CHARACTERIZATION OF THE USE OF EXPLOSIVES AS AN ACT OF TERROR PER SE: AN ANALYSIS BASED ON BANK ROBBERIES IN BRAZIL

Abstract

This article aims to analyze the use of explosives in bank robberies in Brazil, characterizing it as an act of terror per se. Based on ethnographic research and a literature review, it discusses how the use of explosive devices not only aims at the theft of valuables, but also generates panic, subjugates populations, and affects the feeling of security, thus constituting a form of terror. The data were based on scientific articles and field reports that describe the evolution of bank robberies, the actions of specialized gangs, and the social impact of these actions. It concludes that the use of explosives in these occurrences transcends the economic objective, assuming a terrorist dimension by instrumentalizing fear and destabilizing public order.