Terrorism

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Terrorism
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On September the 11th, enemies of freedom
committed an act of war against our country
Either you are with us or you are with the
terrorists.  President George W. Bush, 20 Sep
2001 the American people should remain
vigilant. Those plotting against us seek not
only to undermine our security, but also the open
society and the values that we cherish as
Americans. President
Barack Obama, 28 Dec 2009
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Overview

• History
• Definitions
• Characteristics, Objectives, Tactics
• US National Policy and Military Policy
• Future of Terrorism

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History

• Terrorism to achieve political agendas isnt new
• Jewish dissidents opposed
• Roman rule (48 C.E.)
• Islamic sect called Hashshashin
• pursued righteous causes
• Crusaders employed rape as
• terror tactic

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History

• Since 1990s, religious fundamentalism emerged as
  primary force for terror
• Weapons proliferation narrowed the gap between
  the firepower of
• the state and dissidents

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Definitions

• Walter Laqueur
• Terrorism constitutes the illegitimate use of
  force to achieve a political objective when
  innocent people are targeted.
• Department of Defense
• The unlawful use or threatened use of force
  or violence against individuals or property to
  coerce or intimidate governments or societies,
  often to achieve political, religious, or
  ideological objectives.

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Joint Pub. 3-07.2

• The calculated use of unlawful violence or threat
  of unlawful violence to inculcate fear intended
  to coerce or to intimidate governments or
  societies in pursuit of goals that are generally
  political, religious or ideological.
• Joint Publication 3-07.2, Antiterrorism

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Key Criteria

• Violence
• Political goal
• Psychological impact and fear
• Targeting of noncombatants

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Guerilla vs. Terrorism
Guerilla
Terrorism
Targets Mostly military, police, or political opponents State symbols, political opponents, and the public at large
Intended Impact Mainly physical attrition of the enemy Psychological coercion
Tactics Commando-type operations Specialized tactics kidnapping, car bombs, hijacking, etc.
International Legality Yes, if follow rules of armed conduct No
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Typologies of Terrorism

• Political Force governments to change structure
  or policies, or to achieve radical societal
  change
• Religious Objectives/actions divinely guided
  often tied to ethnic nationalist identities
• Social Special interest
• (i.e., animal rights)

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Categories of Terrorism

• Domestic Terrorism
• Terrorism perpetrated by the citizens of a
  country against their fellow citizens

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Categories of Terrorism

• International terrorism
• Terrorism in which planning and execution of the
  terrorist act transcends national boundaries

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Characteristics

• Status Most from middle class backgrounds, with
  some from extreme wealth
• Education Intelligent and literate, with
  varying levels of formal education
• Age Operational members aged between 20-35,
  while suicide bombers tend to be younger
• Gender Most are male but not exclusively

Theres nothing wrong with being a terrorist, as
long as you win. (Paul Watson, Sea Shepherd
Conservation Society)
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Objectives of Terrorism

• Attract attention for cause
• Demonstrate groups power
• Show governments lack
• of power
• Exact revenge
• Obtain logistical support
• Cause a government to overreact

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Terrorist Planning Cycle
2. Intelligence and surveillance Information
gathering on the targets with greatest
possibility of success (i.e. schedules, security,
layout, etc.)
3. Specific target selection Decision point!

• 6. Action Generally, goal is to get in, get the
  job done, and get out before security forces can
  react

• 1. Broad target selection Collection of data on
  large number of potential targets

7. Escape and exploitation Escape plans well
rehearsed and exploitation of successful attack
vital to achieve desired effect
4. Pre-attack surveillance and planning Quantity
and quality of data gathering increases, and
usually is gathered over days to weeks
5. Attack rehearsal Often includes relocation to
target site, testing of security responsiveness
and escape routes, and checking equipment
performance
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Tactics

• Seizures
• Raids
• Sabotage
• Threat or Hoax
• Use of WMD

• Assassination
• Arson
• Bombing
• Hostage taking
• Kidnapping
• Hijacking

Between now and 2015 terrorist tactics will
become increasingly sophisticated and designed to
achieve mass casualties. (National Intelligence
Council)
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Tactics

• AssassinationMurder of prominent persons,
  symbolic enemies, or traitors who defect from
  the group
• ArsonRequires little technical knowledge, poses
  low risk to terrorist, and can cause significant
  destruction

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Tactics

• BombingExplosive devices commonly employed in
  warfare are now an integral part of the
  terrorists arsenal
• Oct 1983 Marine barracks in Beirut 245 were
  killed and 146 wounded
• Oct 2000 Navy destroyer USS Cole attacked,
  resulting in the death of 17 sailors and
• 39 injured

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Tactics

• Improvised explosive device (IED) is the
  terrorists weapon of choice
• Inexpensive to produce
• Detonation techniques
• Low risk to the perpetrator
• Placement/concealment
• High attention-getting capacity

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Tactics

• Hostage taking Overt seizure of individuals with
  the intent of gaining publicity or concessions in
  return for release of
• the hostage
• Kidnapping Covert seizure of one or more
  specific person(s) in order to extract specific
  demands

Rescued
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Tactics

• Hijacking or Skyjacking Normally executed to
  produce a spectacular hostage situation any
  passenger transport can be used
• Seizure Usually involves a building or object
  that has value in the eyes of the audience

1976 Highjacked Flight 139 out of Tel Aviv was
diverted to Entebbe, Uganda. Israeli forces, led
by Col Yoni Netanyahu, rescued the hostages in
Operation Thunderbolt. Netanyahu was the only
military casualty.
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Tactics

• Raids/Attacks on Facilities Done to gain access
  to media, acquire resources, and/or demonstrate
  governments inability to secure critical
  facilities
• Sabotage Destruction of equipment or
  infrastructure to demonstrate vulnerability of
  society and to disrupt services

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Tactics

• Threat or Hoaxes Threat that causes diversion of
  resources can dull effectiveness of preventive
  or countermeasures
• Use of WMD Chemical weapons used in the past
  many groups have expressed desire to acquire WMD

Acquiring weapons (WMD) for the defense of
Muslims is a religious duty. (Osama Bin Laden)
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Terrorist Attacks 1970-2007
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US Terror Policy

• First articulated by the Reagan administration
  and reaffirmed by every president since
• Four enduring policy principles
• Make no concessions to terrorists
• Bring terrorists to justice for their crimes
• Isolate and apply pressure on states that sponsor
  terrorism to force them to change their behavior
• Bolster the counterterrorist capabilities of
  those countries that work with the United States
  and require assistance

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National Strategy for Combating Terrorism

• Advance effective democracies as the long-term
  antidote to the ideology of terrorism
• Prevent attacks by terrorist networks
• Deny weapons of mass destruction to rogue states
  and terrorist allies who seek to use them
• Deny terrorists the support and sanctuary of
  rogue states
• Deny terrorists control of any nation they would
  use as a base and launching pad for terror and
• Lay the foundations and build the institutions
  and structures we need to carry the fight forward
  against terror and help ensure our ultimate
  success.

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US Policy Post 9/11

• Dept. of Homeland Security established Third
  largest cabinet department after DOD and VA
• Incorporates existing agencies, including US
  Coast Guard, Secret Service, and CIS
• Coordinates capabilities of 22 agencies to
• Secure borders, transportation, critical
  infrastructure
• Synthesize/analyze homeland security intelligence
• Spearheads domestic counter-terrorism efforts

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US Military Policy

• Guiding principles
• US forces will continue to engage
• Force protection will be a
• major consideration
• DOD addresses terrorism from
• two distinct perspectives
• Counterterrorism (offensive)
• Anti-terrorism (defensive)
• Intelligence critical component for success

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US Military Policy

• Counterterrorism
• Offensive measures taken to prevent, deter, and
  respond to terrorism include Operation El Dorado
  Canyon and the GWOT
• Antiterrorism
• Defensive measures to reduce vulnerability
  include facility hardening, setting buildings
  back from roads/parking lots, and limiting access
  to military posts

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Force Protection

• Force ProtectionAn integrated application of
  offensive/defensive actions that deter, detect,
  preempt, mitigate, or negate threats against or
  hazards to Air Force air and space operations and
  assets, based on an acceptable level of risk (JP
  1-02)
• Relocation of deployed forces out of
• heavily populated areas to an isolated base
• Deployment of floating barriers around
• warships in high-risk areas

Asymmetric challenges can arise across the
spectrum of conflict that will confront US forces
in a theater of operations or on US soil.
(National Intelligence Council)
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Future of Terrorism

• Terrorism is a dynamic enemyand is adapting to
  the challenges posed by developing societies
• Groups like Al Qaeda and Hezbollah benefit from
  and are exploiting globalization, even as they
  fight against it
• Terrorism is becoming more network based,
  encouraging loosely organized, self-financed
  organizational structure

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Future of Terrorism

• International or transnational cooperation among
  terrorist groups is becoming the norm
• WMD proliferation amplifies the danger of broad,
  network-based terrorism.
• Terrorists increasingly display a willingness to
  use catastrophic violence to cause mass
  casualties and destruction

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Future of Terrorism

• Other trends
• Intense motivational extremism
• Flexible organization structure
• Aggressive training to improve operational
  capability
• Increasing exploitation of media
• Increasing mass casualties and chaos through use
  of more advanced weapons

States with poor governance ethnic, cultural,
or religious tensions weak economies and porous
borders will be prime breeding grounds for
terrorism. (National Intelligence Council)
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Summary

• History
• Definitions
• Characteristics, Objectives, Tactics
• US National Policy and Military Policy
• Future of Terrorism

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Questions?
We will not tire, we will not falter, and we
will not fail. President Bush, 20 Sep 2001