Abstract
Hamas was formed in 1987 as a means to achieve a unified, separate, Palestinian state. The organization has used political and violent means, including terrorism, to pursue this goal. Hamas's violent wing, al-Qassam, has carried out many suicide bombings since 1993, and Hamas makes it a point to take credit for its accomplishments. The purpose of this paper is to look at the violent wing of Hamas, al-Qassam, as both a "total institution" and an organization and, in the process, understand how suicide bombers are socialized.

From the Paper
"Erving Goffman formed his definition of "total institution" through a five-fold description. We will define al-Qassam as a total institution based on its active struggle to "pursue some worklike task and justify itself" only based on its desire for a Palestinian state. There must be a split between two groups of people in order for a total institution to exist. I assert that there is a hierarchy in the framework of al-Qassam. At the top must lie the Muslim clerics and high-ranking officials of the organization. Both have clout in determining the specifics about suicide bombings, but whereas clerics can only recommend people for missions, it is more likely that the officials have the final say."

Tags:hamas, suicide, bombers

Abstract
The paper looks at Al-Qaeda's historical background, ideology, motivation, support base, tactics and strategies, past activities and future threat potential and possible targets. Due to the seamless and fluid nature of Al-Qaeda, the author stresses, it is difficult to predict its potential targets and the extent of threat posed by Al-Qaeda. The paper concludes that, after the disruptions of Al-Qaeda because of the actions of the U.S. and other countries following 9/11, the organization serves more as a symbolic source of inspiration for dangerous Islamic terrorist splinter groups around the world rather than being involved directly in major terrorist plans. However, the global community cannot afford to be complacent and let its guard down.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Historical Background and Al-Qaeda's Origins
Al-Qaeda's Ideology, Motivation, and Goals
Ideological, International and Religious Support
Relationship with the United States/ Other Countries
Tactics and Strategies Used by Al-Qaeda
Selection of Victims and Targets
Past Terrorist Activities: Successes and Failures
Future Threat/ Potential Targets
My Own Analysis/ Opinion of the Terrorist Group

From the Paper
"The suicide bombings also have other inherent advantages: it is simple and inexpensive; it almost certainly guarantees mass casualties and extensive damage; there are no chances of post-attack fears of interrogation since the attacker is dead; and it has a powerful effect on the public and the media because of the horror such an attack generates. The only problem is to find people who are willing to sacrifice themselves, and due to the fanatical nature of its teachings, al-Qaeda seems to have no dearth of such people in its ranks."

Tags:mujahedeen, maktab al-khadamat, civilian infidels, smuggle symbolic

Abstract
In this paper, the author argues that the rapid changes in society have allowed power to shift to "non-state" actors. The most notorious among them is the Al-Qaeda terror network. In this paper, the organization of Al-Qaeda is evaluated and its international connections are considered the reason for Al-Qaeda's continued operations. The author also examines Al-Qaeda's financing and the shared religious beliefs among its members. The September 11th attacks are also discussed.

Outline:
Research Questions
Introduction
Loose Network of People Connections
Case 1: Bombings in Istanbul
Solid Structured Organization
Finances
Case 2: September 11, 2001
Leads of the Al-Qaeda
The Al-Qaeda Today
Case 3: The Madrid Train Bombing
Conclusion

From the Paper
"Al-Qaeda, the largest international terrorist network, is a distributed, roaming and non-territorial network. It functions as a hybrid peer-to-peer network through its combined use of advanced information technologies and traditional halawa exchanges, in which a central source triggers the actions that are carried out by individual nodes. It is organized in self-contained nodes that function autonomously and its responsibility and authority is devolved down to the lowest possible level. This networked structure of authority and accountability is most evident in al-Qaeda operations, as cells planned and carried out operations with considerable and independence."

Tags:Bin, Laden, Al-Qaeda, terrorism, 9/11

Abstract
The following paper will pick a terrorist group - Al-Qaeda - and discuss whether or not that group has been successful or unsuccessful in attaining its stated goals. In general, Al-Qaeda wants to drive out American influence from the Middle East, wants to topple the Saudi Arabian government, wants to topple any pro-western regimes in the region, seeks the end of Israel, and wants its own fundamentalist state - and the terrible thing is that Al-Qaeda may well end up getting some or all of these things.

From the Paper
Has Al-Qaeda been successful in reaching its stated goals? The following paper will pick a terrorist group - Al-Qaeda - and discuss whether or not that group has been successful or unsuccessful in attaining its stated goals. In general, Al-Qaeda wants to drive out American influence from the Middle East, wants to topple the Saudi Arabian government, wants to topple any pro-western regimes in the region, seeks the end of Israel, and wants its own fundamentalist state - and the terrible thing is that Al-Qaeda may well end up getting some or all of these things. To get things underway, one must have an appreciation of the ideology and

Tags:al, qaeda, stated, successful

Abstract
The paper delves into the origins of the pro-jihad, pan-Islamic Al-Qaeda terrorist organization. This paper discusses the ideology of the organization, while also profiling its leader, the man believed to be the mastermind behind the 9/11 terror attack, Osama bin Laden. The writer of this paper examines Iraq's direct involvement with Al-Qaeda and that of Islamic terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi who heads the Iraqi branch of the organization. This paper explores the relationship between bin Laden and al-Zarqawi as well as the groups terrorist training camps which are located throughout in the middle east. This paper also discusses the strategies used by the U.S. and Britain in combating the increasing terror coming out of both Iraq and Afghanistan.

From the Paper
"The leadership of both conjoined terrorist groups shows the national diversity of the leaders of terrorist organizations of the Muslim world, as Osama bin Laden is a Saudi, while a Jordanian leads the Iraqi group, as well as the different techniques open to the groups, from bombs to poisons, to engage in acts of mass terror. In terms of its current choice of activities, the United States military has attributed some of Iraq's bloodiest suicide bombings and some hostage beheadings to Tanzeem Qaedat Al Jihad Fee Bilad Al Rafidain. The military also believes that the group has long used Fallujah as its key base and continues to do so, despite United States control and the attempts to instate a new Iraqi government. The group now known as Tanzeem Qaedat Al Jihad Fee Bilad Al Rafidain has long used highly inflammatory ways of conveying its message and committing its acts of violence against innocent American civilians, most notably the beheading of a United States civilian."

Tags:osama, bin-laden, muslim, islam, terror, 9/11, holy, war, jihad, abu, musab, al-zarqawi, america, britain

Abstract
This paper discusses whether al-Qaeda is still a threat to the world community. It outlines history of al-Qaeda and its ideology, which differs fundamentally from "traditional" terrorist organizations with specific political causes. The author argues that al-Qaeda has "metastized" from an organization into an ideology and cause.

From the Paper
"On a Monday morning in the late summer this writer got a phone call from a friend telling him to turn on CNN. "Buddy, we're under attack," the friend said. What the writer and millions of other Americans saw in the ..."

Tags:al-qaeda, osama, bin, laden, terrorism

Abstract
This paper relates that terrorist activities can be examined as features of a general structural process, but it should be noted that al Qaeda's AGIL process is often distorted by factors not commonly faced by other organizations. The author explains that, in applying the AGIL process to the terrorist organization known as al Qaeda, factors such as adaptation, goal attainment, integration and latency are evident. The paper points out that these factors operate in al Qaeda to a more limited degree than they do in more traditional and mainstream organizations.

From the Paper
"In applying the AGIL process to the terrorist organization known as al Qaeda, it is evident that factors such as adaptation, goal attainment, integration, and latency continue to al Qaeda, but to a more limited degree than they do in more traditional and mainstream organizations. Terrorist activities can be examined as features of a general structural process, but it should be noted that al Qaeda's AGIL process is often distorted by factors not commonly faced by other organizations. For example, many of al Qaeda's functions are in conflict more often and are "on" or "off" more frequently and unexpectedly because of the global war on terror, which compels al Qaeda leaders, strategists, financiers, and cell members to be reactive much more often than they can be proactive."

Tags:al, qaeda, analysis

Abstract
The paper looks at the emergence of Al-Qaeda, the historical context within which it came to prominence, its ideological commitments, its impact upon the world and the threat it constitutes to western society. The paper illustrates how Al-Qaeda is a ruthless organization driven by nationalistic and socio-political objectives - and its danger to the western world lies in the fact that it is amorphous, de-centralized, highly-motivated, and international in scope.

From the Paper
"The following paper will look at the emergence of Al-Qaeda, the historical context within which it came to prominence, its ideological commitments, and its impact upon the world and the threat it constitutes to western society. In the final analysis, Al-Qaeda is a ruthless organization driven by nationalistic and socio-political objectives - and its danger to the western world lies in the fact that it is amorphous, de-centralized, highly-motivated, and international in scope. Experts who have followed the tangled, twisting history of Al-Qaeda point..."

Tags:al, qaeda, impact, ideology

Abstract
This paper describes al Qaeda. The author points out al Qaeda's current goals as a terrorist organization. The paper examines the difficulties involved in locating operatives and in gathering information because members form small groups called cells.

From the Paper
"According to Benjamin Wittes writing in "Atlantic Monthly", al-Qaeda is not a traditional uniformed military force. In fact it's not a geographically distinct military force at all. Rather, the organization is composed of cells scattered worldwide whose members seek to blend into the societies they wish to destroy. The organization's very nature makes distinguishing between combatants and noncombatants extremely difficult. When captured al-Qaeda, operatives often deny their affiliation. However, it is known that al-Qaeda has a specific set of goals. Furthermore there seems to be no ... '

Tags:Al Qaeda, terrorists, September 11, Madrid, suicide bomber, terrorism

Abstract
The 'Red Brigades' was a terrorist group formed in 1969 in Italy as the result of student movements. They were an extreme left terrorist group with the goal of separating Italy from the Western alliance. The group advocated violence and targeted unionists, politicians and businessman who they claimed represented the "establishment." The paper shows that although the Red Brigade succeeded in acts of terror while operational, ultimately during the 1980s the organization declined due, in part, to internal schisms, operational failures and the arrests of many of the members. As a terrorist entity, one might consider the group a failure. The paper shows, in contrast, that the Palestinian Liberation Organization has successfully contributed to the cause of terror over time and factions of the organization still exist. The PLO of Palestine existed as a terrorism powerhouse and achieved some of their goals and continues to be a successful terrorist movement in Palestine. The paper examines what differentiates the two groups, whether one might consider the PLO successful and the Red Brigades a failure and whether one could consider a group described as "terrorist" successful. The paper traces both groups' histories and looks at their similarities.

From the Paper
"One of the appealing aspects to prospective members of the organization was money. Adult males who joined the PLO not only received their pension, but their wives also received an allowance for the family. The Palestinian organization was successful for many reasons, not the least of which was relating to the common person. Many Palestinians and Arabs have for many years sought a unified existence. The PLO-Palestine offered just that. It united the common person for a common cause. The violent activities promoted by the organization were not seen as fruitless acts of maliciousness and horror; rather they were seen as activities dictated by higher powers for a good and unified purpose."

Tags:Nasser, Yasser, Arafat, Izz, al-Din, al-Qassam, Ahmed, Yassin, Autonomia, Operaia, Aldo, Moro