Terrorists and Terrorism

THE INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM THREAT IS CHANGING

Who are the international terrorists? What are their motives and how do they get their support? How do they operate? How can we stop them? Consequences of a Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear attack. The answers to these questions change continually. International terrorist incidents were fewer in the mid-eighties, but since September 11, 2001, they have been more frequent and more deadly. Terrorist tactics are also changing in ways that make it more dangerous and difficult to counter. Attacks are becoming more lethal. Most terrorist organizations active in the 1970s and 1980s had clear political objectives. They aimed to calibrate their attacks to produce just enough death and destruction to get attention for their cause, but not so much as to alienate international support. Now, the majority of terrorist attacks are designed to kill as many people as possible. This trend toward higher casualties reflects, in part, the changing motivation of today's terrorists. Religiously motivated terrorist groups represent a growing trend globally. Other terrorist groups are driven by visions of a post-apocalyptic future or by ethnic hatred. Such groups may lack a concrete political goal, other than to punish their enemies by killing as many of them as possible, without concern about alienating sympathizers. Increasingly, attacks are less likely to be followed by claims of responsibility or lists of political demands. This shift in terrorist motives has contributed to a change in the way some international terrorist groups are structured. Because groups based on ideological or religious motives may lack a specific political or nationalistic agenda, they have less need for a hierarchical structure. Instead, they can rely on loose affiliations with like-minded groups from a variety of countries to support their common cause. Al-Qaida is the best-known transnational terrorist organization. In addition to pursuing its own terrorist agenda, it calls on numerous militant groups that share some of its ideological beliefs to support its violent campaign. But neither al-Qaida's extremist politico-religious beliefs nor its leader, Usama bin Ladin, is unique. New terrorist threats can suddenly emerge from isolated conspiracies or obscure cults with no previous history of violence. These more loosely affiliated, transnational terrorist networks are difficult to predict, track, and penetrate. They rely on a variety of sources for funding and logistical support, including self-financing criminal activities such as kidnapping, narcotics, and petty crimes. Their networks of support include both front organizations and legitimate business and non-government organizations. They use the Internet as an effective communications channel. Weapons and conventional explosives remain the choice for most terrorist groups, in that they are effective in causing multiple casualties and are relatively easy to acquire and use. Some groups, however, are beginning to show an interest in acquiring the capability to use chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear (CBRN) materials. While it is difficult to predict the likelihood of a CBRN attack, most experts agree that today's terrorists are seeking the ability to use such agents in order to cause mass casualties. What makes a terrorist? Some come to it by chance, some by design. The ranks of terrorist groups include idealists, criminals and psychopaths, yet despite their differences, all terrorists have a common heritage. They share the influence of those thinkers who preach that violence is essential to make the world a better place "for the masses". One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter. This is a slick argument often used by defenders of violence. But, while it may be true when applied to national movements fighting against tyranny when no other means are available, it is more difficult to sustain when applied to those terrorists movements that cut across recognized national and ideological boundaries and use the weapon of terrorism against civilian populations. The accomplished terrorist will have knowledge in many areas - the mechanics of bomb making, telephone technology and electronics. He is adept in map making, planning, weapon training and explosives. With thorough training, (available in numerous countries around the world), he becomes a well-trained soldier with terrorist ideals. Where a soldier's conduct is governed by a set of rules, the terrorist has no constraints placed upon him and will kill, maim and injure how and where he sees fit. Today's terrorists rely less on direct state sponsorship and more on private financial and logistical support. Many terrorist groups secretly exploit the resources of international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), companies, and wealthy individuals. A terrorist attack using biological agents, deadly chemicals or nuclear or radiological material, even if only partially successful, would profoundly affect a significant area causing thousands of deaths. Given the trend toward more deadly terrorist attacks and indications that mass casualties are an objective of many of today's terrorists, it is essential that countries be fully prepared to prevent and respond to this kind of catastrophy. Terrorists, without serious risk of detection, could obtain pathogens from domestic natural sources by stealing or importing them into any country. Most pathogens are tightly controlled, but regulation of laboratories as well as of dangerous agents during transport are designed to prevent accidents, not theft. Moreover, these controls are not as rigorous as controls over nuclear material. Creating pathogens small and sturdy enough to disperse broadly over a target population for an effective period of time remains a complex process. Regulating the sophisticated equipment required to turn pathogens into weapons could hamper terrorist efforts to acquire this capability. Recent events have drawn attention to the issue of terrorism and its many implications and effects on governments globally. It has never been a more important time that organizations, corporations and individuals understand the world that faces them. Learning about the new terrorist threat may become a vital and necessary addition to many organizations and businesses. Terrorism is arguably the most urgent issue facing companies, organizations and individuals globally. With new threats ever increasing, protecting the vast range of critical infrastructure against terrorist activities is a daunting task. The Globe Risk Holdings series of workshops on Contemporary Terrorism examines the scope and range of terrorist options, identifies terrorist groups, determines how these groups operate, suggests how to combat this threat and what companies, organizations and individuals can do to mitigate this growing threat to their way of life. Since September 11th, the threat level globally has increased significantly and will continue to do so in the nearest foreseeable future. World events could well provoke significantly increased levels for a terrorist attack. Companies, organizations and individuals will demand answers to questions relating to the many different terrorist groups and their specific motivations and goals. Currently, the majority of companies, organizations and individuals must source their information primarily from the TV networks and other media. With world events moving into unknown areas and into unpredictable times, providing an insight into Terrorists and Terrorism gives companies, organizations and individuals an offering that is modern, current and relevant to today's changing world, keeping it on the cutting edge of information and knowledge. Contemporary Workshop Objectives Gain a global perspective of the growing threat of terrorism Define pro-active strategies to reduce risk and respond effectively to the threat of terrorism Discuss how terrorist groups operate and plan their devastating attacks Examine critical infrastructure and each sector's vulnerabilities Review global responses to terrorism There are wide ranges of topics included in these workshops curriculum, some of which include: History of Terrorism Terrorists and Terrorism Terrorist Groups and Tactics Consequences of Global Terrorism Solutions for combating Terrorism Force Protection and Counter-Terrorism in a New Era of Threat Global Perspective on the War on Terrorism International Cooperation in Fighting Terrorism The Effects of Terrorism on International Business Interests Terrorism and the Media - How is the media helping the terrorist cause? Terrorism vs. Intelligence There are very few organizations that can deliver such a course, drawing from years of first hand experience. Globe Risk Holdings consultants have spent decades working with International Special Forces and have participated in counter terrorist operations worldwide. They can offer a first-hand, unique and interesting perspective on the subject of terrorists and terrorism. A number of Globe Risk Holdings consultants are used as professional resources on terrorism and are called upon to comment on terrorist and international security related events by the international media (TV, radio, newspaper, magazines) and regularly appear on North American T.V. networks.