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Right-wing terrorism

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Right-wing terrorism draws its inspiration from a variety of ideologies and beliefs, including neo-fascism, racism and opposition to foreigners and immigration. Incidents of this type of terrorism have been sporadic with little or no international cooperation.[1] Their actions are generally poorly coordinated and there are few identifiable organizations. Modern right wing terrorism began to appear in Western Europe in the 1980s and in Eastern Europe following the collapse of Communism.[2]

Ideology

Right-wing terrorists generally revere Naziism and Fascism and are inspired by 19th century and early 20th century nationalist writers such as Arthur de Gobineau, Houston Stewart Chamberlain and Heinrich von Treitschke. They believe that the state must rid itself of foreign elements in order to protect rightful citizens. However they usually lack a rigid ideology.[3]

History

Right-wing terrorism came to widespread attention after the August 1980 Bologna bombing, when a group of right-wing terrorists exploded a bomb at a railroad station in Bologna, Italy, killing 84 people and injuring more than 180. Two months later there was another right-wing terrorist attack in Munich, Germany, that killed the attacker and 14 other people, injuring 215. However fears of an on-going campaign of major right-wing terrorist attacks did not materialize.[4]

In the United States, right-wing extremists turned to terrorism in 1983, when a Posse Comitatus (SPC) activist, Gordon Kahl killed two federal marshalls, and was later himself killed by police. During the 1980s more than 75 right-wing extremists were prosecuted for acts of terrorism, although they carried out only 6 attacks during the decade. The success of law enforcement in capturing and preventing terrorists has been credited to their efforts to investigate terrorists even before right-wing extremists turned to violence.[5]

The April 19, 1995 attack on the Murrah federal building in by the right-wing extremist Timothy McVeigh, which killed 168 people[6] It was reported he had ties to a Michigan militia group.[7]

Organizations

Typically right-wing terrorists are skinheads or right-wing hooligans,[3].

Notes

  1. ^ Aubrey, p. 45
  2. ^ Moghadam, p. 57
  3. ^ a b Moghadam, p. 58
  4. ^ Aubrey, p. 45
  5. ^ Smith, pp. 25-26
  6. ^ Michael, p. 107
  7. ^ Marks, p. 103

References

  • Aubrey, Stefan M. The new dimension of international terrorism. Zurich: vdf Hochschulverlag AG, 2004. ISBN 3728129496
  • Marks, Kathy. Faces of right wing extremism. Boston: Branden Publishing, 2006. ISBN 978-0828320160.
  • Michael, George. Confronting right-wing extremism and terrorism in the USA. New York: Routledge, 2003 ISBN 041531500X
  • Moghadam, Assaf. The roots of terrorism. New York: Infobase Publishing, 2006. ISBN 0791083071
  • Smith, Brent L. Terrorism in America: pipe bombs and pipe dreams. Albany: SUNY Press, 1994 ISBN 0791417603
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