The events of September 11, 2001, in New York City are still fresh in the minds of millions of people around the world. The direct result of terrorist actions by fundamentalist religious fanatics, these events demonstrated to the modern world that the methods of terrorists are capable of massive destruction of property and lives. This is true even if the rebel or guerilla terrorists responsible amount to only a handful of individuals with limited resources (cash, weapons, etc.). Like those responsible for the attacks on New York City, most terrorist groups in the world are associated with Islamic fundamentalism. In this particular case, the terrorist network run by Osama bin Laden, al Qaeda, was responsible for coordinating the deadliest attack on U.S. soil. al Qaeda’s ideology centers around the Sunni Islamic strict interpretation of the Koran. In the Philippines, the Abu Sayyaf terrorist organizations has been linked with bin Laden and al Qaeda and follows the same Wahabi interpretation of Islam.
The rise of many modern terrorist groups has its origins in the 1960s and 1970s. Terrorists, despite their claims, motives, or methods, have typically been viewed as criminal first and terrorists second by those responsible for combating them. Terrorist groups typically evolve around a core set of values or ideology that pertains to religious, political, and/or ethnic issues. Between the 1970s and the 1990s, terrorist organizations began to extend their international reach by moving factions abroad and from the creation of copycat organizations. In Terrorism Today: The Past, the Players, the Future, the authors argue that for years North America remained isolated from such attacks. However, even though published before the events of September 11, 2001, the authors are quick to point out such immunity from terrorist acts is no longer enjoyed by North America, “North America remain isolated from terrorism at home for many ...