CRMJ 521 WEEK 6 DISCUSSION

Chapter 10

Tools of the Trade

Tactics and Targets of Terrorists

Terrorist Objectives

· Typical objectives:

· Changing the existing order.

· Psychological disruption.

· Social disruption.

· Publicizing the cause

· Creating a revolutionary environment.

· Terrorist Objectives

· Victims and constituencies:

· Politically apathetic people.

· Government and its allies.

· Potential supporters.

· Confirmed supporters.

· Playing to the Audience

· Politically apathetic people

· The government and its allied elites

· Potential supporters

· Confirmed supporters

· The New Terrorism and New Objectives

· Weapons of mass destruction and objectives.

· Attracting attention.

· Pleasing God.

· Damaging economies.

· Influencing enemies.

· Cases:

· The Covenant, the Sword, and the Arm of the Lord.

· Ramzi Yousef.

· Aum Shinrikyo.

Terrorist Methods

· Asymmetrical Warfare

· Unconventional, unexpected, and unpredictable methods.

· Netwar.

· Chain networks.

· Star, hub, or wheel neworks.

· All-channel networks.

· Case: The “martyr nation” as an asymmetrical strategy

· Common Methods

· Recurrent tactics and weapons:

· Bombings.

· Sidearms.

· Kidnappings.

· Hijackings.

· Signature methods.

· Case: Kneecapping.

· Weapons Old and New

· High range, medium, range, and low range.

· Examples:

· Firearms.

· Explosives.

· Triggers.

· Types of bombs.

· Weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

· Case: The suicide bombers.

Terrorist Targets

· The Symbolism of Targets

· Armed propaganda.

· Types of symbols:

· Embassies and diplomatic personnel.

· International symbols.

· Symbolic buildings and sites.

· Symbolic people.

· Passenger carriers.

· The Threat from Cyberterrorism

· Several categories of cyberattacks

· Cyberwarfare

· Hacktivism

· Cyberterrorism

Is Terrorism Effective?

· Media and Political Attention

· Impact on an Audience

· Forcing Concessions

· Disruption of Normal Routines

· Provoking the State to Overreact

· Case: The King David Hotel Bombing