TRANSNATIONAL TERRORISM IN THE POST-COLD WAR PERIOD

Abstract

We are witnessing that terrorism has been constantly growing from the end of the Cold War until today and that it is at a higher technological level than ever. As a kind of wider version of domestic terrorism, a phenomenon known as transnational terrorism appears to us. This transformation towards the transnational can be thanked to many factors, and among the most important are certainly: globalization, technological progress, and religious extremism. What distinguishes transnational terrorism from other types of terrorism is certainly its complex organizational structure, the use of advanced technology and, of course, its transnationality -  its presence in different geographical areas. This transnational reach and scope of some organizations represents a more serious challenge and risk than non-state armed groups within a single, clearly defined geographical area. Therefore, we will dedicate this paper to this interesting phenomenon as well as to some organizations that represent it. This scientific paper will consist of six chapters. In the introductory part, we will pay attention to the general circumstances and the global imbalance that emerged after the Cold War, as well on the impact of that imbalance on creation of opportunities which represent fertile ground for the emergence of terrorist organizations. In the second part, we will deal with the concept and typology of terrorism, and after that in the third chapter we will clearly specify what transnational terrorism is and thus make a clear distinction between this and other forms or types of terroris. The fourth chapter will be a brief overview of September 11^th, the day when a terrorist organization known as Al Qaeda managed to add the epithet of global or transnational to terrorism. In the fifth chapter, we will deal with the network of all networks -  Al Qaeda, and with the sixth chapter we will complete this scientific work and reach some kind of conclusion.