An Introduction
Nineteen years ago on 9/11, the facade
of international security has changed ever drastically. Terrorism and terrorist
activities it not restricts itself with one territory or region. Terrorism is becoming
a global issue. It has expanded from north to south and from west to east.
After the Al Qaeda was defeated, then the world has seen more atrocities committed
by ISIS. A couple of years ago, this group also had been defeated.
In the Indian subcontinent and
Afghanistan, there are new terrorist groups which affiliated, either with Al
Qaeda or ISIS like Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), Jamaatul Ahrar, Hizbul Ahrar and Jamaatul Ahrar and Hizbul
Ahrar.
Since 2018, under the US Immigration
and Nationality Act (INA), the Secretary of State has included the ISIS-Philippines.
ISIS-West Africa, ISIS-Greater Sahara, al-Ashtar Brigades (AAB), Jama’at Nusrat
al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and
Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq (AAH) as the foreign terrorist organizations,
The re-emerging of Al Qaeda and
ISIS with their affiliated groups is a matter of concern. The security and
intelligence agencies may have succeeded by eliminating the leaders of these
groups but still failed to eliminate the core ideology. This ideology has been subscribed by the sympathisers
and supporters of these groups and most of them acting independently as a lone
wolf to achieve their ‘noble’ goal by killing innocent people.
In July, the UK Defence
Secretary, Ben Wallace had said that the ISIS’s ideology is as poisonous and
there is a possibility for this group to be resurfaced again. Further, he said
this ideology was still intact, and ISIS remains as the prevalent security
threat to UK.
The new paradigm of a terrorist
attack is no longer requires a well-coordinated with the huge financial assistance,
but rather executed by the lone wolves with less monetary contribution.
The terrorist groups are
re-emerging because the ideology is tenacious. Therefore, lone wolf terrorist
attacks become conspicuous. For the intelligence and security agencies, this
type of attacks becomes very challenging to be detected and prevented.
Salafists-Jihadists
A few months ago, a lone wolf was
arrested by British Police after he attacked and killed three people at a
Forbury Gardens in Reading. Khairi Saadallah was originally from Libya. Khairi
is 25 years old. Even though, the British Intelligence Agency had identified
him but he is not considered as a high risk.
Last February, Sudesh Amman, who
was shot dead by police after he had stabbed two people in Streatham. Amman was
20 years old. Although he was considered by the British security forces as a
potential threat but the limitation on their resources have restricted their
ability to prevent such attacks. He was under surveillance by the intelligence
agencies because of his previous conviction on terror related offences.
Meanwhile, two prisoners were
arrested this March for stabbing a prison officer at the HMP Whitemoor which is
a maximum-security prison. Both of them are at the aged of 24 and 26 years old.
They were charged on suspicion of conspiracy to murder and preparation of a
terrorist act. In the attack, they had intentionally used the improvised
explosive device (IED) and fake suicide belts. Immeasurably, they have
inflicted injuries to three more prison officers and a nurse.
Last November, Usman Khan, who
was previously sentenced for terror related crimes stabbed five people in London
Bridge, and two of his innocent victims were slain. Even though, he was
considered as a substantial risk and surprisingly the court allowed his appeal
by substituting his sentence with a 16-year-fixed term. He committed this
attack while he was on licence.
In 2017, Salman Abedi, who is
Libyian origin detonated an IED and killed 22 people and injured nearly a
thousand people. He was 22 years old. His brother, Hashem Abedi was convicted
for murder this March. Most of the victims were children. The security and
intelligence agencies believed he was acted as a lone wolf even though other
were cognizant about this noxious attack. Interestingly he was recognized to
the security forces and considered as not a significant risk.
In 2018, a woman lone wolf was arrested
by the Royal Malaysian Police who planned to launch an attack on election day.
She is a leader of an aligned ISIS group in Malaysia. She was intrigued to bomb
a polling site in Puchong and non-Muslim worship places with an IED vehicle.
Further, she was able to conceal her indulgence towards Salafist ideology from
her husband and he was surprise with her arrest.
Right-wing Extremists
Last year, in Christchurch, New
Zealand, Brenton Harrison Tarrant had murdered more fifty people and a further forty
were injured in two mass shootings. The attacks occurred at two mosques located
at Deans Avenue and Linwood Avenue. He was 28 years old at time of the attack
and subscribed the right wing ideology. Early of this year,he has pleaded
guilty for all the charges and sentencing trial is scheduled to begin later
this month.
In 2011, a right wing extremist,
Anders Behring Breivik launched a lone wolf terrorist attack by killing more
than 70 people and injured more than 300 people in Oslo, Norway. He has written
a manifesto titled 2083: A European
Declaration of Independence which detailed out his reasons and intentions
on right wing extremism.
Where else in 2016, a member of
British Parliament was murdered by a far right extremist. A year after that
incident, a man indoctrinated by right wing ideologies used a vehicle and
targeted a crowd leaving a mosque in North London where one person was killed
and nine others were injured. The perpetrator was later identified as Darren
Osborne. He was self-radicalised using online right wing teachings.
Last February, Tobias Rathjen, a
right wing extremist has killed nine people. Later he killed himself and his
mother in Hanau, Germany. All of his victims are immigrant background. He had
written a manifesto voiced a hatred for migrants and also for Germans who
allowed immigrants into their country.
In 1995, a right wing extremist,
Timothy McVeigh bombed the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City
where 168 people were killed and injured more than 680 people. This April, the
USA intelligence agency had arrested John Michael Rathbun, after he allegedly
placed an IED outside the entrance of a Jewish residence in Massachusetts.
Last May, Steven Carrillo, a
supporter of the Boogaloo movement killed a security officer and injured
another officer in California. Two months ago, three men who members to the
Boogaloo movement were arrested in Las Vegas, on charges related to terrorism
and also involving plots to instigate violence at protests. This group is an
emerging far right extremist group in USA. It’s also a multifaceted
organisation.
In 1988, Barend Hendrik
Strydom killed 8 people and injured more than 15 in Strjdom Square, Pretoria. Strydom
claimed himself as the leader of Wit Wolwe. After he was arrested, Strydom
declared himself as a bad shooter. Further, Strydom confessed to the
investigating officer that he is not remorseful for his action. Since young, he
was profoundly involved with some extremist right-wing groups.
Lone wolves
These terrorists are known as
lone wolves. They are considered to be a low risk terrorist/supporter/
sympathiser, and they have no clear link with any terrorist group. In addition,
they use substandard and easily available weapons in their attacks for
determined casualty. Like in most cases in Reading, Streatham and London bridge
attacks, they are considered the less significant terrorist but their attacks
can be lethal.
Unfortunately, there is no
definite interpretation of the meaning of a lone wolf terrorist which is widely
has been accepted.
According to Joel Capellan there
are two types of lone wolf terrorist.
The most conspicuous type is the isolated
lone wolves who either not associated with any particular terrorist groups nor
received any assistance from them. Usually, they self radicalized themselves
with their own plan to execute their attack.
The other type is the connected
lone wolves. Even though, these terrorists acted alone, but they are under the
direction of a leader from any terrorist organisations. This leader will
instruct these lone wolves by providing all the necessary assistance and
support from the beginning of the ends of any terrorist attack.
Furthermore, Raffaello Pantucci
has created the typology category of a lone wolf terrorist.
Firstly, the loner who is always
acting alone and has no connection with any terrorist group. Secondly, the lone
wolf who has acted alone with some degree of influence of a terrorist
organisation. Thirdly, the lone wolf pack who is self-radicalized with a group
of people. Finally, the lone attacker who has acted alone with the direct
influence and support of a terrorist organisation.
This phenomenon is unprecedented.
For the intelligence and security forces to track down a member of the sleeper
cells or a lone wolf is an apprehensive task. The focal features of lone wolves
are they manoeuvre independently; they act without any direct guidance; their
attacks are premediated and prudently intended; they are emotionally
distressed; they demonstrate poor interpersonal and social skills.
According to Bruce Hoffman who is
a senior fellow at the U.S. Military Academy’s Combating Terrorism Center
stated that the lone wolf terrorist dimension is not new. Further, he said the
lone wolf attacks are less violent compare to other forms of terrorism. He also
pointed out that the increasing number of lone wolf threats may engulf and divert
intelligence and law enforcement agencies.
The Present Danger
Terrorist or terrorist group
never acknowledge and follow the rule of law. They are ruthless people. Their
only aim to achieve targets and to uphold their ideology. Anything else will be
irrelevant for them.
The face of terrorism is always
evolving. The method and mode of a terrorist is volatile. They always find a
little opportunity to launch their fatal attacks like in Nice, Paris, Brussels,
and London. The intelligence and security forces should not have undermined the
ability of these terrorist groups.
The tactics of these groups are
shifting to use of non-conventional weapons like household knives and vehicles.
Further, they are also using fake suicide vests to deceive the security forces
and the public to ‘protect’ themselves.
Conclusion
Lone wolves are hard to be
detected. Generally, they are part of the society like an ordinary folk. Some
of them are members of a sleeper cell. They always maintain a low profile and
not expose themselves to the intelligence or security agencies.
Further, it is very perplexing
for these agencies to prevent any attacks launch by lone wolves. Therefore, the
public, especially the family members or friends must play a proactive role by alerting
these agencies if any of their family members or friends have acted strangely.
In addition, the intelligence and security agencies must collaborate with religious authorities to counter this groups ideology. Also, they need to create a strong narrative against this ideology by identifying what is true teaching of the religion. Further, they also can use artificial intelligence (AI) to counter the propaganda materials used by these terrorist groups.
11.9.2020
Kuala Lumpur
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