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Abstract

Energised by the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York in 2001 and subsequent attacks in Europe, the “new terrorism” thesis has gained international prominence. It claims that this ‘wave’ of terrorism is fundamentally different from previous ‘waves’, defined by the following characteristics: casualty escalation, new organisational characteristics, new funding sources, a global operational range, and the exploitation of new technologies. Driven by irrationality, hatred and rage, it is claimed that the ‘new’ terrorism is strongly associated with religious fanatics, particularly Jihadist groups, who are willing to use unrestrained brutality to inflict mass casualties. Consequently, this wave of terrorism is also much more unpredictable, dangerous and hatred to combat. Critics, however, argue that the defining traits of the ‘new terrorism’ can be identified in all terrorist groups. There is now a substantial body of empirical research that has interrogated what, if anything, is genuinely ‘new’ about this wave of terrorism. The core dynamics of terrorism, it is argued, have remained relatively stable over time. This ongoing debate raises important questions to how we conceptualise contemporary terrorism and how best to understand its developing nature.

To further test the ‘new’ terrorism thesis, this project conducted a comparative analysis of a traditional Euro-terrorist group and two Jihadist terrorist cells operating in Europe. The research goal is to identify and examine the commonalities and differences between the Greek terrorist group 17N and the Al Qaeda and ISIS inspired cells responsible for the attacks in London (2005) and Brussels (2016). Chapter One presents the aims, research design and overall rationale of this thesis. Chapter Two reviews the definitional framework of terrorism and political violence and discusses the challenges in doing so. It also presents the symbiotic relationship between media and terrorism and explores the counterterrorism strategies in Europe pre- and post-9/11. Chapter Three explores the ‘new’ terrorism thesis, focusing on its defining characteristics and alleged starting point. It also discusses what the requirements are for a theoretical framework to be considered as ‘new’ and ‘unique’. Chapter Four presents an overview of the Greek terrorist group 17N, exploring their ideology, demographic characteristics, strategic rationale, operations, trials and cultural aftermath. In Chapter Five the same analysis is conducted for the Al Qaeda and ISIS affiliated cells that were responsible for the attacks in London and Brussels in 2005 and 2016. Chapter Six presents the research design, methodology, data collection and data processing practices and theoretical framework that was used in order to structure the database for this thesis. Furthermore, it discusses the methodological limitations and ethical issues regarding this research. Chapter Seven presents the demographic analysis of the examined operatives, followed by the statistical analysis regarding their motivations, as well as their technical characteristics, such as distance to attack and weapon choice. Chapter Eight explores the environmental and social context within which the examined groups operated, aiming to highlight the prominent political aspect in their motivations. Chapter Nine compares 17N, Al Qaeda and ISIS to the latest findings of the Europol’s Terrorism Situation and Trend Report reports, highlighting the numerous commonalities between extremist groups in the past and present of European terrorism. These findings are then contrasted to the five defining characteristics of ‘new’ terrorism, concluding that the conceptualisation of ‘new’ terrorism might be counter-productive in scientific research and policy making. Chapter Ten presents an overview of the findings of this thesis and a re-assessment of the ‘Four Waves’ of terrorism framework. It discusses the emerging ‘Fifth Wave’ and the future of European terrorism.

Publication Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HM Sociology H Social Sciences > HN Social history and conditions. Social problems. Social reform J Political Science
Departments:	School of Policy & Global Affairs > Department of Sociology & Criminology School of Policy & Global Affairs > School of Policy & Global Affairs Doctoral Theses Doctoral Theses

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