Transcript Chapter 10

Chapter 10
Terrorism: The Newest Threat to
our National Security
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The Terrorism Research Center notes:
“One man’s terrorist is another’s freedom
fighter.”
Terrorism is “the use of force or violence
against persons or property in violation of
the criminal laws of the United States for
purposes of intimidation, coercion or
ransom.”
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Most definitions of terrorism include the
systematic use of physical violence, either
actual or threatened, against
noncombatants to create a climate of fear
and cause some religious, political or
social change.
Classification of Terrorists Acts
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Domestic:
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1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal
Building.
1996 Summer Olympic Games
Domestic terrorists represent extreme right or
left wing and special interest beliefs.
Many are anti-government, antitaxations and
engage in survivalist training to perpetuate a
white, Christian nation.
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International Terrorism:
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Foreign-based or directed by countries or groups
outside the US against the US
Three categories:
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1. foreign state sponsors of international terrorism using
terrorism as a tool to foreign policy, for example: Iraq, Libya
and Afghanistan.
2. Formalized terrorist groups such as Lebanese, Hezballah,
Egyptian Al-Gamm’s. Al-Qaeda.
3. Loosely affiliated international radical extremists who have
a variety of identities and travel freely in the US, unkonw to
law enforcement and the government.
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The Dual Threat:
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The treat from domestic terrorism is as
serious as the international threat.
Motivations for Terrorism:
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Most terrorist acts result from dissatisfaction
with a religious, political or social system or
policy and frustration resulting from an
inability to change it through acceptable,
nonviolent means.
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Domestic Terrorists groups include white
supremacists, black supremacists, militia
groups, other right-winged extremists,
left-wing extremists, pro-life extremists,
animal rights activists and environmental
extremists.
One of the oldest American terrorist
organization is the Ku Klux Klan.
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Black Supremacists:
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The Black Panther Party was established in
1966 during a time of racial turmoil.
Today, a newly reconstructed Black Panther
Party has been organized, and it qualifies as a
hate group.
Heavily armed, advocate violence against
whites, and like their 1960’s predecessors, see
cops as the enemy.
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Left Wing Extremists:
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“the left wing extremists believes in a Pro Marxist stance where the rich
must be brought down and the poor elevated. Presently the largest
groups of supporters for this cause are the Anarchist.
Pro-life:
Animal Rights: Animal Liberation Front (ALF) Clandestine and
decentralized group has claimed credit for attacks on meat packing
plants, furriers, and research labs.
Tries to avoid hurting people in it’s attacks.
Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (SHAC): Feel that people who make
animals suffer should also be made to suffer.
Justice Department: Send surprises to people it calls “animal killing
scum” such as an envelop sent to researcher and hunting guides
that contact razor blades dipped in rat poison positioned to cut the
finger of anyone opening the envelope with out a letter opener.
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Environmental Extremists:
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Eco-Terrorisms seeks to “inflict economic damage to
those who profit from the destruction of the natural
environment.
Earth Liberation Front (ELF) often works with Animal
Liberation Front (ALF)
Arson is a favorite weapon
Vandalism of equipment, package bombs, destruction
of research data, arson of buildings, obliteration of
experimental plants and animals
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Terrorists may use arson, explosives and bombs,
weapons of mass destruction (biological,
chemical or nuclear agents) and technology.
Suicide bombers:
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Most believe the act makes them martyrs and assures
them a place in their version of heaven.
Their families are usually held in reverence and taken
care of.
Try to kill as many people as possible.
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Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)
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Nuclear, radiological, biological and chemical
weapons.
Biological Agents:
Anthrax, botulism, smallpox.
CIA reports that at least 10 countries are
believed to possess or to be conducting
research on biological agents.
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Chemical Agents:
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Chemical agents are not as lethal as biological
agents, and they are easier to control. The
four common types of chemical weapons are
nerve agents, blood agents, choking agents
and blistering agents.
Nuclear Terrorism:
What is happening right now with
Nuclear weapons?
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Technological Terrorism:
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Modern societies are susceptible to two
methods of technological terror.
1) the employment of mass destruction
weapons or the conversion of an industrial
site-for example, a chemical plant – into a
massively lethal instrument through sabotage.
2) attack a source that supplies technology or
energy. The result of either type of attack
could be catastrophic.
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September 11, 2001
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Where were you?
US immigration policies made it relatively
easy for terrorists to enter the US.
Permissiveness in allowing knives and
small cutting instruments on board planes.
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As a result of 9/11 the Department of
Homeland Security was established,
reorganizing the departments of the
federal government.
USA Patriot Act
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Gave the police the ability to search, seize,
detain or eavesdrop in their pursuit of
possible terrorists, saying: “This government
will enforce this law with all the urgency of a
nation at war.”
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USA Patriot Act allows:
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Investigators to use the tools already available to
investigate organized crime and drug trafficking
Facilitating information sharing and cooperation
among government agencies so they can better
“connect the dots.”
Updating the law to reflect new technologies and new
threats.
Increasing the penalties for those who commit or
support terrorist crimes
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Law Enforcement and Homeland Security:
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It is vital that patrol officers correctly see
themselves as the country’s first defense
against terrorists attacks.
The officer in the field, perhaps by
transmitting the details of a seemingly routine
traffic stop to a centralized data system, could
potentially help avert a national desaster.
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Al-Qaeda training manual:
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Lesson 1: A call to “holy war” (jihad)
Lesson 2: focuses on the qualities of individual
members.
Lesson 3: teaches forgery
Lesson 4: focuses on safe houses and other hiding
places, including instructions for establishing a
clandestine terrorist network
Lesson 5: concentrates on secret transportation and
communication.
Lesson 6: training and security
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Lesson 7: covers weapons, one of the keys to
terrorism, including building an arsenal and safely
storing explosives.
Lesson 8: discusses secrecy and members safety.
Lesson 9: discussion of security, emphasizing
planning and operations.
Lesson 10 & 11: reconnaissance, including methods
for clandestine spying and capturing prisoners.
Lesson 12: discusses intelligence gathering, but
focuses specifically on covert methods and counterintelligence
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Intermediate sections between lessons are
tips on handling recruited agents and
dealing with countermeasures.
Lesson 18: provides instructions about
behavior when arrested.
The key to combating terrorism lies with
the local police’s investigation of terrorist
acts and the intelligence they obtain to
help prevent future attacks.
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The technological issue that most challenges
state and local participation in any national antiterrorism intelligence efforts can be summarized
by one word- interoperability (the ability to
exchange information seamlessly).
Two concerns related to the “war on terrorism”
are that civil liberties may be jeopardized and
that people of Middle Eastern descent may be
discriminated against or become victims of hate
crimes.