Respond and cite international examples of domestic terrorism. Explain whether or not you think the United States is experiencing a similar level of domestic terrorism. What might be done to counter this?
Domestic terrorism is violent, criminal attacks or war on the homeland or American soil. Domestic terrorism dates back to the Civil War. Two examples of domestic terrorism during the Civil War are the Pottawatomie Creek attack and the attack at Harper’s Ferry. John Brown, was involved in both events. He was a merchant and businessman during the Civil War (Roth, 2011, p. 155). His attacks were against proslavery settlers. According to Roth (2011), “Brown’s actions on behalf of abolitionism culminated in his ill-fated attack on the federal arsenal at Harper’s Ferry in 1859” (p. 156).
The Pottawatomie Creek and Harper’s Ferry attacks relate to modern day domestic terrorism. The attacks were targeted towards a group of people. An example would be the Charleston church shooting. Nine African Americans were shot and killed by a Caucasian. Another example of domestic terrorism would be the Orlando nightclub shooting that recently occurred. Domestic terrorism today has influenced changes in the criminal justice system by establishing Joint Terrorism Task Forces (JTTF). The JTTF investigates all acts of terrorism. Weisselberg (2008) argues, “According to one account, federal investigators interviewed more than 15,000 ‘persons of interest’ in connection with activities that the investigators associated with terrorism” (p. 29).
References
Roth, M. P. (2011). Crime and punishment: A history of the criminal justice system (2nd ed.).
Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing.
Weisselberg, C. D. (2008). Terror in the courts: Beginning to assess the impact of terrorism-
related prosecutions on domestic criminal law and procedure in the USA. Crime, Law
and Social Change, 50(1-2), 25-46. doi:10.1007/s10611-008-9118-4.