Overview of Terrorism

Understanding Terrorism
10th Annual
Emergency Management
Conference
San Juan, PR
May 22, 2000

Dr. George Buck

University of South Florida
 Definition of Terrorism
 Terrorism actually comes from the Latin
Word “Fear”
 “The Unlawful Use of Force Against
Persons or Property to Intimidate or Coerce
a Government, the Civilian Population, or
Segment Thereof, in the Furtherance of
Political or Social Objectives.”(Source FBI)
 Definition of Terrorism
 However the Media
defines “Terrorism”
for the day’s news
events
 Paradigm
 New York’s World
Trade Center Bombed
 Middle Eastern
Terrorist.
Paradigm
 Oklahoma City
Bombing
 Middle Eastern Man
detained
 However, the boy next
door did it
 Paradigm
 Tokyo Subway “PARADIGM BROKEN”

 The Harbor Incident (United States)

 Chemical Attack
Terrorism Priorities
 The priories’ in the
United States relating
to the threats of
Terrorism is Domestic
in nature.

 August 7, 1998
 3:30 am Eastern Time
 Terrorism Priorities
 The priories’ in the
United States relating
to the threats of
Terrorism is
International in nature.

 August 7, 1998
 3:40 am Eastern Time
 Terrorism Priorities

Today
Biological
Conventional Weapons
Dirty Bombs
The Terrorist
and their
Thinking

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Two Types of
Groups
 Domestic/
National

 International

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Domestic Terrorism
It’s Roots

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 The Birth of the
Ku Klux Klan (KKK)
June 9, 1866

Started as a Social
Organization by General
Nathan Bedford

All of the founding members

were college educated

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 Domestic Terrorism

Groups believe that

the time has come
to arm themselves
in defense of their
liberties.

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 Domestic Terrorism
(National)

Terroristic activities of groups or

individuals directed at elements or the
U.S. Government or population without
foreign direction

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 Domestic Terrorism

The time has come to arm ourselves.

The Declaration of Independence itself says

that “whenever any form of government
becomes destructive of these ends [life,
liberty, and the pursuit of happiness],

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 Domestic Terrorism
“It is the Right of the People to alter or
abolish it.”

Thomas Jefferson advised that “the tree of

liberty must be watered periodically with
the blood of patriots and tyrants.”

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 Domestic Terrorism

Timothy
McVeigh’s
favorite T-shirt

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 National Terrorism,
It’s Thinking

 National - Who
Wrote the
Constitution,
Before 1866?

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 The Social Contract
 The Declaration of
Independence was
the Promise; the
Constitution was
the fulfillment.
 1866 the
fulfillment and
promise was
broken.
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 Armed Forces of National
Liberation.
The FALN has claimed responsibility for
numerous bombings in the United States; its
1975 bombing of Fraunces Tavern in New
York killed four and injured 63.

Attacked U.S. government targets

in Puerto Rico.

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National and International
Join Forces

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International Terrorism

War by Proxy

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 International Terrorism
International - Disrupt Daily.

War by Nations (States)

or
Causes

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 Terrorist Motives
 Ethnic Cleansing
 Damage Infrastructure
 Disrupt Normal Life
 Direct Kill of an
Enemy

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 Terrorist Motives
 Undermine Confidence In Government
- Requires Media Coverage
- Should effect as many people as possible
- Must last long enough to overwhelm (NYC)
Local resources
Media audience
- Usually directed towards injury fatality
(International Terrorist)

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 Target Selection
Based on:

 Motive
 Type of Device Available
 Type of Deployment
Method Available

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 Thinking Outside the Box

They ARE!!

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Types of Terrorist Incidents
Four Primary Types for
Emergency Services

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 Terrorist Incidents
 Explosives and Arson
 Nuclear Materials
 Biological Agents
 Chemical Agents

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 Explosives and Arson
 70% of Attacks Worldwide
 Maximizes Property Damage
 Target Individuals (Letter or Package
Bombs)
 Destroy Building, Aircraft, Monuments,
etc..
 Large Devices, Truck or Car Bombs

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Operational Procedures for
Terrorist Incidents

FACTORS FOR PREPARING

Common Weapons
Stand-off Weapons
Super Terrorism

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 Operational Changes
 Emergency Services strategic thinker must
be willing to “think the unthinkable” so that
appropriate responses may be conceived.
 Do not overstate the threat.

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 Terrorist Units and Cells:
Training A Functional Approach
• Recruitment
• Instructors
• Sites
• Equipment
Logistics
Funding
• Equipment &
• Sources: supplies
Operations
crime, harvesting • Other essentials • One-man
• Processing and • Sources • Team
management, • Multilateral/
•Nation States
Intelligence collaborative

• Supplied
• Gathered
• Internet/other
open source
• Information
and politics
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 Government Response
Training to Terrorism:
• Recruitment A Functional Approach
• Instructors
• Sites
• Equipment
Logistics
Funding
• Equipment &
• Sources: supplies
Operations
•Federal, State and • Other essentials • One-man
•Local Taxes • Sources • Team
• Multilateral/
Intelligence collaborative

• Supplied
• Gathered
• Internet/other
open source
• Information
and politics
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Terrorism and Weapons of
Mass Destruction

Terrorist Targets and their

Weapons
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 Common Weapons
 Fertilizer Bombs
 Dynamite
 Semtex
 Automatic and Semi-automatic and Pistols
remain the weapons of choice.

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 Stand-Off Weapons
 American Stinger
 Russian SA-7 Hand-Held Anti-Aircraft
missiles
 US Army Light Anti-tank Weapon (LAW)
 Russian RPG-7 Anti-Tank Weapon
 And Increasing Bombing Technologies.

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Where is Terrorism Going?

The CYBER
World

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ARE YOU READY??

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HE IS!!!!!!!!!