CULTURE OF TERRORISM - UNC Charlotte Army ROTC

Section4CULTURE OF TERRORISMKey PointsOfficership Track1 The Terrorist Mindset2 Characteristics of Terrorists3 The Terrorist Planning Cycle4 Terrorist Operations, Tactics, and WeaponseThe terrorists want to attack our country and harm our citizens.They believe that the world’s democracies are weak, and that bykilling innocent civilians they can break our will. They’re mistaken.America will not retreat in the face of terrorists and murderers.And neither will the free world. As Prime Minister Blair said afterthe attacks in London, “Our determination to defend our valuesand our way of life is greater than their determination to causedeath and destruction to innocent people.” The attack in Londonwas an attack on the civilized world. And the civilized world isunited in its resolve: We will not yield. We will defend our freedom.President George W. BushRemarks delivered at the FBI Academy

94 n SECTION 4Motivation“[Al Qaeda (AQ)] and its loose confederation of affiliated movements remain the mostimmediate national security threat to the United States and a significant security challengeto the international community,” the State Department says. “AQ still retains . . . theintent to mount large-scale spectacular attacks, including on the United States and otherhigh-profile Western targets. . . . AQ’s current approach focuses on propaganda warfare—using a combination of terrorist attacks, insurgency, media broadcasts, Internet-basedpropaganda, and subversion to undermine confidence and unity in Western populationsand generate the false perception of a powerful worldwide movement.” The radical Islamicmilitants and other terrorists that attack US forces are motivated by several factors:US PresenceMany terrorists oppose the presence of US military forces in a particular area or the presenceof organizations that US forces are safeguarding. For example, a number of terrorist groupsstrongly object to any US presence in Saudi Arabia because of the groups’ ties tofundamentalist Islam. This presence of foreign “infidels” on what they see as holy groundmay be reason enough in their minds to attack.CultureAntagonists who directly oppose one or more major characteristics of American culture—such as capitalism, secular democracy, racial tolerance, or the equality and role of women—may attack Americans wherever they are found throughout the world.State of ConflictGroups that feel they are “at war” or in a social or political conflict with the United Stateswill target military personnel and facilities to gain legitimacy and “make a statement.”Likewise, nation-states at war with, or about to go to war with, the United States will useterrorist organizations, clandestine military operations, or intelligence assets to attack USmilitary targets.Critical ThinkingeWhile terrorists are a nontraditional, highly versatile enemy, which traditionalmethods and tactics of warfare might be effective in neutralizing them?

Culture of Terrorism n 95Characteristics of TerroristsAlthough no single personality profile of a terrorist exists, some general characteristics arefairly common.StatusTerrorists rarely arise from a background of poverty and despair. They are much more likelyto spring from middle class backgrounds, with some even coming from the upper class oftheir society. You must understand these terms in the context of the terrorists’ society oforigin, however: “Middle class” or “privileged” are relative terms and will representcompletely different levels of income in West Africa and Western Europe, for example.Education and IntellectLeft-wing terrorists, the leadership of right-wing terrorist groups, and terrorists of eithertype who operate internationally usually have average or higher-than-average intelligenceand at least some advanced education. (Osama bin Laden and Yasir Arafat were botheducated as civil engineers.) While many terrorists generally have had exposure to higherlearning, they are often not highly intellectual and are frequently dropouts or possess pooracademic records. This, again, depends on the norms of their society of origin. In societieswhere religious fundamentalism is prevalent, higher education might mean advancedreligious training.US domestic and right-wing terrorists tend to come from lower educational and sociallevels, although they have some education. Right-wing domestic groups in the UnitedStates were quick to explore the Internet’s communications and organizational potential.Such terrorists will typically have a high school education and be very well indoctrinatedin the ideological arguments they support.AgeTerrorists tend to be young. Leadership, support, and training cadre can range into their40s, but most operational members of terrorist organizations are 20 to 35 years old. Individualsunder 20 usually lack the practical experience and training necessary to be effective. Somegroups, however, recruit children to offset personnel shortages and “grow” future terrorists.GenderTerrorists are not exclusively male, even in groups that are rigorously Islamic. Women’sroles in these groups will often be limited to support or intelligence work, but somefundamentalist Islamic groups use women in operational roles, including suicide missions.AppearanceTerrorists do not normally appear out of the ordinary and are capable of normal socialbehavior and appearance. Over the long term, elements of fanatical behavior or ruthlessnessmay become evident, but it is typically not immediately obvious. Although members ofso-called sleeper cells or other covert operators may marry as part of their disguise, mostterrorists do not marry—although notable cases of married couples within terroristorganizations have been reported.

96 n SECTION 4The Terrorist Planning CycleTerrorists usually meticulously prepare their operations to minimize risk and achieve thehighest probability of success. They focus on avoiding their opponents’ strengths andconcentrating on the opponents’ weaknesses. They work to achieve as much security andas powerful an effect on their target as possible. In practice, that means they use the fewestnumber of personnel and the most effective weapons available. To accomplish this, terroristsplan extensively, with an emphasis on target surveillance and reconnaissance.There is no universal “staff school” model for terrorist planning. Experience and successes,however, have shown terrorists what works best for effective planning and operations. Theirplanning generally goes through seven basic phases:Phase I: Broad Target SelectionThis phase involves collecting information on a large number of potential targets, someof which the terrorists may attack or seriously consider attacking. The personnel who collectthis information are typically not core members of the terrorist organization, but are eithersympathizers or dupes who may not even be aware of the purpose of their work. This phasealso includes collecting open-source and general information, much of it available throughthe Internet.Phase II: Intelligence Gathering and SurveillanceThe terrorists then focus their efforts on targets they believe to be most vulnerable. Thisfocus leads to additional information gathering on the targets’ patterns over time. The typeof surveillance the terrorists use depends on the target. Information gathered covers people’sroutines, physical layouts, routes of travel, and security measures surrounding the target.Phase III: Specific Target SelectionIn selecting a target for actual operational planning, terrorists consider some of the followingfactors:• Does success affect a larger audience than the immediate victim(s)?• Will the target attract high-profile media attention?• Does success make the desired statement to the correct target audience(s)?• Is the effect consistent with the group’s objectives?• Does the target provide an advantage to the group by demonstrating its capabilities?• What are the costs versus the benefits of conducting the operation?A decision to proceed requires continued intelligence collection against the chosen target.

Culture of Terrorism n 97Phase IV: Pre-Attack Surveillance and PlanningAt this point, members of the actual operational cells begin to show up. They are eithertrained intelligence and surveillance personnel or members of the cell organized to conductthe operation. During this phase, the terrorists gather further information on the target’scurrent patterns over time, usually days to weeks. This allows the attack team to confirmthe information gathered from previous surveillance and reconnaissance activities. Theareas of concern are essentially the same as in Phase II, but with greater focus on the specificplanning conducted thus far.Phase V: RehearsalsAs with conventional military operations, rehearsals improve the odds of success, confirmplanning assumptions, and allow members to develop contingencies. Terrorists also rehearseto probe and test security reactions to particular attack profiles. Terrorists use both theirown operatives and unwitting people to test target reactions.Phase VI: Actions on the ObjectiveOnce terrorists reach this stage of their program, the odds are clearly against the target.Several different analyses have concluded that once the terrorists initiate their operations,they succeed 90 percent of the time. Terrorists will spend as little time as possible conductingthe actual operation in order to reduce their vulnerability to discovery or countermeasures.With the exception of barricade-style hostage-taking operations, terrorists plan to completetheir actions before nearby security forces can react.Phase VII: Escape and ExploitationMost terrorists want to survive the operation and escape. Their escape plans are usuallywell thought out and executed. Escape further enhances the effect of fear and terror froma successful operation if the perpetrators get away “clean.” The exception to this is suicideoperations, where the impact is enhanced by the attacker’s apparent willingness to die.Even in suicide attacks, however, support personnel and handlers usually deliver the suicidebomber to the target and subsequently make their escape.Critical ThinkingeCan you analyze terrorists’ actions and planning using the characteristicsof the offense and the principles of war?

98 n SECTION 4Terrorist Operations, Tactics, and WeaponsTerrorists tailor their tactics, forces, and weapons specifically to the particular mission. Eachterrorist operation is planned for a specific target and effect. Additionally, terrorists willexpose only as much of their resources and personnel to capture or destruction as absolutelynecessary to complete their mission.Understanding the objectives of the group conducting the operation is key to predictinglikely targets. Although several different types of operations may satisfy a particularobjective, terror groups often develop expertise in one or more types of operation andless specialization in others.Typical terrorist operations include:• Assassination• Hostage taking and barricade situations• Kidnapping• Raids• Extortion• Ambush• Hijacking• Sabotage• Aircraft attacks• Attacks on ships.Terrorists use a number of tactics and techniques to accomplish these operations, includingbombing; arson; hoaxes, misdirection, and multiple attacks; and suicide tactics.Weapons and EquipmentAnalyzing the weaponry and equipment available to a terrorist group is an important partof any assessment of organizations that use violence. Whereas conventional militaryorganizations rely upon standardization, terrorists rely upon weapons and equipmenttailored to each new operational requirement. If a 30-year-old RPG-7 will do the job, theywill use it. If not, the terrorists will buy the weapons they need. Since terrorists, unlikeconventional armed forces, do not have to go through long and bureaucratic acquisitionprocesses, their only limitations in obtaining state-of-the-art systems are financing andavailability of the equipment. If a sophisticated precision guided missile is needed andthey cannot buy it, they will “build” it, using a suicide bomber and the appropriate explosives.Terrorists have been able to obtain extremely dangerous weaponry due to statesponsorship of many terrorist groups, arms flows to regional conflicts, and a widespreadillegal international arms trade. This is one reason that detecting and interrupting terroristgroups’ movement of money through financial institutions worldwide is a crucial tacticagainst terrorism.

Culture of Terrorism n 99FirearmsTerrorists use a variety of firearms, including submachine guns, pistols, assault rifles, sniperrifles, and shotguns. When selecting weapons, terrorists look for three major characteristics:availability, simplicity, and efficiency. They like automatic weapons that can kill from adistance and have stopping power. They also want to be able to conceal the weapon, especiallyin urban terrain.Terrorists do try to standardize calibers of their weapons as much as possible to easeammunition resupply. They favor easily available military and semi-military weapons. Mostinternational terrorist groups favor fully automatic weapons, such as the AK-47 and theM16. A weapon favored by small groups in the United States is the 12-gauge shotgun.PistolsPistols are standard weapons for terrorists. They are small and easily concealed. Most ofthem are lightweight, and many modern pistols provide good firepower. Since their effectiverange is generally limited to about 50 meters, they require the attacker to be fairly near thetarget. They can be very effective at close range.Submachine GunsSubmachine guns have a full automatic fire capability, use pistol-caliber ammunition, andtypically have large magazine capacities. Their range, accuracy, and penetration are betterthan that of pistols because of their longer barrel and sight radius. Submachine guns are afavorite with terrorist groups because they are small, light, and easily concealed. They providea large amount of firepower and are deadly at close range.Assault RiflesAssault rifles are the primary offensive weapons of modern militaries and used extensivelyby terrorist organizations. They normally have selective firing capability to allow singleshot, two- or three-round bursts, or full automatic mode. Their effective ranges can oftenexceed 600 meters, and they have effective rates of fire up to 400 rounds per minute infull automatic mode. They provide terrorists the same firepower as they do for a modernSoldier on the battlefield.Sniper RiflesSince one of the primary terror tactics is assassination, terrorists often use sniper rifles toattack targets that are difficult for other weapons to reach. With the development oflarge-caliber sniper weapons, terrorists can also effectively engage light-armored vehicles.ShotgunsAlthough limited in range and penetration capability, shotguns are excellent close-rangeweapons, especially for assassinations. Shotguns require less precision in aiming since thedispersion of buckshot allows a large number of pellets to cover a wide area. They arereadily available and relatively inexpensive compared with other weapons. Additionally,the barrels can be sawed off to permit easy concealment and increased dispersion of shot.

100 n SECTION 4MunitionsTerrorists have used grenades in all types of attacks, including rocket-propelled grenades(RPGs). Although originally developed as an antitank weapon, RPGs double as terroristantiaircraft weapons. Attackers brought down two MH-47 Chinook helicopters in Afghanistanin 2002 using RPGs. In 1993, a pair of UH-60 Black Hawks suffered a similar fate inMogadishu, Somalia.Terrorists also favor portable surface-to-air missiles (SAM). These weapons proved tobe highly effective in the hands of the Afghan Mujahideen guerrillas during their insurgencyagainst the Soviets in the 1980s. In a number of documented cases, terrorists have usedthem against civilian airliners.Although terrorists use mostly “homemade” bombs, they do use some conventionalmunitions, especially as booby traps. They often obtain unexploded ordnance and modifyit for their purposes. Terrorists have used various forms of aerial bombs, as well as artilleryand mortar rounds, in this fashion. Additionally, they employ conventional mines to engagea variety of targets.The following are examples of common explosive charges terrorists have employedto great effect and success:• Improvised explosives, such as fertilizer, black powder, gasoline, match heads, andsmokeless powder• Chemical reactions, such as acid bombs; caustic bombs, such as Drano anddry ice• Plastic explosives, such as C-4 and SEMTEX• TNT• Dynamite.These explosive devices require some kind of trigger to detonate them. Triggers range fromvery simple homemade devices to highly technical ones. Some examples are:• Manual wind-up alarm clocks and wristwatches• Pressure release switches, such as in mousetraps• Pull switches that activate with a tripwire• Pressure switches• Wire-command detonation• Radar guns.improvised explosivedevice (IED)a “homemade”ordnance used to disableor destroy personnelor vehicles froma hidden emplacementImprovised Explosive Devices (IEDs)While terrorists will use conventional weapons, such as RPGs and assault rifles, to achievetheir tactical goals, they also assemble and employ a wide variety of lethal improvisedexplosive devices (IEDs). They incorporate highly destructive lethal and dangerous explosivesor incendiary chemicals designed to kill or destroy the target. They often steal the materialsthey need for these devices from military or commercial blasting supplies. If necessary, theywill also use fertilizer and other readily available household ingredients.IEDs basically include some type of explosive, a fuse, detonators and wires, shrapneland pieces of metal, and a container in which to pack the explosives and shrapnel. Althoughterrorists use manufactured explosive material, they can easily obtain the ingredientsrequired to make improvised explosive material as well.

Culture of Terrorism n 101The types of IED vary based on the explosive used, method of assembly, and the methodof detonation. Terrorists can use infinite combinations to manufacture them. Somecommon IEDs are:• Pipe bombs• Incendiary devices, such as Molotov cocktails• Vehicle devices, often known as a vehicle-borne IED (VBIED)• Projected IEDs, such as platter charges and improvised mortars.New Threats: Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs)Of greatest concern to governments fighting global terrorism are the relatively recent effortsby terrorists to acquire biological, chemical, and nuclear materials to make weapons ofmass destruction (WMDs). Today these weapons present the greatest threat to largepopulations in areas targeted by terrorists. Terrorists in the Contemporary OperatingEnvironment (COE) are actively seeking WMDs that they can easily conceal, transport,and covertly deliver without warning.weapons of massdestruction (WMDs)nuclear, biological,and chemical weaponsdesigned to kill largenumbers of people

102 n SECTION 4eCONCLUSIONAs an Army leader in the COE, you will need to be ever more vigilant incombating the forces of global terrorism. Your platoon may be a primary targetfor terrorists or insurgents employing terrorist tactics. With the stakes no lessthan US values and the American way of life hanging in the balance, you willneed to hone your counterterrorism expertise and train your Soldiers to be alertto and defeat the threat wherever it operates.Remember, terrorism is not a random, mindless activity. It consists ofoperations carefully planned by a wily, calculating, and deadly enemy. US forces—starting with you and your Soldiers—must understand this enemy in order todisrupt terrorists’ plans, interfere with their calculations, and neutralize thembefore they can execute their operations.Key Wordsdehumanizationimprovised explosive device (IED)weapons of mass destruction (WMDs)Learning Assessment1. Describe some of terrorism’s characteristics.2. List the elements of a typical terrorist profile.3. Explain the operational phases of a terrorist action.4. Name five types of terrorist operations.5. Describe an improvised explosive device (IED).

Culture of Terrorism n 103ReferencesBush, G. W. (11 July 2005). Remarks delivered at the FBI Academy, Quantico, VA. Retrieved5 December 2005 from http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/07/200507111.htmlCounterterrorism. (n. d.). Federal Bureau of Investigation. Retrieved 5 December 2005from http://www.fbi.gov/terrorinfo/counterterrorism/waronterrorhome.htmCountry Reports on Terrorism, 2006. (2007). Department of State. Retrieved 20 October2008 from http://www.state.gov/s/ct/rls/crt/2006/82727.htmEl-Tablawy, T. (2005, September 16). Leading Sunni Cleric Calls for Halt to Violence.Associated Press. Retrieved 5 December 2005 from http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/news/article.adp?id=20050910141709990010. Used with permission of the Associated Press.Copyright (c) 2005. All rights reserved.Field Manual 7-100.1, Opposing Force Operations. 27 December 2004.Timeline of Terrorism. (2004). US Army. Retrieved 5 December 2005 from http://www.army.mil/terrorism/