It has been decades that words of 'terrorism' and 'terror' have entered into global, social, psychological and political literature, and social scientists are struggling to find reasons behind why groups and individuals turn into terror activities. However, terror-like activities can be traced long back into history as there were groups and organizations trying to achieve their objectives through them but in recent decades the phenomenon, which I like to call as cultural revivalism, has appeared with much stout and vigor.
Indeed, after the expulsion of colonizers, many small groups in the third world countries started to fight for separation from the so-called mainland and establish a separate independent country. The obvious examples are Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka and Baloch rebellious fighters in Balochistan of Pakistan, which are branded as terrorist groups by respective countries.
However, it should be noticed that there is no consensus on the definition of terrorism and terrorists. If it refers to violence and bloodshed without considering the goals and objectives fought for, then its scope gets much larger. But if it refers to tactic and strategies of small, sometimes disintegrated, groups then we may unintentionally extort the rights of those oppressed groups and individuals.
Noteworthy to say, the word terrorism sometimes has been misused as a political means to oppress groups and individuals combating for their very social and political rights. Branding oppositions as terrorists can provide governments and nations to justify their otherwise cruel and inhuman activities.
See, for instance, the current civil uprising in Syria and several other Arab countries where still regimes have stood against people and have not given up power. President Bashar-al-Assad openly claims that his regime fights against bunches of terrorists who want to topple the government and establish a radical Islamist government. (Though with relative successful scenarios in Egypt and Tunisia, the allegations of Damascus have attracted no attention to help and the regime continues oppression and crackdown without facing global condemnation).
Moreover, clash and political controversy in the region have been closely linked with terror and terrorism. Taliban was ousted by US-led military intervention in 2001 on account that the regime did not yield to hand over the mastermind behind 9/11 terrorist attacks on New York's world trade centers.
Subsequently, the Baath regime of Saddam Hussein encountered similar destiny as Taliban regime on the account of having mass destruction weapons as well as supporting terrorism. Pakistan and Iran are largely blamed for secretive support to Al-Qaeda and Taliban militants. Hezbollah of Lebanon and Hamas militants of Palestine both are branded terrorist groups while some other countries view them as heroes resisting against Israel occupation and the so-called western bullying and extortion.
In case of Iran, several times it is blamed for supporting Taliban and al-Qaeda in Afghanistan in order to challenge US military mission. Similar allegations are made in Iraq as many blame it for fuelling sectarian tension and economically and politically supporting radical Shiite group like Mahdi Guards (Jaish-al-Mahdi) under the leadership of Muqatada al-Sadar who held armed resistance against US military presence in the country. While it has always rejected claims but supported the so-called efforts for an independent Iraq out of US sphere of influence.
Same is the case with Hezbollah and Hamas which are listed by Israel and several western countries as terrorist groups, but Iran has always supported them morally and politically as freedom fighters. While, in a recent video tape, the leader of Hezbollah openly said that his groups receive military and financial support from Tehran, the claims obviously contradicts Tehran lasting allegations for mere political and moral support.
On the other hand, Tehran claims that Israel is terrorist, occupying the lands of Palestinians and killing innocent Gaza strip residents. In addition, as the controversy over its nuclear program has risen into a new record level, and claims about possible Israeli attack, branding each other to terrorism has find another cycle.
During past few years, several key nuclear program-linked figures have been killed in Iran, and Tehran officials, right after the incidents, pointed finger directly toward Tele Aviv secret service agents while Israel has always rejected any kind of involvement in those incidents.
Recently similar scenarios were repeated against Israeli diplomats in Georgia, India and Thailand. As expected, Israel officials without any hesitation claimed that Islamic revolutionary guard corps was behind the incidents. As usual, Tehran called the claims bogus and ridiculous.
But there is something in those incidents to be noticed. Bangkok police arrested the sixth person linked with bombings. They are holding Iranian passport. The thing which is suspicious is that the attacks were poorly planned, because none could kill or injure any Israeli diplomats, which of course do not seem to be planed by well-experienced Iranian security establishments. Experts largely maintain that Iran intelligence service and other security agencies are capable of well-planned and lethal operations. Even Israeli officials confess to their abilities too.
On the other hand, all those who were arrested in linkage to incidents are Iranian citizens and holding Iranian passports. If really Islamic Republic is not behind, then who can be and who can recruit Iranian citizens to carry out such risky and dangerous attacks in several countries almost simultaneously? It looks hardly possible.
However, still the investigation of police in all these countries is not completed. It is not clear whether finally detainees will reveal names of individuals, organization or country assigned them the task or not. We have to wait and see.
But the attacks undermine the global prestige of Islamic Republic. And its global reflection is widely consequential. Iranians will go under particular checkups in the airports, docks, which is definitely disgraceful.