The Internet offers a slew of resources for people interested in finding
out more about terrorism and counter-terrorism. A good place to start is
the US State Department's "Significant Terrorist Incidents, 1961-2001: A
Chronology". While Sept. 11 is uppermost in the public's mind, the
chronology shows how regularly terrorist acts have taken place around the
globe, even in the US. (Remember the bombing of a Wall Street bar by Puerto
Rican nationalists in January 1975 that killed four and injured 60?)
If you would like to look at just one year in particular, The
International Association of Counterterrorism and Security
Professionals (IACSP), takes an in-depth look at terrorist events
during the year 2000. Meanwhile, the Knox Dudley Library at the
Naval Post-Graduate School provides in-depth descriptions of the
main terrorist organizations in the world, along with
links to their websites (don't worry, you don't need to register) and
organizations combating them. The library's main page also
offers links to a variety of other resources on the subject.
Once you've gotten a sense of the range of terrorist activities and
organizations, you can explore a range of historical and current
documents about terrorism at The Federation of American
Scientists' site. The FAS is a non-profit group that was founded
in 1948 by many of the scientists who helped build the atomic bomb, and
wanted to help the world find a way to avoid using such weapons of mass
destruction. Currently the FAS has 39 Nobel laureates on its board of
directors. One of the most interesting collections of links on the FAS
terrorism section connects with the State Department's "Patterns of Global
Terrorism" from 1989-2000. The American Society of International
Law provides links to almost all relevant
international legal conventions and agreements on terrorism. The
CQ Press also offers a wide
selection of articles, some of them abstracts, some full articles, that
explore America's response to terrorism and its often rocky relationships
with its allies (past and present) against terrorists.
If you're looking for something more analytical in nature, try the Center for Defense
Information's (CDI) Terrorism project. (The CDI is a non-profit,
non-partisan group that doesn't accept any funds from either government or
the defense industry.) The CDI offers thought-provoking articles on topics
such as 'Operation Enduring Freedom,' 'Terrorist Networks,'More US
Targets?,' and 'Homeland Defense' to mention a few. And there's a wealth of information about terrorism at Terrorism.com.
On the other hand, if you think the US may have trampled on too many freedoms in the fight
against terrorism, The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) takes a
hard look at the USA Patriot Act, as well as providing information on past
attempts by government to either strengthen or loosen, domestic
anti-terrorism measures.
Web Guide
