Freedom Versus Security: is Liberal Policies of EU Falling Down Against Combatting Terrorism

 

Introduction: The Conceptualisation of Terrorism The concept of security historically based on the emergence of human society is also an ambiguity concept both in International Relations discipline and in daily usage. On the one hand while discussions about defining and specifying of the scope of the concept is continuing, on the other hand it is frequently come across the debate about “how to provide” “of what security” “against what” in the literature. In all times of International Relations discipline it has not been possible to make “a” single definition of security for responding all the needs because of the concepts of security has always been affected by changes in time and space.¹ The definition of security, which aimed to explain the international system of the first half of twentieth century focused on military issues and defined security as “the absence of military threat of the protection of nation’s foreign attacks”. This is also called “traditional security approach” in the discipline and absence of an internal or external threat is determining factor of definition of both individual and state security.² In the large part of the Cold War while the dominant idea of national security was in military sense, after Cold War period because of “new world order” the concept of security changed.
 
Terrorism, which is a concept that maintains its presence in each period of international relations, also takes its place among the new threats defined against the security of nation state in this era. In its simplest form terrorism can be defined as “politically motivated violence” both the history of conceptualization of terrorism is based on quite old, directly affected by changes in the world conjuncture and defined in different ways in different periods of time. In this complexity of concept the definition of terrorism can be done through using the both fundamental distinguishing features and reasons or consequences of terrorism that differentiate other forms of violence. There is certain number of distinctive defining features of terrorism that differentiate it from other kind of violence. For terrorism, organisation that is politically organized is necessary. In addition there have to be an existence of a systematic and continuous use of violence. In this context a kind of violence called “ordinary crime” can be defined as terror because it creates fear in society however it is not terrorism because there is no political stimulates.³
 
The history of terrorism is evaluated in to four waves by Rapaport (2003) and each waves related with dominant ideologies of that era. The first three wave of modern terrorism was “Anarchist Terrorism”, “anti-Colonial Terrorism” and “New-Left Terrorism” which ended by the 1980s.4 By the beginning of 1980s, the short détente period started to leave its place another new tension period between two poles and in that period with the invasion of Afghanistan by Soviet Union and Iranian Revolution changed international system totally. The US had tried to use different ethic and religious groups against Soviet Union in accordance with its own interest in various parts of the world in this period. The term terrorism started to use for defining Middle East originated activities. After the Cold War, there was a suitable ground for ethnic and religious freedom and the fourth wave called “Religion Oriented Terrorism” had started to seen in this period by the risen of religious oriented ideologies. In this context terrorism showed changes and had began to turn in to a global size concept which many actors were effective on it.⁵ Islam was the most current religion that was used by religion-oriented terrorism and suicide attacks/bombings were the main type of attack of these terrorist organizations.⁶
 
The fourth wave of terrorism has still continued its activities; but shows slightly different from the example in 1980s. It turned in to a kind of “Global Terrorism” means that taking an international status of terrorism. In other words experienced terrorist attacks have led to acceptance of all people in the world that they share a common problem.⁷ The reason of this acceptance is because of terrorism’s functioning, organising, coordinating and direct effects have a transnational reality which is not limited by national borders, not defined by nation-state and even if it occurs in the boundaries of one nation-state. Terrorist activities are increasingly spreading to the whole world. Terrorist groups, have been taking the advantage of the ease of communication and transportation that is brought by globalization now collaborated to set up links with various other terrorist groups and move their activities not only within their country’s borders but also international platform. Terrorism is passing across the national borders and reaches already a global presence. After the September 11 attacks in the US, terrorism has become one of the most important security debates of the Western world. The international responses against terrorism have become more decisive and clear especially after September11 attacks. After 9/11, Al-Qaeda attacked Istanbul in 2003, Madrid in 2004 and London 2005. By the death of leader of Al-Queda, Usame bin Laden, the organisation stated to lose its power in the Middle East.