w&drm=resources%2Fvolume2%2Fissue2%2Fpdfs%2F&f=2.2.8.pdf&altf=2.2.8.pdf, accessed 19 Jun 2011. Skillicorn, D.B. "Social Network Analysis via Matrix Decompositions: al Qaeda." Queen?s University School of Computing. August 2004. http://www.cs.queensu.ca/~skill/alqaeda.pdf, accessed 21 Jun 2011. Vos Fellman, Philip. "The Complexity of Terrorist Networks." Southern New Hampshire University School of Business. http://necsi.org/events/iccs6/viewpaper.php?id=189, accessed 19 Jun …show more content…
"Analyzing the Terrorist Social Networks with Visualization Tools." The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Department of Systems Engineering and Engineering Management. 2006. http://www.se.cuhk.edu.hk/~yang/papers/yang2006f.pdf, accessed 19 Jun 2011. Yang, Ming, Melody Kiang, Yungchang Ku, Chaochang Chiu and Yijun Li. "Social Media Analytics for Radical Opinion Mining in Hate Group Web Forums." Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. Volume 8, Issue 1, 2011 Article 38. http://www.bepress.com/jhsem/vol8/iss1/38, accessed 17 Sep 2011. 2.2 Related Research Published research within the field of SNA and counterterrorism has largely relied upon open source information. Valdis Krebs continues to study social networks, their structure and how they evolve. Marc Sageman has focused his research on Al Qaeda, its network structure, and how it has evolved since 9/11. Furthermore Fahad Shah, a research assistant at the University of Central Florida, has focused his academic studies on constructing social networks from unstructured, online communications. Several notable papers by Fahad
Retrieved from http://www.terrorismanalysts.com/pt/index.php/pot/article/view/268/540 White, J. R. (2014). Terrorism and homeland security (8th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
Likewise, Goodwin illustrates how the use of categorical terrorism can be seem being used by Al-Qaida during the attacks of 9/11. Nonetheless, it is evident that Al-Qaida is unusual in terms of using terrorism to influence the rise of unity rather than trying to overthrow a standing state. For the purpose of instigating a pan-Islamic revolutionary movement, Al-Qaida tries to unite all Islamic people under one state to develop umma, or Muslim community. The logic of Al-Qaida remained that if their “revolutionaries” could illicit a reaction from the powerful US state, resulting in oppression of the middle-eastern region, that Al-Qaida could, as a result, unite all Muslims to counter this suggested oppression. Although the end goal of Al-Qaida clear failed, it does suggest the organization’s attempt at implementing categorical terrorism.
Taylor, R. W., Fritsch, E. J., Liederbach, J., & Holt, T. J. (2011). Digital Crime and Digital Terrorism 2nd edition. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
Schweitzer, Y., & Shay, S. (2003). The globalization of terror: The challenge of al-qaida and the response of the international community. New Jersey: Transaction Publishers.
America has seen a rise in terrorist attacks since September 11, 2001. Preceding these attacks by Osama Bin Laden and Al Qaida an ostensibly new threat emerged on American soil. However, this apparent growing new threat of terrorism to America has been active for decades and is known as the Lone Wolf terrorist. Mark S. Hamm and Ramon Spaaj have indicated and disclosed in their research that the lone wolf terrorist has been active in 98 cases in America between 1940-2013. In their 2015 grant report after further examinations were concluded; the definition of lone wolf terrorism needs to include the following:
Retrieved from Tures, J. (2009). The 'Standard' of the 'Standard'. Do Terrorists Win Elections? The Journal of the Naval Postgraduate School Center for Homeland Defense and Security. Retrieved from http://www.hsaj.org/?fullarticle=5.3.5 White, J. a.
Anderson, James H. “International Terrorism and Crime: Trends and Linkages.” James Madison University. http://www.jmu.edu/orgs/wrni/it.htm (8 Mar. 2002).
A crime and conflict nexus is very important seeing that it increases the utility of both organizations while putting them closer to obtaining their goal. These connections between the two groups affect individual and state security in drastic ways. Louise I. Shelley, author of Dirty Entanglements: Corruption, Crime, and Terrorism analyses six major terrorist attacks over the past two decades, including nine-eleven
The future of America is definitely affected by terrorism and terrorism has benefited from the new technologies that aid and speed up communication around the world. Terrorists can use tactics that they know and manipulate advanced technologies such as the internet. These technological advantages have certainly improved the capabilities of terrorist groups to plan and accomplish their operations. It also offers these terrorists the ability to affect communities faster and much more intensely than earlier terrorists. In order to reduce America's vulnerability to terrorism, in regards to their threats, strategies and tactics, when dealing with the internet, a complete understanding of the nature of America’s enemies is necessary.
Herman, E. & Sullivan, G. O.1989. The Terrorism Industry: The Experts and Institutions That Shape Our View of Terror. New York: Pantheon.
People from many countries have joined this group, including Afghanistan, Pakistan and Britain. This paper is going to present a brief historical background of Al Qaeda, how it emerged with their ideology, view, believe, and goals and also it presents the activities which this group has been doing before and after the very massive attack they had in the US on September 11, 2001 and the international responses to this act of violence. Finally, this paper will end up with comparing this Organization (Al Qaeda) with Reverend Mike Bray the Christian terrorist. Historical Background of Al Qaeda Al Qaeda is led by Osama bin Laden, who was born and raised in Saudi Arabia. His family was very rich and respected by Saudi royal household and the public.
The term “cyber terrorism” refers to the use of the Internet as a medium in which an attack can be launched such as hacking into electrical grids, security systems, and vital information networks. Over the past four decades, cyber terrorists have been using the Internet as an advanced communication tool in which to quickly spread and organize their members and resources. For instance, by using the instantaneous spread of information provided by the Internet, several terrorist’s groups have been able to quickly share information, coordinate attacks, spread propaganda, raise funds, and find new recruits for their cause. Instantaneous and unpredictable, the technological advantages these terrorists have obtained from using the Internet includes
Terrorist organizations have been committing atrocities against innocent civilians throughout the world for hundreds of years. Terrorism has evolved in many different forms and from various motivations such as religious protest movements, political revolts, and social uprisings. Regardless of the motives for terror, the problem is the financing of terrorism and terrorist organizations themselves. Recent global terrorist attacks using high technology and extensive networks have shown that money is essential to provide the means behind all terrorist activities. Individual terrorists plan terrorist operations and require resources to live, prepare, and implement their plans. The use of money laundering and financial support schemes are the root of the cause. If money laundering were curtailed or even eliminated, and financial supporters of terrorism were identified terrorism would decrease dramatically. To achieve these goals would take monumental efforts. The United States, United Nations and all sovereign nations would need to take cooperative action that has never been accomplished. Terrorism, its' history, concepts, reasoning, methods, and financial roots are object of this research.
Social Network theory dates back to the 1950’s where Barnes (1954) is credited with coining the term. Social Network Theory is the study of how the social structure around a person, group, or organization affect beliefs or behaviors (Dunn, 1983) The theory views relationships in terms of nodes and ties. Nodes can be defined as individual actors within networks, while ties are the relationships between the actors. (Dunn, 1983). These nodes and ties are often displayed in a diagram which shows the connection between them. Unlike traditional sociological studies, Social Network Theory does not assume that it is the attributes of individual actors, but rather the attributes of the individual are less important, but rather the relationships and ties with other actors within the network is what is important.
Mutz, D. C, 2002. Cross-Cutting Social Networks: Testing Democratic Theory in Practice. American political science Review [ONLINE] 96 (1) pp. 111-126. Available from: Camebridge Journals Online