Introduction to Insurgent Terrorism

Insurgent terrorism is violence perpetrated by those who seek to challenge or depose existing social or political structures. Insurgent terrorists may have diverse motives and goals, usually not as formal as those of separatist terrorists, but are unified to the extent that they oppose established authority, such as a government or occupation force.

The editors acknowledge that the terms insurgent and insurgency have political connotations, and the editors assert that the terms are used as neutrally as possible within this book. The Iraqi insurgency is addressed in this chapter of the book because coalition forces and the international media have adopted the term insurgency to describe terrorist activities in the nation since the declared end of major combat operations in 2003. Separatist terrorism, including anti-colonial terrorism, can fall into the category of insurgent terrorism, however, the editors have chosen to emphasize these groups in their own chapter.

Some may argue that the terms insurgent and insurgency imply illegitimacy of cause. No judgment is made here about the motivations of various insurgent groups. However, means of achieving insurgent aims that employ violence, are intended to instill fear, and are directed at unengaged civilian targets fit within the rubric of terrorism—acts unjustifiable by ideology. The editors leave history to judge the ends of insurgent and separatist groups, conceding that changes in politics, society, and morals influence the ultimate characterization of current events.

History often changes the light in which insurgent terrorist events are cast. For example, during the first half of the nineteenth century, the social and political status quo in many parts of the United States included the legality of slavery. Abolitionists, those who advocated that slavery be abolished, primarily relied on peaceful strategies to assert their cause. Militant abolitionists, however, asserted that the evils of slavery were so great that any means necessary should be taken to end the practice. The practice of slavery is now widely regarded as wholly wrong. However, at the time of John Brown and Nat Turner's raids from the 1830s to the early 1860s, the practice of slavery was still the subject of debate. In states where slavery was legal, and abolitionist sentiment weak, many viewed the raids as illegal acts of insurgent violence intended to scare slave owners and rouse slaves to revolt. Even in states where slavery was outlawed and abolitionist sentiment strong, many were critical of the violence against civilians employed by radical abolitionists. The question of how to best characterize these events remains complex. Slavery in the United States was unequivocally a despicable practice. Yet, if the means are divorced from the end, the murder of slave owners, the destruction of personal property such as the burning of homes and crops, and the execution of insurgents without trial can all be viewed as a cycle of terrorism.