HISTORIC ROOTS of TERRORISM

​While some trace the history of terrorism to the Sicarii Zealots in 1st century Judea, the term terrorism was originally used to describe the actions of the Jacobins during the Reign of Terror in the French Revolution (1789-1793). Maximilien Robespierre advocated terrorism as a tool of the Revolution. In 1795 Edmund Burke denounced the French Revolutionary Jacobins for letting “thousands of those hell-hounds called terrorists… loose on the people of France.” Anarchists in Russia targeted and assassinated leaders for “armed propaganda.” The Irish Republican Brotherhood, founded in 1858, initiated bombing campaigns to achieve their political aims.

Defining Terrorism
Webster’s Dictionary of the English language (1828), defines Terrorism: “The use of violence and threats to intimidate, or coerce, for political purposes.” Terrorist is defined as: “A person who uses, or advocates, terrorism… such as agent, or partisan, of the Revolutionary Tribunal during the Reign of Terror in France.” To Terrorize is defined in Webster’s Dictionary as: “To dominate, or coerce, by intimidation. To produce widespread fear by acts of violence, as bombings.” Many authorities claim that it is “very difficult” to define terrorism. No, it is not difficult. Webster defines the terms very clearly. However, as many government policies would fit the dictionary definition of terrorism they prefer to pretend that there is a problem defining the terms. Basically, it is hypocrisy. When we bomb civilians it is strategic bombing, or saturation bombing. However, when our enemies bomb us it is terrorism!

The Role of Special Operations Executive in The Second World War
The Special Operations Executive (SOE) was formed by order of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill on 22 July 1940. His directive to SOE was to: “Set Europe ablaze!” To this purpose, the SOE was to conduct espionage, sabotage and reconnaissance in order to aid local resistance movements. Modelled on the Irish Republican Army, SOE employed, or controlled, just over 13,000 people at the height of World War II. Also known as Churchill’s Secret Army, or the Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, SOE Head Quarters was located in Baker Street, leading to its personnel referring to themselves at the Baker Street Irregulars.

“Set Europe Ablaze!”
Although ostensibly meant to focus on countries occupied by Axis forces, SOE also operated in neutral territories such as Sweden, Spain and Switzerland. Hugh Dalton, the Minister of Economic Warfare, was appointed to take responsibility for the SOE. As Dalton left Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s study, he was instructed: “Now set Europe ablaze!” “These six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies and one who sows discord among brethren.” Proverbs 6:19-19

Churchill’s Toy Shop
For security purposes, SOE was often concealed behind such names as “Joint Technical Board” or the “Inter-Service Research Bureau”. Handbooks and pamphlets on Guerrilla Warfare were produced. Weapons were developed for Guerrilla Warfare, in what was called, “Churchill’s Toy Shop”.

Modelled on the IRA
Major General Colin Gubbins, Director of SOE from August 1943, with wide experience of clandestine operations, said that he put into practice many of the lessons he had learned from the IRA during the Irish War of Independence. The aims and objectives of SOE revolved around sabotage and subverting countries under control of the Axis powers. “An evil man seeks only rebellion…” Proverbs 17:11

Provoking Reaction
One of their early high profile operations was Operation Anthropoid, the assassination of the governor of Moravia and Bohemia, Reinhard Heydrich in Prague, which had disastrous consequences for everyone involved. SOE’s key objective was to ferment hatred and conflict between the population of Axis occupied countries and the occupiers, to force the Axis to expend man-power and resources on maintaining control of territory they occupied. “He who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own is like one who takes a dog by the ears.” Proverbs 26:17

Mobilising Murder and Mayhem
To this end SOE created secret armies and guerrilla forces, to sow murder and mayhem behind the lines. These underground armies became a model for the Marxist liberation movements which tore Africa apart during the years of decolonialisation. The KGB built on the example of SOE in arming, training and fomenting terrorism campaigns throughout the world, including the Muslim terrorists that continue to plague civilised society to this day. “…Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord? Therefore the wrath of the Lord is upon you.” 2 Chronicles 19:2

Tools of Terror
SOE developed a wide range of explosive devices for sabotage, such as limpet-mines, shape-charges and timed-fuses. The time-pencil, used to give a saboteur time to escape after setting a charge, relied on crushing an internal vile of acid which then corroded a retaining wire. SOE pioneered the use of plastic explosives which could be shaped and cut to perform any demolition task. As plastic explosive is inert and required a powerful detonator to cause it to explode, it was generally safe to transport and store. SOE used plastic explosives in everything from car bombs to exploding rats. SOE also experimented with lubricants laced with grinding materials for introduction to vehicle oil systems, railway wagon axle boxes and incendiary devices disguised as innoxious objects. Explosive material was concealed in coal piles to destroy locomotives and fireplaces. Land mines were disguised as cow dung. SOE also revived medieval devices such as the caltrop, which could be used to burst the tires of vehicles or injure foot soldiers. They also produced cross bows to shoot incendiary bolts. SOE also produced exploding pens, guns concealed in Tabaco pipes and other exotic devices.

​ “Woe to those who devise iniquity and work out evil on their beds! At morning light they practice it, because it is in the power of their hand.” Micah 2:1

The Arsenal for Marxism
SOE supplied Marxist resistance forces throughout Europe, South East Asia and China, with thousands of tonnes of military weapons and explosives. Numerous military leaders were horrified at the terror tactics used by SOE and its practise of supporting Marxist revolutionaries, such as Tito’s partisans in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.

Betraying Yugoslavia to Communism
Even before the Tehran Conference of 1943, SOE had stopped supporting the Royalist government-in-exile of Mihalovic and channelled most British support to the communist partisans of Josip Broz Tito. “Their feet run to evil and they make haste to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths.” Isaiah 59:7

Sowing Seeds for the Greek Civil War
Also in Greece, SOE and OSS operatives favoured the communist ELAS guerrilla forces and effectively provided the weapons which Marxists used in the Greek Civil War, following WW2.

Betraying Albania to Stalinism
In Albania, SOE and OSS agents supported the communist partisans of Enver Hoxha, who turned Albania into the most brutal Stalinist dictatorship after the war. “For your hands are defiled with blood and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue has muttered perversity.” Isaiah 59:3

SOE Was a Massive State-Sponsored Terrorist Operation
British military historian, John Keegan, wrote: “We must recognise that our response to the scourge to terrorism is compromised by what we did through SOE… The justification… that we had no other means of striking back at the enemy is exactly the argument used by the Red Brigades, the Baader-Meinhoff Gang, the PFLP, the IRA and every other half-articulate terrorist organisation on earth… SOE besmirched Britain.” “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” Proverbs 14:34

Military Failures but Propaganda Success
When British Military officials objected on both moral and military grounds to the SOE operations fomenting terrorism and revolution and that they were of no practical use in the larger military picture, leading to an unnecessary loss of civilian lives, provoking harsh crack-downs, Prime Minister Winston Churchill responded, that that was the whole intention. SOE was to provoke enemy crackdowns on the civilian population and deteriorate relations in the occupied countries. “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil; who put darkness for light and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” Isaiah 5:20

Colossal Collateral Cost
The Secret War by Max Hastings, quotes British High Command Generals as concluding that all the expenses, sacrifices and achievements of SOE did little, or nothing, to alter the military situation or secure military victory, but rather cost an enormous amount of civilian lives by fomenting terrorism in order to provoke enemy reaction. The result was vast devastation to infrastructure in Europe and the loss of many innocent lives, for no strategic advantage. “…We have made a covenant with death and with Sheol we are in agreement. When the overflowing scourge passes through, it will not come to us, for we have made lies our refuge and under falsehood we have hidden ourselves.” Isaiah 28:15

The Office of Strategic Services Role in Advancing Communism
The Office of Strategic Services (OSS), officially formed 13 June 1942, was a war-time agency of the United States, launched on the order of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. FDR tasked Colonel William Donovan (Wild Bill Donovan) who had been appointed co-ordinator of information, 11 June 1941, for the Office of Co-ordinative Information (COI). OSS was established by presidential military order for propaganda, espionage and subversive activities behind enemy lines.

Riddled with Communists
At the height of its influence during WW2 the OSS employed about 24,000 people. The Secret War, by Max Hastings, records that William Donovan had no problem appointing known communists to every level of the OSS. This included Duncan Lee, his personal assistant, who was an NKVD Agent for the Soviet Union. “While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption…” 2 Peter 2:19

Weapons for Guerrilla Warfare
OSS produced silenced pistols, beano grenades that exploded upon impact, explosives disguised as lumps as coal (black jack), tasteless poison tablets and cigarettes laced with poison.

“In transgressing and lying against the Lord and departing from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.” Isaiah 59:13

Biological Chemical Warfare
They also engaged in biological warfare, seeking to spread anthrax amongst German troops. Another plot included hiding a capsule of mustard gas in flowers to cause blindness amongst generals in the High Command Head Quarters. “Woe to those who devise iniquity and work out evil on their beds! At morning light they practice it, because it is in the power of their hand.” Micah 2:1

No Holds Barred
Stanley Lovell of the OSS declared: “It is my policy to consider any method whatever that might aid the war, however unorthodox or untried.” “Their feet are swift to shed blood; destruction and misery are in their ways; and the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes.” Romans 3:15-18

Betraying Allies to Communist Revolutionaries and Islamic Radicals
Max Hastings in The Secret War, documents how OSS played a decisive role in ensuring that the communist partisans gained control of Yugoslavia and that Mao’s Communist Peoples Liberation Army dominated post-war China. The OSS was the predecessor of the modern Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), who have toppled governments, assassinated leaders, armed, funded and trained Muslim and Marxist terrorists and fomented revolutions, including the catastrophic Arab Spring and ISIS, which have devastated centuries-old Christian communities and stimulated waves of millions of Muslim refugees who are destabilising and threatening Europe.

“Who plan evil things in their hearts; they continually gather together for war.” Psalm 140:2

Dr. Peter Hammond

Reformation Society
P.O. Box 74 Newlands 7725
Cape Town South Africa
Tel: 021-689-4480

Email:  mission@frontline.org.za
Website: www.ReformationSA.org

See also:
The Forces Behind Terrorism and How It Can be Defeated
Terrorism in Great Britain
The St. James Massacre
Uprooting Terrorism
Assassination in Sarajevo
The KGB, Active Measures, Disinformation and Subversion
The Assassination of General George Patton
The Katyn Forest Massacre
The Greatest Killer
The 007 Villains Disconnect with Reality
How Capitalists Saved Communism from Collapse
The Bombing of Cities in WW2
How Civilisations Commit Suicide
Versailles – The Poisonous Spirit of Vengeance
Lessons in How to Destroy Christian Civilisation
Hijacking Civilisation
Death by Government
The Black Book of Communism