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DSC4012 – Terrorism
Gender Roles, Tactics, and Force Multipliers in Terrorism
Chapter 5
Learning Objectives: Chapter 5
 Summarize the tactics of modern terrorism.
 List and describe four force multipliers.
 Discuss historical and current roles of women in terrorism.
 Outline the tactical importance of female terrorists.
Learning Objectives: Chapter 5
 Define the types of threats posed by technological terrorism.
 Explain the effects of biological, chemical and radiological weapons.
 Characterize the possibility and possible outcomes of nuclear terrorism.
Learning Objectives: Chapter 5
 Discuss the role of the media as a force multiplier.
 Summarize transnational economic targeting in the tourist, energy, and
transportation industries.
 Summarize theories of suicide bombing.
Terrorism Tactics
 Bombing
 Hijacking
 Arson
 Assault
 Kidnapping
 Hostage taking
 Weapons of mass destruction
Force Multipliers
 Transnational support
Increases terrorist groups ability to move and hide
 Technology
Allows a small group to launch a deadly attack
 Media coverage
Makes minor group appear to be politically important
 Religion
Transcends normative political and social boundaries
The Bomb
 Philosophy of the bomb
The only way to communicate with the social order was to destroy it
Terrorists tend to increase their effectiveness in bombing by applying improved
explosive technology to their weapons
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 Thermobaric bomb
Spreads fuel in the air and then ignites it
Women and Terrorism
 Female terrorists are not new to the history of terrorism:
18th century France
19th century Russia
20th century US
Rebels in Ireland
Western revolutionary groups
 Women are actively recruited by religious terrorists today
Women and Terrorism
 Role of women in terrorist groups is more closely determined by the political
orientation of an organization than its tactics
 Women are more attracted to domestic terrorist organizations than
international groups
Women also have opportunities for leadership in revolutionary (domestic)
groups
International terrorists try to defend a traditional culture that limits the role of
women
Women and Terrorism
 Revolutionary groups
Ulricke Meinhof and Leila Khalid served as combatants, leaders and served as
inspiration for supporters
 Secular and religious terrorist groups
Women increasingly receive combat assignments because they are so numerous
Impact of Terrorism on Women
 Women have a greater sense of vulnerability to crime, and these feelings
seem to transfer to terrorism
 Israeli study
Women seemed to be more scared of terrorism than men, because women
experienced terrorism more vicariously
Women were more likely to suffer from posttraumatic stress and seek assistance
following terrorist attacks
Women approached the fear of terrorism with problem-solving strategies
Overlooking Female Terrorists
 Researchers do not tend to think of women as terrorists or criminals
When they do look at females, researchers usually view women as victims
 Law enforcement officers do not tend to arrest females
 It is generally assumed that terrorism is a violent male occupation
 There are men and women terrorists—each gender can be deployed with
certain tactical benefits.
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Cyberterrorism
 Is the use of technology through the Internet a great enough threat to be
considered terrorism?
When the technological impact is great enough to turn a tactic into a strategy.
 Or does this application confuse the issue?
Cyberterrorism
 The use of computers to attack technological targets or physical attacks on
computer networks
An attractive low-risk strategy
Cyberterrorists seek to interrupt or confuse the flow of information which
Western society has become dependent upon.
 Computers allow terrorist groups to remain connected, providing a means
for covert discussions and anonymity
 Greatest fear of cyberterrorism concerns catastrophic or multiple system
failures
CASE STUDY:
 In October 2009, Douglas Duchak was terminated from his job as data
analyst at the TSA’s Colorado Springs Operations Center (CSOC). Surveillance
cameras captured images of Duchak entering the facility after hours loading a
logic bomb onto a CSOC server that stored data from the U.S. Marshals. If
activated, the unauthorized code would have disrupted TSA’s ability to vet
names against its “no fly” list temporarily.
 In January 2011, Duchak was sentenced to two years prison, $60,587 in fines,
and three years probation. At his sentencing, Duchak tearfully apologized as
his lawyer noted that at the time of the incident, Duchak's wife was pregnant
with their second child. The judge at the sentencing mentioned that this logic
bomb planting "incident was an anomaly in an otherwise untarnished work
history.”
 Other scenarios:
Stealing corporate or government secrets
Causing an economic crisis by infiltrating the banking or investment sectors,
draining accounts
Attacking a major switching station on the power grid of a large metropolis
causing circuit overloading and shutting down power.
Causing a meltdown and explosion at a nuclear power plant.
WMD: Biological Agents
 Modern arsenals contain bacterial weapons and viral weapons, with
microbes cultured and refined, or weaponized, to increase their ability to kill.
 Bacterial weapons are often effectively treated with antibiotics.
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Nations with these programs have created strains of bacterial microbes that are
resistant to such drugs.
 For viral weapons, antibiotics are usually not effective.
WMD: Biological Agents
 The Center for Disease Control classifies the most threatening from the
groups as:
smallpox
anthrax
plague
botulism
tularemia,
hemorrhagic fever
US Biological Attacks after 1980
 Bacteria
Religious group in Oregon spread bacteria in area salad bars to sicken potential
voters
Hundreds of people suffered food poisoning
 Anthrax
Cases were reported in Florida, Washington, DC, New York, New Jersey, and
Connecticut
Public health response was disorganized
The case is still under investigation
WMD: Chemical & Radiological
 There are four types of chemical agents: nerve agents, blood agents, choking
agents, and blistering agents
 Radiological weapons are more head resistant and lasts longer than
chemicals
Exposure to radiation can produce short-term burns and long-term heath
problems
WMD: Chemical & Radiological
 Dirty Bombs
Uses a conventional explosive to spread a radioactive agent around a large area.
Radiation is not affected by the heat of the explosion.
Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU)
 HEU is plentiful and easy to obtain
 HEU is so potent that it could be used in a dirty bomb or a nuclear device
 Terrorists could build a device with HEU without the assistance of a nuclear
state
 Terrorists could attack a nuclear tower with a hijacked plane or strong
explosive device.
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Nuclear Terrorism
 The most fearful scenario with WMDs involves a nuclear explosion
 Tel Aviv University Scholars suggest that the probability of nuclear terrorism
is low
 The nuclear threat is based on the crime causation model: victim,
opportunity to commit a crime, and the criminals’ desire
Nuclear Terrorism concepts
1. Security is never 100% effective.
2. The nuclear black market does not exist.
3. Building a nuclear bomb is a complex process.
4. Nuclear defense should be based on realistic, comprehensive scenarios.
5. We should create total intelligence pictures of terrorist groups beyond
nuclear terrorism.
6. Total protection is not possible, but we can tip the scales in our favor.
Media Force Multiplier
 Both governments and terrorists see the media as a force multiplier:
Security forces (symbols of sanity in a world turned upside down) assume the
role of heroes who are trying to restore order
Constant reporting makes small terrorist groups seem important
With repeated media coverage, the striking power of the terrorist group is
magnified
Media Force Multiplier
 Terrorists try to portray respectability.
 Neither side wants to be portrayed as the aggressor.
 Media is the primary tool for demonizing the enemy.
 The Internet is the primary force multiplier and is easily available to
terrorists.
 The Internet has little impact on democratic countries, but strong impact on
authoritarian regimes as they control it for their own purposes and are
aware of its value as a weapon for opposition and revolution.
Tourism
 Terrorism does not seem to have an impact on domestic travel.
 Terrorism most frequently affects international travelers.
 Terrorism against tourists has a negative economic impact.
Energy
 Fossil fuels present tempting targets:
They represent the power and strength of the industrialized world
Strikes against oil refineries have an economic impact on the West
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From June 2003-February 2006, there were 298 attacks against oil
production facilities in Iraq.
 Targets include:
Production facilities
Transfer systems
Pipelines
Storage facilities
Shipping
Individual Workers, especially foreigners
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Energy Attacks
 Saudi Arabia
bin Laden considered Saudi Arabia as nothing more than an American colony.
40% of the countries gross domestic product is oil production.
 Pakistan and Balochista
The Bugtis resent and resist Pashtun incursion into their native land, which has
led to sharp fighting and a guerrilla war.
Transportation
 After the September 11 attacks, the federal government immediately
budgeted $4.8 billion to protect the aviation industry
 Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore have joined to protest insurance
premiums on ships traveling through the Strait of Malacca
 Critics of homeland-security policies argue that ports remain unsecured
because of the costs associated with increased protection
Theory of Suicide Terrorism
 Pape (2005) believes three factors must be in place before a suicide terror
campaign occurs:
Nationalistic or ethnic group must be resisting the occupation of a foreign power
Foreign power must have democratic government whose voters will not
routinely allow the slaughter and repression of the people in the occupied area
Must be a difference in the religions of the occupying power and the people
living under occupation
Models of Suicide Attacks
 Gunaratna sees three things that all attacks have in common: secrecy,
reconnaissance, and rehearsal
 The Hamas model involves a professional group that plans and executes the
attack, and a support group to prepare the attacker
For many years, researchers believed that this was the only model for suicide
bombing
Models of Suicide Attacks
 Cronin finds that different models emerged over time:
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) trained suicide bombers
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The Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK) leadership coerced victims
The bombings in Chechnya represent a different combination of social and
psychological factors
Chapter Take Aways
 The tactics of terrorism are straightforward and simple, but they are
employed in innovative ways.
 The study of terrorism is complex as a result of tactical innovation.
 Force multipliers – technology, transnational support, religion, and the media
– enhance the power of terrorist groups.
Chapter Take Aways
 It is important to understand the tactical impact of gender on terrorism, but
research on the roles of women has been neglected.
 Technological attacks can be made more effective by using WMD, cyberattacks, or economic targeting.
 Suicide bombing has become a particularly terrorizing tactic, but there is no
single explanation for either understanding or preventing it.