CJ 530 - Module 1 paper

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Comparing Terrorism Ideology Kristina A. Makela Department of Criminal Justice, Southern New Hampshire University CJ-530: Global Terrorism Professor Ryan Wentworth December 10, 2023

When taking a first look at the 1993 World Trade Center (WTC) bombing and the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing a few similarities quickly arise, but also have vast differences due to the interpretations of the definitions of international and domestic terrorism. Tactics The first major similarity is the tactics used to employ their attacks. Both terrorist attacks happened using bombs made on US soil and placed inside of rental vehicles prior to the vehicles being parked near federal buildings to explode after the driver has left the area. Targets Both terrorists, Yousef and McVeigh had carefully thought out the best location to create the highest amount of chaos from the America people and to result in the United States Government understanding the attack is for a political reason. The 1993 WTC bombing was selected as it would cause the greatest number of casualties had the bomb properly been assembled, fortunately only 6 individuals were killed (FBI, n.d.). McVeigh had chosen to bomb the Murrah Federal Buidling in Oklahoma City out of revenge for how the US Government conducted raids and used violence against the American people for several years (McVeigh, 2001). McVeigh was successful at killing 168 people and injuring over 200 (Linenthal, n.d). Ideology The 1993 WTC bombing was a result of a group of individuals full of unrest and how they felt the United States Government was supporting Israel (Parachini, 2000). The 1995 Oklahoma City bombing has a similar ideology of why McVeigh reasons behind his bombing; he claims he disagreed on how in 1993 the government handled seizures in Waco (FBI, n.d.). McVeigh’s

reasons were supposed to be precautionary strike towards the US Government; his mind set was from his military experience and how they would attack an enemy (McVeigh, 2001). Government Reaction The 1993 WTC bombing shocked the US Government and forced the United States to accept the terrorist attacks have become transnational and stateless supported resulting in a new form of terrorism (Mylroie, 2003; Parachini, 2000). In response to the attack, within 24 hours the New York FBI Field Office and the New York Joint Terrorism Task Force created command centers and prepared an investigating team (FBI, n.d.). After this attack on the US the government improved communication interception networks and developed programs to help identify future threats (National Commission, n.d.). The investigation was compiled of at least 700 FBI agents worldwide (FBI, n.d.). After the Oklahoma City Bombing, the FBI quickly took action to begin investigating and gathering facts; due to their prior experience with the 1993 WTC bombing, the FBI was determined to identify clues and found the rear axle of the Ryder truck (FBI, n.d.). With the skills the FBI had gained from prior terrorist attacks, McVeigh was quickly identified (FBI, n.d.). With the information quickly unfolding in front of them, the FBI was able to find McVeigh, who was arrested just 90 minutes after the bomb went off within the first 48 hours of the search (FBI, n.d.). At this time in history the US Government classified Timothy McVeigh’s actions to be the worst act of homegrown terrorism (FBI, n.d.). This event caused the US Government to create and enhance services for victims of terrorism and a reminder the resources need to be flexible as each case will be different (OVC, 2000). Media Coverage

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The media coverage on the 1993 WTC bombing varies depending on where you were living; most media coverage released overseas gathered details from the New York Times and the Washington Post (Storin, 2002). The media showed that world that terrorism is now moving to America and would not just be happening overseas (Storin, 2002). McVeigh bombing Murry Federal building was personal to many of the new reports and Newpapers since it was close to home and family members of those who were killed (Godfrey & Allen, 1996). Almost immediately after the bombing, the media and many Americans assumed the Middle East attacked again due to the time and usage of bombs just 2 years earlier (FBI, n.d.). The media was releasing incorrect information and was criticizing others with their false reporting (Godfrey and Allen, 1996). Public Impact and Reaction Americans felt under prepared for the 1993 World Trade Center bombing; some feel guilty for not preparing for such terrorist activity to happen on US soil (Peltz, n.d.). Those families of the six victims feel as if the 1993 bombing was as large as the 2001 bombing (Peltz, n.d.). The American people still mourn such a tragic day in American history (Peltz, n.d.). Survivors, like Mr. Tim Lang, still grieve the anniversaries of the event and understand the terrorists would be back to finish what they had begun (Peltz, n.d.). In 1995, America was shocked again with such a devastating terrorist attack within the country; especially with the location being the center of the country (OVC, 2000). Americans are still grieving annually together to mourn the loss of their loved ones for 168 seconds of silence each year to never forget the changing moment in domestic lead terrorism on US Soil (Woodruff and Carlson, 2023).

Conclusion As stated above, many aspects of the two acts of terrorism are similar but have differences, making one domestic and the other international. Domestic terrorism and international terrorism are a violation of federal or state laws by the United States civilian population in attempt to intimidate the government’s behaviors (Taylor et al, 2018). Domestic terrorism is committed by American people against America with no ties to organizations in other countries, where international terrorism is usually foreign individuals commit acts against the US Government and population with sponsorships by criminal groups (Ricks, 1988). The definitions are part of the USA Patriot Act of 2001 in attempts to help classify the distinct types of terrorism and the techniques used to identify them.

Reference Carlson, F., & Woodruff, J. (2023). Home-grown extremism and lessons learned 28 years after Oklahoma City bombing. PBS News Hour. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/home- grown-extremism-and-lessons-learned-28-years-after-oklahoma-city-bombing Department of State (State). (2019). 1993 World Trade Center Bombing. U.S. Department of State. https://www.state.gov/1993-world-trade-center-bombing/ FBI. (n.d.). World Trade Center Bombing 1993. FBI History. https://www.fbi.gov/history/famous-cases/world-trade-center-bombing-1993 FBI. (n.d.). Oklahoma City Bombing. FBI History. https://www.fbi.gov/history/famous- cases/oklahoma-city-bombing Godfrey, D., & Allen, C. (Eds.). (1996). Radio and Television Coverage of Oklahoma City Bombing. Oklahoma City: Oklahoma Broadcast Education Association, 1995. 4:30 in three volumes. $20.00/volume. Journalism History, 22(2), 82. https://www.proquest.com/openview/3b87e4a0bd628d59602397e297d00a51/1?pq- origsite=gscholar&cbl=6565 Linenthal, E. (n.d.). Oklahoma City Bombing. The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. Oklahoma Historical Society. https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=OK026 McVeigh, T. (2001). The McVeigh Letters: Why I bombed Oklahoma. The Guardian.com. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/may/06/mcveigh.usa

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Mylroie, L. (2003). State Sponsorship: Who are the Terrorist Masterminds? National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States. https://9- 11commission.gov/hearings/hearing3/witness_mylroie.htm National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (National Commission). (n.d.). Counterterrorism Evolves. National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States. https://govinfo.library.unt.edu/911/report/911Report_Ch3.htm Office of Victims of Crime (OVC). Responding to Terrorism Victims: Oklahoma City and Beyond. Office of Victims of Crime. https://ovc.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh226/files/publications/infores/respterrorism/execut ive.html Parachini, J. (2000). World Trade Center Bombers (1993). U.S. Department of Justice – office of Justice Programs. https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/world-trade-center- bombers-1993 Peltz, J. (n.d.). We were not ready’: NY remembers 1993 trade center bombing. Resilience News/ Global Resilience Institute at Northeastern University. https://globalresilience.northeastern.edu/we-were-not-ready-ny-remembers-1993-trade- center-bombing/ Ricks, B. (1988). Future Domestic and International Terrorism: The FBI Perspective. Terrorism, 11(6), 538–541. https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/future-domestic-and- international-terrorism-fbi-perspective#:~:text=Domestic%20terrorism%20is %20committed%20by,are%20sponsored%20by%20international%20groups.

Storin, M. (2002). While America Slept: Coverage of Terrorism from 1993 to September 11, 2011 [Working Paper Series]. The Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy . https://safe.menlosecurity.com/doc/docview/viewer/docN4FA6582481CFc05ad3ff72508 5ec4275f0a106b2f1dbc68933ba3ce404e669e972fe648d10b9 Taylor, R. W., Swanson, C. R. (2018). Terrorism, Intelligence and Homeland Security, 2nd Edition. [VitalSource Bookshelf version]. Retrieved from vbk://9780134818245

CJ 530 - Module 1 paper

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