Although The People Of The United States Are Still

concerned with the threat of international terrorists attacking
our land and citizens, there has been an alarming increase in
domestic terrorism that has raised the nation’s concern about
this problem. This increase in terrorist activity has not been
imported from other countries but has had it’s start within our
nations boundaries. This increased violence seems to be aimed
at influencing governmental policy and public opinion. “The
recent increase in domestic violence is said to be associated
with the rise of anti-government sentiment and the
proliferation of self-styled militia and paramilitary groups –
some of which take extremist positions on race, religion,
federal authority, gun control, or taxation (Fisher 1998).”
One of the most devastating and well known forms of
terrorism are bombings. Most of the violence associated with
anti-governmental attacks takes this form. According to a
recent Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) report,
bombings or attempted bombings increased from 2,098 in 1990 to
3,199 in 1994 (the latest year available), a 52% increase.

Property damage from bombings rose to $7.5 million, with 308
people injured and 31 killed. This does not take into account
the tragic Oklahoma City bombing in 1995. Some ATF experts
believe that it is the ready availability of materials and easy
access to instructions and explosives information on the
internet that has been the reason for this increase of
bombings.

There are several theories in the class text that help to
explain the justification behind the actions of these local
terrorist in our country. H. H. A. Cooper (1977) describes one
called the “doctrine of necessity.” He believes that these
terrorist cannot accept the world as it is and they also reject
the possibility of peaceful means for social change. This is
why they become terrorist. Cooper feels most of the terrorist
do not enjoy the thought of random violence and murder but that
they are driven by their utter hatred of the social status quo.

He believes the first step in being a terrorist is the violent
rejections of normative society. Although most terrorist do
not enjoy violence or wish to adopt terrorist methods, Cooper
feels that they are forced toward violence. Violence becomes
necessary because there is no other alternative for correcting
the injustices of contemporary society. This doctrine of
necessary violence, according to Cooper, justifies acts of
terrorism. This theory of Cooper’s can be seen in an example
from the Arson and Explosive Incident Report by the ATF.

October 11, 1995, The Arizona Desert. Unknown terrorists derail a passenger train
60 miles southwest of Phoenix. One person was killed and 80 injured when the
Amtrak train jumped the track and plunged over a bridge. Saboteurs had removed a
section of track and bridged the gap with wire to disable the electronic warning system.

Notes found at the scene referred to the federal siege at Waco and to Ruby Ridge. At
least one note was signed “Sons of Gestapo,” a group unknown to terrorism experts.

These terrorist ultimate hatred of the status quo might
have pushed them to do this deed. They made sure to leave some
kind of item behind in order for the emergency personnel to
know what the reason was for this meditated action. It might
be possible that this incident is race related also, due to the
fact the Gestapo were German military police during the
Holocaust.

Frederick J. Hacker (1976), was a physician who developed
an expertise in terrorism and hostage negotiations. He found
that terrorists seek reinforcement based on their orientation
to life. There are three types of terrorists according to
Hacker; criminals, crazies, and crusaders. Crusaders are the
type of terrorist that seem most related to the bombings that
are occurring in our homefront. According to Hacker’s theory,
crusaders make up the bulk of political terrorists. He
describes the category as people who are using terrorism to
change society. These terrorist are similar to Cooper’s
doctrine of necessity in that violence is accepted and
justified in the name of the cause. Crusaders feel that they
must be violent for society to change for the better according
to Hacker. This can be seen in another example from the Arson
and Explosive Incident Report.

November 13, 1995, Muskogee, Oklahoma. A self-proclaimed “anti-government
prophet,” Ray Willie Lampley and three others are charged with plotting a series of
bombings against abortion clinics, homosexual gathering places, welfare offices and
offices of the Anti-Defamation League and the Southern Poverty Law Center. The
four members of the Oklahoma Constitutional Militia were arrested before any of their
plans were carried out and charged with conspiracy to manufacture and possess bombs
to blow up