terrorist organizations and organized crime

Replies to fellow students are to be substantial in length, avoiding the “I Agree” style answers, these need to be 100 words minimum.

The first discussion
Both terrorist organizations and organized crime have overlapping ways of doing things. As such, it becomes mutually advantageous to share some resources or even help each other out. Shelly et al.(2005)describes the key differences between the two is in goals; “terrorist groups are most often associated with political ends,” while “organized crime … is almost always focused of personal enrichment.” Both groups need resources such as money, personnel, weapons, etc. Organized crime has established smuggling routes and communications networks that are advantageous and efficient for the terrorists to use over establishing their own. Both also share a need for illicit money and laundering; in which case they may use the same personnel or be doing business with each other. Another issue to look at is membership dynamics. As Shelly et al. (2005) describes, “both terror and organized crime … are made up of members with … short term affiliations with each other. They can readily be recruited by other groups.” Organized crime members are already part of illicit activities, and may already have expertise and contacts to be recruited by a terrorist organization; the opposite can also be true.

Local and state public safety should be familiar with such ties between organizations. While terrorist organizations may lack presence in the U.S., organized crime does have presence. Collaboration between the two can offer terrorists methods of entry into the country as well as access to supplies to carry out terrorist acts. Organized crime can also be a supplier to so called “home grown” terrorists. Such terrorists consist of “violent … extremists living legally in the country” (Lieberman 2008). These people are being converted to terrorist cause and acting against their own country. In the case of extremist Islam the internet has become a major tool in the recruitment of new members, including“home grown” terrorists. “Al-Qaeda manages a multi-tiered online media operation,” (Lieberman, 2008); so despite being based far outside of the country, any one with access to the internet is capable of coming in contact with recruitment propaganda. Their online network also allows them to communicate directly with followers. In recent years, Al-Qaeda has also made propaganda accessible in English, making it even easier for locals to understand their message, and possibly become indoctrinated. As the possibility of “home-grown” terrorism becomes more common, local agencies should familiarize themselves with how terrorists can be intertwined with organized crime. Understanding ties in other regions can help them learn what to watch for and deal with locally.

References:

Lieberman J., Collins S. (2008). Violent Islamist Extremism, The Internet, and the Homegrown Terrorist Threat. United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: Majority & Minority Staff Report, May 8, 2008.
Retrieved from: http://www.hsgac.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/IslamistReport.pdf?attempt=2

Shelley L. I., Picarelli J. T., Irby A., Hart D. M., Craig-Hart P. A., Williams P., … Covill L. (2005). Methods and Motives: Exploring Links between Transnational Organized Crime & International Terrorism. National Criminal Justice Reference Service, Document no. 211207.
Retrieved from: http://310g.on.uvu.edu/files/2010/08/Methods-and-Motives-Exploring-Links-between-Transnational-Organized-Crime-and-International-Terrorism.pdf

The second discussion

In this modern world that we live in, public safety agencies of all degrees should be competently familiar with the nexus of organized crime and terrorism. The dangers that come from those two groups is a severe treat to the national security of the United States. If properly identified, one of the groups can lead us to the other.

Terrorists organizations are small, and are cell based so tracking them can be difficult. But if a terrorists cell links up with a known organized crime group, it is relatively easier to track the organized crime group. Shelly et al. (2005) states: “Religious affiliations, strong nationalist sentiments and strong roots in the local community are often characteristics that cause organized criminals to shun any affiliation with terrorists.” (p.55) Most organized criminals have legitimate businesses so they can “clean” their illegal money. This gives a face and starting point for intelligence analysts to tear down the illegal facade. So if organized criminals do liaise with terrorists, it is possible to follow the easier to track organized crime members and have them lead you to the terrorists. It is a new avenue of approach that was once not available to public safety agencies.

The reason that organized crime and terrorists groups working hand to hand is a very dangerous combination is that most organized crime groups have well established smuggling routes and can use them to transport firearms, personnel, or biological, chemical and radioactive materials into the United States covertly.

Shelly et al. (2005) also points out: “The same routes used by the car-traffickers may be used by terrorists who need to transport people or goods in preparation for their attacks. Although official Paraguayan sources are reluctant to admit that possibility, they do acknowledge that the car smuggling routes have also been used for weapons and illegal drugs.” (p.62)

Popular media has used these types of instances in the form of novels, as in Tom Clancy’s Dead or Alive and in the 2012 movie Act of Valor. It seems a very valid threat that smugglers can use our wide border to bring past those who wish to do us harm on the home front.

But the overseas threat is not the only one public safety agencies should concern themselves with. The use of the internet in it’s ability to seduce, brainwash, train and put in motion homegrown terrorists is a serious threat. Lieberman and Collins (2008) shows: “The recent rise in acts of homegrown terrorism planning and plotting in the United States may be an early warning that domestic radicalization inspired by violent Islamist ideology has become more likely in the United States.” (p.4) The United States is not immune from outside threats thanks to the global walls that are taken down because of the internet. This means that the neighbor that lives next to you for 20 years who was born in the United States could be the next mastermind of an outside terrorists group’s plan to kill United States citizens at home.

Shelly et al. (2005). Methods and motives: Exploring links between transnational organized crime & international terrorism. Trends in Organized Crime, 9(2), 52-67. Retrieved from http://310g.on.uvu.edu/files/2010/08/Methods-and-Motives-Exploring-Links-between-Transnational-Organized-Crime-and-International-Terrorism.pdf

Lieberman, J., & Collins, S. (2008). Violent islamist extremism, the internet, and the homegrown terrorist threat. United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Retrieved from http://www.hsgac.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/IslamistReport.pdf?attempt=2
if you use reference please separate the reference for each response
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