The Nuclear Terrorism Threat and the Aum Shinrikyo Cult Essay

Aum Shinrikyo was a group located in Japan that was driven to terrorism. According to the video, they attacked an underground subway station in Tokyo in 1995 (Wright 2008). A non-state actor providing a chemical attack was merely a threat until Aum Shinrikyo carried it out in the 1990’s (WMDC 2006, p. 135). The sarin gas was released on trains, and wasn’t noticed until people started becoming ill.

In acquiring an accurate perspective of terrorist threats to the United States it is ease to forgo the concept of terrorist threats prior to September 11th, 2001, or that domestic terrorism exists. Prior to the current onslaught of religiously fanatical terrorist threats that the United States is facing a different form of terrorist threat existed in the form of political ideology. While some domestic terrorist groups are well known such as the KKK and the Black Panthers, other groups such as the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA) and the Weather Underground Organization (WUO) terrorist organizations have faded with time. Due to the current turmoil and political divides facing the nation, a rejuvenated understanding of these less mainstream

It is the fear that sticks in the back of many national security and policy planners minds: What is the potential devastation if a terrorist organization was able to get their hands on and detonate a nuclear weapon on US soil. For decades, experts and analysis have debated the possibility of these threats and the magnitude of their impacts. Brian Michael Jenkins' book, Will Terrorists Go Nuclear?, explores the fascinating history of nuclear terrorism and dives into the potential motives of nuclear inclined groups and details the probability of an actual terrorist nuclear attack. According to Jenkins, the concerns of those that foresee a nuclear terror attack on the US homeland are actually overblown. The history and analysis of terrorist attempts and ambitions to go nuclear reveal a complex yet clear picture of hype, fearmongering, and anxiety that illustrates the unnecessary fascination with anticipating a nuclear calamity that will not come.

The 1995 gas attack in the Tokyo subway system stands as one of the most prominent terrorist chemical attacks against civilians to date. Though the Japanese government was warned of the impending violence nine months prior, they were caught ill prepared when it unfolded (Wright & Martin, 2008). The group known as Aum Shinrikyo was responsible for the subway attack and this was not the first time they used sarin gas. The city of Matsumoto was the test bed that served as the proving ground for the events that took place in Tokyo (Wright & Martin, 2008).

The United States experienced one of the biggest scaled Domestic Terror Attacks on eleventh September 2001. These assaults against our incredible country were done with the capturing of numerous aircraft transporters. The repercussions of these appalling demonstrations left the aggregate decimation of the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and other relevant areas. After these occasions the USA Patriot Act of 2001 was passed, and the Department of Homeland Security started to devise and execute the first of numerous missions and conventions to alleviate any further dangers to the United States. Since the sanction of the Patriot Act, there have been various indications of fear based oppressor plots and thwarted assaults against the United States

Traditionally, the military is used for defense, whether it is to defend the country or the country’s interests. However, sometimes the threat which to defend against is harder to discern than when in open warfare. In the modern age, a large threat to America and countries everywhere is terrorism. From September 11, 2001 to the Florida shootings, terrorism, domestic and abroad, has been a true threat

Terrorism has become popular among extremists who are employing different dynamic strategies to thrive in their agenda. Understanding the terror groups is fundamental principle to overcome them or counter the sects. Modern terrorism has additionally advanced. Today 's assaults are less incessant, however all the more savage. Terrorists beforehand acted like renegades trying to connect with the foe (Miller, 2013. This was trailed by a period of kidnappings and plane hijackings. States create first class counter-terrorist strengths, extraordinarily prepared at prisoner transaction and salvage. Like the youngster 's amusement - paper-scissors-stone the following phase of advancement was the appropriation of bombings as the favored strategy (Roberts, 2014). Bombs can be delivered from basic materials, put and exploded remotely, with generally okay to the planes and little open door for counter-terrorist strengths to catch them. Terror groups like the IRA, Al-Qaida, ISIS and Boko

The terms terrorism and domestic terrorism are very similar concepts. There are, however, slight differences in each. Entities that are apart of the Government have slightly different ways of explaining what they believe to be the correct definition of terrorism and domestic terrorism. In this paper the author will offer definitions of the two terms and state which one they agree with the most. The author will also state how the two terms are best differentiated.

Terrorism exists for centuries. Domestic terrorist groups and domestic terrorism are great problems. They have existed in the past and they will continue to exist in the future to spread fear and terror. Terrorism is the calculated use of violence, or the threat of violence, to intimidate, frighten, or coerce. Terrorism is a global problem affecting all social and economic classes. The fight against domestic terrorism is difficult as there have been many acts of domestic terrorism and many domestic terrorist groups operating in the United States. Terrorism can be executed or presented in a variety of forms. For example, bioterrorism, cyberterrorism, nuclear terrorism, domestic terrorism, etc. Domestic Terrorism has been the focus of attention since the events of September 11. The main and more significant mission of the Department of Homeland Security is to defend the United States from terrorism. Unfortunately, domestic terrorism is becoming increasingly common among

As a direct consequence of September 11, a number of substantial challenges lie ahead in the area of counter-terrorism..   The most prominent of these is the changing nature of the terrorism phenomenon.  In past years, when terrorism was largely the product of direct state sponsorship, policymakers were able to diminish prospects for the United States becoming a target using a combination of diplomatic and military instruments to deter potential state sponsors.  Today, however, many terrorist organizations and individuals act independently from former and present state sponsors, shifting to other sources of support, including the development of transnational networks.

On March 20th 1995, in Japan's capital of Tokyo was fell victim to a chemical agent attack by the terrorist group Aum Shinriko. The group, which at its high water mark, numbered an estimated 50,000 members after the attack, was found to have been able to produce enough sarin to kill more than four million people. (Wright 2008) Members of this group, faithfully followed the orders of their leader Shoko Asahara and launched the chemical attacks against civilians in the Tokyo subway system. Twelve people were killed by the gas, and thousands were injured, and experts have suggested that if the five men who carried out the attack had better understood how to distribute Sarin properly, thousands could have died (Crime Museum, n.d.).

On the morning of August 6th, 1945 Japan was rocked by an unbelievably deadly weapon, a weapon no one had ever seen before. This weapon was none other than the atomic bomb, crafted by the United States of America. Ever since that day people have had two opinions about the usage of the atomic bomb in the Second World War. The U.S. either receives acclaim or a large amount of shame. While many historians agree that the atomic bomb was a horrendous piece of equipment, many also believe that the United States had no other option and that they were justified in using the powerful technology. While the ethical and moral sides of the argument will never see a logical close because of the subjective nature of morality, the argument over the necessity of the atomic bomb’s usage can come to an easy close. The dropping of the Atomic Bomb on the sovereign nation of Japan was the only reasonable and effective solution to ending the Second World War.

At this pivotal moment, we continue to face serious challenges to our national security on our way to shape the opportunities for tomorrow. One of the most prominent national security threat faced by the United States today is homegrown terrorism. Under the 2001 USA Patriot Act, domestic terrorism is defined as "activities that (A) involve acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the U.S. or of any state;

Aum Shinrikyo is a syncretism of Tibetan Buddhism and early Indian Buddhism, and Hinduism, with Shiva, one of the main deities of Hinduism, as the main image of worship. It also draws teachings from Yoga, Christianity’s Book of Revelation, and even some of the wisdom of Nostradamus. Since its establishment, Asahara claimed to be that of a Christ like figure sent to take on the sins of the world for man’s salvation. He predicted a 1997 doomsday prophecy in the form of an Armageddon like scenario where the United States would instigate World War III with nuclear war being the culprit of the end of humanity. (Juergensmayer, 2007)

A radiological emergency is an emergency in which there is or there seems to be a hazard due to radiation exposure from a radioactive source. This may result from a variety of reasons such as uncontrolled sources, misuse of equipment or malicious acts. Although there has been no successful terrorist attack has happened in the US since 9/11, terrorism experts are wary that one is likely to occur in the near future. Numerous terrorism plans of various proportions have been foiled in the US. These include plans to detonate radiological dispersal devices (RDD) (Eggen & Sxhmidt, 2002). Al Qaeda has expressed intent to obtain and use nuclear devices in the United States with Osama bin Laden having declared it a duty on Muslims to acquire nuclear devices (Ferguson et al, 2004, Lawrence, 2005). Although nuclear attacks are way too complicated for terrorists a simpler equally psychologically effective means exists. The use of radio active materials on various soft targets offers cost and simplicity