Team A Maria Segovia Alicia Serna Jose Elias Jorge Rivera

1. Team AMaria SegoviaAlicia SernaJose EliasJorge Rivera Comparison of Organized Crime and Terrorist Groups

2. Organized Crime and Terrorist Groups A group of individuals working together as unit to achieve a specific goal can be classified as a legitimate company, youth support program, and a church among many others. The problem is that this is not exclusive to “positive” groups. This definition also applies to organized crime and terrorist groups. These groups may have different goals but they operate very similar and at times together.

3. What are the differences? • Terrorist groups are usually ideologically or politically motivated while organized crime groups are profit-oriented; • Terrorist groups often wish to compete with governments for legitimacy, organized crime groups do not; • Terrorist groups usually seek media attention; organized crime groups do not; • Terrorist victimization is generally less discriminate than the violence used by organized crime groups. • Terrorists kill to attain objective, OC kill to protect operation/territory

4. What are the similarities? • Both operate secretly and usually from an underground network; • Both use ‘muscle and ruthlessness’ on primarily civilian victims; • Intimidation is characteristic of both groups; • Both use similar (though not entirely overlapping) tactics: kidnappings, assassination, extortion (“protection money”, “revolutionary taxes”); • In both cases, the control of the group over the individual is strong; • Both use front organizations, such as legitimate businesses or charities. • Need one another, terrorist and CO need weapons, use drugs to fund operations, share information/training

5. The war on organized crime and terrorism • There is the old continuing war against drugs which was officially declared in 1971 by the US president Richard Nixon • The new declared war “the global war on terrorism” which was officially launched by the US after September 11, 2001 • Both are against states, or the international community, and operate on a transnational level

6. Collaboration between organized criminal groups and terrorists • Terrorist groups use organized criminal groups for their extensive network and expertise • Organized crime work with terrorist since its business and they keep a low profile to build their illicit business • The collaboration creates a challenge for the U.S and its allies in the war on terrorism

7. Alliance • In 2003, their was indications that al Quaeda was working with Mexican drug trafficking and organized crime groups in attempt to sneak into the US. • This is due to Americas problem with border security. • Drug trafficking is not the only criminal activity that criminals and terrorists collaborate. • Human and contraband smuggling, kidnapping, counterfeiting money, fraud, and extortion and armed robbery

8. Trends of Al-Qaida In terrorism, trend is defined as changes in the type, number, and mode of operation from the terrorist attacks, attitudes of terrorist groups. Importance of Trends Able to identify them, it allowed the government to: Prioritizing counter-terror resources Targeting terrorist and their activities with the intention of preventing attacks. Demonstrating anti-terror progress where it has been achieved. How trends affect the terrorist strategies? Forces the terrorist to shift the focus of the attacks to softer non-government areas. Employ new explosion delivery methods such as improvising on the explosive devices or sending suicide bombers.

9. Current Trend of Al-Qaida The Department of State has identified three trends in the Al-Qaida Organization. Emergence of the called “micro-actors” Due to the U.S. success in isolating and killing many of the Al-Qaida leaders Force Al-Qaida to be more sophisticated by the terrorist exploiting the global flow of information, finance, and ideas through the use of internet An increase overlap of terrorist activity with international crime that expose them to a greater law enforcement attacks.

10. Tends in Terrorism • Trends that may need to keep a focus on: • Attacks that their goal is to cause economic damage. • An increase number of terrorist attacks that not attributed to a specific group • The growing power and influence of radical Islamic political groups in foreign countries

11. Conclusion Societies here in the US and abroad need to understand that education and tradition are not exclusive to good governments and businesses. It also applies to the criminal mind. These groups have worked alone and together for generations and will continue to do so because their goals and leadership. Education and understanding doesn’t signify acceptance it dictates a better approach to fight it.

12. References Perl, R. (2006, July 21). State.gov. Retrieved May 7, 2013, from Reports in Terrorism: http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/69479.pdf Schweitzer, Y. (2008, June). Nato.int. Retrieved May 7, 2013, from Currernt Trends in Al-Qaeda and Global Jihab Activity: http://ftp.rta.nato.int/public//PubFullText/RTO/TR/RTO-TR-HFM-140///TR-HFM-140-03.pdf Schweitzer, Y. (2008, June 8). Reblazecdn.net. Retrieved May 7, 2013, from Currrent Trends in Al-Qaeda and Global Jihab Activity: http://cdn.www.inss.org.il.reblazecdn.net/upload/(FILE)1248344152.pdf