Domestic Terrorism, International Terrorism, and Mass Casualty Events: Definitions, Distinctions, and Classification
Overview
This paper examines the distinctions between domestic and international terrorism while differentiating both from mass casualty events. It analyzes definitional frameworks provided by the FBI and DHS, uses case studies including the 2017 Las Vegas shooting and 2016 Orlando nightclub attack to illustrate domestic terrorism, and establishes classification criteria based on perpetrator nationality, victim nationality, and attack location.
What this essay covers
- Introduction: Overview of terrorism as a form of violence and its prevalence in modern society
- Domestic Terrorism: Definition, classification criteria, and FBI/DHS legal frameworks with American case examples
- International Terrorism and Mass Casualty Events: Comparative analysis and distinguishing characteristics
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Domestic Terrorism, International Terrorism, and A Mass Causality Event
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Domestic Terrorism, International Terrorism, and A Mass Causality Event
Introduction
Across history, violence has been used by state agencies and non-state groupings or individuals to instill fear, control, or coerce people to behave or act in a certain way as part of public order. Terrorism is one form of violence that remains prevalent in the modern world despite concerted international collaboration to end it. It refers to the unlawful use of intimidation and violence against civilians, with the propagators aiming for a political outcome and instilling fear (Höflinger, 2020). The fear then generates an alarm for future attacks perpetrated by groups, individuals, or the government. It is aimed at either forcing change or maintaining the status quo. As a form of extreme violence, terrorism can be divided into international and domestic based on various factors and often results in mass casualty (Miller, 2019). In this regard, the current paper aims to establish the differences between domestic and international terrorism and differentiate the two from mass casualty events.
Domestic Terrorism
On October 1st, 2017, 64-year-old Stephen Paddock fired over 1,000 bullets at a crowd attending the Route 91 Harvest music festival on Las Vegas Strip in Nevada. 60 people were killed, and a further 413 were injured. The panic that followed led to a total of 867 injured individuals.