Black Tuesday: A Crime Like No Other

I don’t have to tell you that the terrorist attack in Washington and New York on Tuesday was an alarming event, rattling nearly every citizen in the country. I don’t have to tell you that many people think that this is just the beginning; that there’s more to come. I don’t have to tell you that most terrorist incidents in the United States have been bombing attacks and that this hijacking/suicide crash method could be considered the ultimate bomb.

But what is this crime, terrorism?

The FBI defines it as “the use of force or violence against persons or property in violation of the criminal laws of the United States for purposes of intimidation, coercion or ransom.” The term is commonly used to describe all kinds of political violence, especially as manifested in revolutionary and guerrilla warfare.

Terrorism is categorized as domestic or international. Domestic terrorism involves individuals or groups whose activities are aimed at the US government or non-foreign populations. This would include church burnings, the Unabomber, the bombing in Oklahoma City, and the actions of some militia groups.

International terrorism is carried out by people with agendas that are foreign-based, directed by groups outside the US, or whose activities go beyond national boundaries. Events that fall into this category include the gassing of commuters in Japan by Aum Shrinrikyo, the Iranian seizure of the US Embassy, and the assassination of Yitsak Rabin.

Evidence currently points to international — and very well-organized and funded — terrorists in the September 11 attacks.

The tragic timeline:

7:59 am - American Airlines Flight 11, a Boeing 767 carrying 92 people, leaves Boston's Logan International Airport for Los Angeles. Forty-six minutes later, it crashes into the north tower of the World Trade Center.

8:01 am - United Airlines Flight 93, a 757 carrying 45 people, leaves Newark, N.J., International Airport for San Francisco. This flight crashes in western Pennsylvania at 10:10.

8:14 am - United Airlines Flight 175, a 767 carrying 65 people, leaves Boston for Los Angeles. At 9:03 it crashes into the south tower of the World Trade Center.

9:43 am - American Airlines Flight 77, a 757 carrying 64 passengers from Dulles Airport in Virginia and bound for Los Angeles, crashes into the Pentagon.

Nearly one-third of our country’s counter-terrorism budget last year was focused on countering chemical, biological and cyber-terrorism. Very little thought has been given to what, in hindsight, seems an obviously simple tactic of crashing a hijacked aircraft into a building.

Go To Page: 1 2

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic