The International World as Some Terrorists Have Seen It: A Look at a Century of Memoirs

Abstract

Memoirs of members of different terrorist organizations active during the 19th & 20th centuries are analyzed to determine what factors motivated terrorist organizations to enter the international community. The memoirs are separated into three categories: 19th-century Russian organizations, mid-20th-century groups that targeted colonial powers, & contemporary terrorist organizations. The political motivations for international terrorism have expanded throughout modern history. Whereas participants in the Russian groups attempted to generate political support by distributing pro-revolutionary materials to the international audience, it is noted that the anti-colonialism movements were concerned with garnering support in ethnic communities in other nations. How the costs of international terrorism have increased over time is assessed. Several recommendations for future research are offered, eg, the analysis of memoirs produced by state-sponsored terrorist groups. J. Parker