The Nuclear Terrorism Threat and the Aum Shinrikyo Cult
Until the mid seventies, the term nuclear terror was used predominately to describe the threat of a nuclear attack by the Soviet Union. Since then, however, it has taken on a whole new meaning which many security experts feel poses a more serious threat to national security. In the past few decades, formal terrorist organizations have exploded planes out of the sky, bombed US military and diplomatic facilities abroad, and with the World Trade Center and Oklahoma City bombing incidents, they have even launched attacks on American soil.
Yet until 20 March 1995 when five members of the Aum Shinrikyo cult released sarin nerve gas in the Tokyo subway system, the world had not seen
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The guru, Asahara, is an essential guide throughout this spiritual evolution. Members of the group believe that salvation will only be achieved after Armageddon, even for those who are killed in the process. In spite of its religious nature, Aum's leadership structure was organized in the form of a ministerial cabinet patterned after the Japanese government.
Since its establishment in 1987, the Aum organization expanded physically, geographically, and financially. It is believed that at its height, the group had over 65,000 members, yet only 10,000 of these were located in Japan. Aum had a large representation in Russia, approximately three times the number of followers in Japan and half of its total membership worldwide. By the end of 1994, there were six Aum Shinrikyo branches in Moscow alone and another eleven offices outside the capital city. On a smaller scale, Aum established branches in Germany and the US and claimed small groups of followers in Australia, Belarus, and the Ukraine. The organization's financial assets were accumulated through fund raising, donations, and a variety of legitimate business efforts, from computer businesses in Taiwan to
Terrorism has become popular among extremists who are employing different dynamic strategies to thrive in their agenda. Understanding the terror groups is fundamental principle to overcome them or counter the sects. Modern terrorism has additionally advanced. Today 's assaults are less incessant, however all the more savage. Terrorists beforehand acted like renegades trying to connect with the foe (Miller, 2013. This was trailed by a period of kidnappings and plane hijackings. States create first class counter-terrorist strengths, extraordinarily prepared at prisoner transaction and salvage. Like the youngster 's amusement - paper-scissors-stone the following phase of advancement was the appropriation of bombings as the favored strategy (Roberts, 2014). Bombs can be delivered from basic materials, put and exploded remotely, with generally okay to the planes and little open door for counter-terrorist strengths to catch them. Terror groups like the IRA, Al-Qaida, ISIS and Boko
Terrorism is a major threat to national and global security that encompasses more than violent means by foreigners and Islamic extremists. This is mainly because most of the recent terror acts in America have been carried out by single-issue individuals and special-interest extremists with the intention of protecting the environment and animals based on their beliefs. Actually, terrorism is described as the illegitimate use of extreme violence and force with the intention of coercing a
The United States experienced one of the biggest scaled Domestic Terror Attacks on eleventh September 2001. These assaults against our incredible country were done with the capturing of numerous aircraft transporters. The repercussions of these appalling demonstrations left the aggregate decimation of the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and other relevant areas. After these occasions the USA Patriot Act of 2001 was passed, and the Department of Homeland Security started to devise and execute the first of numerous missions and conventions to alleviate any further dangers to the United States. Since the sanction of the Patriot Act, there have been various indications of fear based oppressor plots and thwarted assaults against the United States
The terms terrorism and domestic terrorism are very similar concepts. There are, however, slight differences in each. Entities that are apart of the Government have slightly different ways of explaining what they believe to be the correct definition of terrorism and domestic terrorism. In this paper the author will offer definitions of the two terms and state which one they agree with the most. The author will also state how the two terms are best differentiated.
With the emergence of the 21st century the necessity for a broader understanding of security have said present. The world has experienced a variety of new security challenges that have put at stake human safety and have made policymakers all around the world rethink their approach and strategies when it comes to the decision making process. The rise of terrorist organizations in the international arena as well as the development of extremist groups has offered extreme significance to the quest for power and the search for peace, while requiring us to look back and examine our achievements and failures in the analysis of terrorism, extremist groups and our counterterrorism efforts since 9/11. It is essential for all Americans to understand
In acquiring an accurate perspective of terrorist threats to the United States it is ease to forgo the concept of terrorist threats prior to September 11th, 2001, or that domestic terrorism exists. Prior to the current onslaught of religiously fanatical terrorist threats that the United States is facing a different form of terrorist threat existed in the form of political ideology. While some domestic terrorist groups are well known such as the KKK and the Black Panthers, other groups such as the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA) and the Weather Underground Organization (WUO) terrorist organizations have faded with time. Due to the current turmoil and political divides facing the nation, a rejuvenated understanding of these less mainstream
Traditionally, the military is used for defense, whether it is to defend the country or the country’s interests. However, sometimes the threat which to defend against is harder to discern than when in open warfare. In the modern age, a large threat to America and countries everywhere is terrorism. From September 11, 2001 to the Florida shootings, terrorism, domestic and abroad, has been a true threat
On the morning of August 6th, 1945 Japan was rocked by an unbelievably deadly weapon, a weapon no one had ever seen before. This weapon was none other than the atomic bomb, crafted by the United States of America. Ever since that day people have had two opinions about the usage of the atomic bomb in the Second World War. The U.S. either receives acclaim or a large amount of shame. While many historians agree that the atomic bomb was a horrendous piece of equipment, many also believe that the United States had no other option and that they were justified in using the powerful technology. While the ethical and moral sides of the argument will never see a logical close because of the subjective nature of morality, the argument over the necessity of the atomic bomb’s usage can come to an easy close. The dropping of the Atomic Bomb on the sovereign nation of Japan was the only reasonable and effective solution to ending the Second World War.
At this pivotal moment, we continue to face serious challenges to our national security on our way to shape the opportunities for tomorrow. One of the most prominent national security threat faced by the United States today is homegrown terrorism. Under the 2001 USA Patriot Act, domestic terrorism is defined as "activities that (A) involve acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the U.S. or of any state;
Aum Shinrikyo was a group located in Japan that was driven to terrorism. According to the video, they attacked an underground subway station in Tokyo in 1995 (Wright 2008). A non-state actor providing a chemical attack was merely a threat until Aum Shinrikyo carried it out in the 1990’s (WMDC 2006, p. 135). The sarin gas was released on trains, and wasn’t noticed until people started becoming ill.
On March 20th 1995, in Japan's capital of Tokyo was fell victim to a chemical agent attack by the terrorist group Aum Shinriko. The group, which at its high water mark, numbered an estimated 50,000 members after the attack, was found to have been able to produce enough sarin to kill more than four million people. (Wright 2008) Members of this group, faithfully followed the orders of their leader Shoko Asahara and launched the chemical attacks against civilians in the Tokyo subway system. Twelve people were killed by the gas, and thousands were injured, and experts have suggested that if the five men who carried out the attack had better understood how to distribute Sarin properly, thousands could have died (Crime Museum, n.d.).
A radiological emergency is an emergency in which there is or there seems to be a hazard due to radiation exposure from a radioactive source. This may result from a variety of reasons such as uncontrolled sources, misuse of equipment or malicious acts. Although there has been no successful terrorist attack has happened in the US since 9/11, terrorism experts are wary that one is likely to occur in the near future. Numerous terrorism plans of various proportions have been foiled in the US. These include plans to detonate radiological dispersal devices (RDD) (Eggen & Sxhmidt, 2002). Al Qaeda has expressed intent to obtain and use nuclear devices in the United States with Osama bin Laden having declared it a duty on Muslims to acquire nuclear devices (Ferguson et al, 2004, Lawrence, 2005). Although nuclear attacks are way too complicated for terrorists a simpler equally psychologically effective means exists. The use of radio active materials on various soft targets offers cost and simplicity
Aum Shinrikyo is a syncretism of Tibetan Buddhism and early Indian Buddhism, and Hinduism, with Shiva, one of the main deities of Hinduism, as the main image of worship. It also draws teachings from Yoga, Christianity’s Book of Revelation, and even some of the wisdom of Nostradamus. Since its establishment, Asahara claimed to be that of a Christ like figure sent to take on the sins of the world for man’s salvation. He predicted a 1997 doomsday prophecy in the form of an Armageddon like scenario where the United States would instigate World War III with nuclear war being the culprit of the end of humanity. (Juergensmayer, 2007)
As a direct consequence of September 11, a number of substantial challenges lie ahead in the area of counter-terrorism.. The most prominent of these is the changing nature of the terrorism phenomenon. In past years, when terrorism was largely the product of direct state sponsorship, policymakers were able to diminish prospects for the United States becoming a target using a combination of diplomatic and military instruments to deter potential state sponsors. Today, however, many terrorist organizations and individuals act independently from former and present state sponsors, shifting to other sources of support, including the development of transnational networks.
Modern terrorists have come to the realization that “they cannot defeat the United States in a conventional war, but they can impose significant pain through acts of terrorism,” (Stern, p.5). After a century of American military, economic, and social success, the US has been elevated to the forefront of the global community. A defense budget of $401.7 billion makes the United States the dominant military force in the world, (2005 US Federal Budget). Furthermore, our history of success has established a general sentiment of invincibility among American citizens, and an attack on our civilian population would have tremendous ramifications, as was seen with the occurrence of September 11th. However, unlike al-Qaeda in Afghanistan under the Taliban, a nuclear attack may come from a group that does not enjoy the sponsorship of a state, making retaliation quite complicated. This sense of anonymity is another issue of terrorists with nukes that trumps a state with such capabilities. In the case of a state, there is a particular, defined, and easily identifiable party