over
B razil
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T errorism H angs
Summer 2014 • H A R V A R D I N T E R N A T I O N A L R E V I E W
of
Photos Courtesy Reuters
T he T hreat
the region towards Brazil increases concerns regarding
two people dead and over 100 injured. The perpetrator,
the establishment of strategic links between organized
Eric Robert Rudolph, who was connected to the Christian
crime and terrorist groups in the area, as this would create
Identity movement, a racist, anti-Semitic, anti-gay, and
a serious threat not only to Brazilian security, but also to
anti-abortion group that believes white people are God’s
regional security.
chosen people, was caught in 2003, but his outrageous act
Moreover, violent acts perpetrated by football hoohad already marred the legacy of the games.
ligans and criminal gangs during large sporting events—
These examples illustrate the fact that, besides being
which would be an example of “terror acts” rather than
even more unpredictable in their essence than terrorist
“terrorism”—cannot be ruled out. Even more important
acts conducted by organizations, terrorist attacks planned
and dangerous is the threat posed by the so-called “lone
and executed individually are sometimes considered the
wolves”, a term used to designate individuals who commit
biggest threat to a country’s security. As