Right-wing terrorism
Encyclopedia
Right-wing terrorism draws its inspiration from a variety of ideologies and beliefs, including neo-fascism
, neo-Nazism
, racism
, opposition to foreigners and immigration
, and religion. Incidents of this type of terrorism have been widespread, but often lack international cooperation. Modern right wing terrorism began to appear in western Europe in the 1980s, in eastern Europe following the collapse of Communism
. and in the middle east with the rise of fundamentalist Islam.
The objective of right-wing terrorism is the overthrow existing governments and their replacement with nationalist, fascist, or theocratic oriented governments.
Right-wing terrorists generally are inspired by 19th century and early 20th century nationalist writers such as Arthur de Gobineau
, Houston Stewart Chamberlain
and Heinrich von Treitschke
. The core of this movement includes neo-fascist skinheads, right-wing hooligans, youth sympathisers and intellectual guides who believe that the state must rid itself of foreign elements in order to protect rightful citizens. However, they usually lack a rigid ideology.
In 1983, Gordon Kahl
, a Posse Comitatus activist, killed two federal marshals and was later killed by police. Also that year, the white nationalist
revolutionary
group The Order
(also known as the Brüder Schweigen or Silent Brotherhood) became involved with terrorism, including: robbing a sex shop
, several banks and armored cars; bombing a theater and a synagogue
; and murdering radio talk show host Alan Berg
.
During the 1980s, more than 75 right-wing extremists were prosecuted in the United States for acts of terrorism, although they carried out only six attacks during the decade. The success of law enforcement in capturing and preventing terrorists has been credited to their efforts to investigate terrorists before they turned to violence. The April 19, 1995 attack
on the Murrah federal building in Oklahoma, by the right-wing extremist Timothy McVeigh
, which killed 168 people, would become the worst domestic terrorist attack in American history. It was reported he had ties to a Michigan militia group.
Britain 1999 David Copeland
planted a series of bombs over 13 days in April 1999. He caused explosions in Brixton, south London Brick Lane in east London and a nail bomb in Soho, central London. The final blast at the gay pub the Admiral Duncan killed Andrea Dykes, 27, who was pregnant, and friends John Light, 32, and Nik Moore, 31, from Essex. His intention was to ignite a race war across Britain. In addition to the three killings, he injured 139 people including a 23 month old todler who had to have a 4 inch nail removed from his brain.
On July 22, 2011, Norwegian right-wing extremist Anders Behring Breivik
bombed several government buildings in Oslo
, Norway
killing eight people and injuring more than 30. After the bombing, he made his way to Utøya
island in a fake police uniform and began firing on people attending a political youth camp for Norway's left-wing AUF
political party, killing 68 and injuring more than 60. The 2011 Norway attacks
became the largest mass killing of people committed by a single person during peacetime, excluding use of bombs.
Neo-Fascism
Neo-fascism is a post–World War II ideology that includes significant elements of fascism. The term neo-fascist may apply to groups that express a specific admiration for Benito Mussolini and Italian Fascism or any other fascist leader/state...
, neo-Nazism
Neo-Nazism
Neo-Nazism consists of post-World War II social or political movements seeking to revive Nazism or some variant thereof.The term neo-Nazism can also refer to the ideology of these movements....
, racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
, opposition to foreigners and immigration
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
, and religion. Incidents of this type of terrorism have been widespread, but often lack international cooperation. Modern right wing terrorism began to appear in western Europe in the 1980s, in eastern Europe following the collapse of Communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
. and in the middle east with the rise of fundamentalist Islam.
The objective of right-wing terrorism is the overthrow existing governments and their replacement with nationalist, fascist, or theocratic oriented governments.
Right-wing terrorists generally are inspired by 19th century and early 20th century nationalist writers such as Arthur de Gobineau
Arthur de Gobineau
Joseph Arthur Comte de Gobineau was a French aristocrat, novelist and man of letters who became famous for developing the theory of the Aryan master race in his book An Essay on the Inequality of the Human Races...
, Houston Stewart Chamberlain
Houston Stewart Chamberlain
Houston Stewart Chamberlain was a British-born German author of books on political philosophy, natural science and the German composer Richard Wagner. He later became a German citizen. Chamberlain married Wagner's daughter, Eva, some years after Wagner's death...
and Heinrich von Treitschke
Heinrich von Treitschke
Heinrich Gotthard von Treitschke was a nationalist German historian and political writer during the time of the German Empire.-Early life and teaching career:...
. The core of this movement includes neo-fascist skinheads, right-wing hooligans, youth sympathisers and intellectual guides who believe that the state must rid itself of foreign elements in order to protect rightful citizens. However, they usually lack a rigid ideology.
History
Right-wing terrorism came to widespread attention after the August 1980 Bologna bombing, when a group of right-wing terrorists exploded a bomb at a railroad station in Bologna, Italy, killing 84 people and injuring more than 180. Two months later, a right-wing terrorist attack in Munich, Germany killed the attacker and 14 other people, injuring 215. Fears of an on-going campaign of major right-wing terrorist attacks did not materialize.In 1983, Gordon Kahl
Gordon Kahl
Gordon Wendell Kahl is best known for his involvement in two fatal shootouts with law enforcement officers in the United States in 1983....
, a Posse Comitatus activist, killed two federal marshals and was later killed by police. Also that year, the white nationalist
White nationalism
White nationalism is a political ideology which advocates a racial definition of national identity for white people. White separatism and white supremacism are subgroups within white nationalism. The former seek a separate white nation state, while the latter add ideas from social Darwinism and...
revolutionary
Revolutionary
A revolutionary is a person who either actively participates in, or advocates revolution. Also, when used as an adjective, the term revolutionary refers to something that has a major, sudden impact on society or on some aspect of human endeavor.-Definition:...
group The Order
The Order (group)
The Order, also known as the Brüder Schweigen or Silent Brotherhood, was an organization active in the United States between 1983 and 1984...
(also known as the Brüder Schweigen or Silent Brotherhood) became involved with terrorism, including: robbing a sex shop
Sex shop
A sex shop, erotic shop is a shop that sells products related to adult sexual or erotic entertainment, such as sex toys, lingerie, clothing, pornography, and other related products...
, several banks and armored cars; bombing a theater and a synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
; and murdering radio talk show host Alan Berg
Alan Berg
Alan Berg was a Jewish American attorney and Denver, Colorado talk radio show host. Berg was notable for his largely liberal, outspoken viewpoints and confrontational interview style....
.
During the 1980s, more than 75 right-wing extremists were prosecuted in the United States for acts of terrorism, although they carried out only six attacks during the decade. The success of law enforcement in capturing and preventing terrorists has been credited to their efforts to investigate terrorists before they turned to violence. The April 19, 1995 attack
Oklahoma City bombing
The Oklahoma City bombing was a terrorist bomb attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995. It was the most destructive act of terrorism on American soil until the September 11, 2001 attacks. The Oklahoma blast claimed 168 lives, including 19...
on the Murrah federal building in Oklahoma, by the right-wing extremist Timothy McVeigh
Timothy McVeigh
Timothy James McVeigh was a United States Army veteran and security guard who detonated a truck bomb in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Building in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995...
, which killed 168 people, would become the worst domestic terrorist attack in American history. It was reported he had ties to a Michigan militia group.
Britain 1999 David Copeland
David Copeland
David John Copeland is a former member of the British National Party and the National Socialist Movement, who became known as the "London Nail Bomber" after a 13-day bombing campaign in April 1999 aimed at London's black, Bangladeshi and gay communities.Over three successive weekends between 17...
planted a series of bombs over 13 days in April 1999. He caused explosions in Brixton, south London Brick Lane in east London and a nail bomb in Soho, central London. The final blast at the gay pub the Admiral Duncan killed Andrea Dykes, 27, who was pregnant, and friends John Light, 32, and Nik Moore, 31, from Essex. His intention was to ignite a race war across Britain. In addition to the three killings, he injured 139 people including a 23 month old todler who had to have a 4 inch nail removed from his brain.
On July 22, 2011, Norwegian right-wing extremist Anders Behring Breivik
Anders Behring Breivik
Anders Behring Breivik is a Norwegian terrorist, paranoid schizophrenic and the confessed perpetrator of the Norway attacks on 22 July 2011: the bombing of government buildings in Oslo that resulted in eight deaths, and the mass shooting at a camp of the Workers' Youth League of the Labour Party...
bombed several government buildings in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
killing eight people and injuring more than 30. After the bombing, he made his way to Utøya
Utøya
Utøya is a small island in the Tyrifjorden lake in Hole municipality, in the county of Buskerud, Norway. The island is , situated off the shore, by the E16 road, driving distance north-west of Oslo city centre.-Overview:...
island in a fake police uniform and began firing on people attending a political youth camp for Norway's left-wing AUF
Workers' Youth League (Norway)
The Workers' Youth League is Norways biggest political youth organization, and is affiliated with the Norwegian Labour Party.AUF took its current form in April 1927, following the merger of Left Communist Youth League and Socialist Youth League of Norway corresponding with the merger of its...
political party, killing 68 and injuring more than 60. The 2011 Norway attacks
2011 Norway attacks
The 2011 Norway attacks were two sequential terrorist attacks against the government, the civilian population and a summer camp in Norway on 22 July 2011....
became the largest mass killing of people committed by a single person during peacetime, excluding use of bombs.