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Welcome to this presentation that is part of HLS 2000 Introduction to Terrorism at Columbia
Southern University. In this presentation we will begin the course by conducting an
overview of terrorism. Let's begin by defining terrorism. Exactly what is terrorism? Terrorism
as defined by the National Institute of Justice is "the unlawful use of force or violence
against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population,
or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives." That's the
official government definition of terrorism, but understanding the characteristics of terrorism
is also important. Poland identified two primary characteristics associated with terrorism.
First, terrorism is a technique for inducing fear. As we will discuss later in this course,
terrorism does not have to take the form of a physical attack. In fact, the mere threat
of a terrorist attack has the ability to instill fear within a society and can be used as a
psychological weapon by terrorists. The second characteristic identified by Poland
was that a reference to achievement of a political agenda exists. While this does not always
exist, it is a noted characteristic of many terrorist organizations in existence today.
Now that we have established some characteristics of terrorism, let's examine the various forms
and identities of terrorism. The forms and identities of terrorism will vary based upon
the intent and type of terrorists involved. Terrorist groups may be based upon a variety
of ideological beliefs. Some may have a religious basis while others are politically motivated.
Terrorism can take the form of a group or carried out by single individuals.
Terrorist groups can be broken down into several categories, including private groups, religious
orders, and government regimes. As we move through the various units of this course we
will examine each of these in more detail. We will conclude the Unit 1 lesson by looking
briefly at the history of terrorism. Instances of terrorism can be traced throughout history.
At any point during history when major disagreements existed between rivalry groups instances of
terrorism can most likely be found. One example of a notable terrorist group with a long history
is the Ku Klux ***. This group formed in the post-Civil War era and though its composition
changed a few times over the years, the group was still actively involved in terrorism as
recently as the Civil Rights era of the 1960's. While terrorism has a long history, we will
focus our attention in this course on modern day terrorism. This approach is being taken
to ensure students leave the course with a working knowledge of terrorism in the 21st
century. We hope you find the information covered over the next eight weeks of this
course both beneficial and enlightening. Thank you for taking time to watch this presentation.