Combating Terrorism

Threats and Capability to Counter

Historical Setting

• Fragmented groups• Professional• Subversive• Specific Agendas• Causes• Support War

A Few Major Examples

• First U.S. Aircraft hijacked, may 1, 1961: Puerto Rican born Antuilo Ramierez Ortiz forced at gunpoint a national airlines plane to fly to Havana, Cuba, where he was given asylum.

A Few Major Examples

• Munich Olympic massacre, September 5, 1972: eight Palestinian "black September" terrorists seized 11 Israeli athletes in the Olympic village in Munich, west Germany. In a bungled rescue attempt by west German authorities, nine of the hostages and five terrorists were killed.

A Few Major Examples

• Domestic terrorism, January 27-29, 1975: Puerto Rican nationalists bombed a wall street bar, killing four and injuring 60; 2 days later, the weather underground claims responsibility for an explosion in a bathroom at the U.S. Department of state in Washington.

A Few Major Examples

• Iran hostage crisis, November 4, 1979: after president carter agreed to admit the shah of Iran into the U.S., Iranian radicals seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and took 66 American diplomats hostage. Thirteen hostages were soon released, but the remaining 53 were held until their release on January 20, 1981.

A Few Major Examples

• U.S. Installation bombing, August 31, 1981: the Red Army exploded a bomb at the U.S. Air Force base at Ramstein, west Germany.

A Few Major Examples

• Bombing of marine barracks, Beirut, October 23, 1983: simultaneous suicide truck-bomb attacks were made on American and French compounds in Beirut, Lebanon. A 12,000-pound bomb destroyed the U.S. Compound, killing 242 Americans, while 58 French troops were killed when a 400-pound device destroyed a French base. Islamic jihad claimed responsibility.

A Few Major Examples

• TWA hijacking, June 14, 1985.• Pan Am 103 Bombing, December 21,

1988.• World trade center bombing,

February 26, 1993.• Tokyo subway station attack, march

20, 1995.

A Few Major Examples

• Bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma city, April 19, 1995.

• Khobar towers bombing, June 25, 1996.

• Empire State building sniper attack, February 23, 1997.

• U.S. Embassy bombings in east Africa, august 7, 1998.

A Few Major Examples

• Attack on U.S.S. Cole, October 12, 2000.

• Tel-Aviv nightclub bombing, June 1, 2001.

• Terrorist attacks on U.S. Homeland, September 11, 2001.

Summary

• International• National• Fringe

– Para-military– Religious– Racist– Sects

General Trends

• Number of incidents vary by region and year.

• More direct against the US.• Probability of incidents higher worldwide.

– 1028 this year.

Changes

• Supported by nations• Increased sophistication• Networked• Bonded by Cultural and Religious ideas• Still small rogue groups• No country immune

Nature of the Threat

• Everywhere– Numerous Groups Worldwide and US

• Anywhere• Anytime• Anything

US Policy

• Make no concessions to terrorists and strike no deals.

• Bring terrorists to justice for their crimes.• Isolate and bring pressure on countries that

sponsor terrorism to force them to change their behavior.

• Bolster counter terrorism capabilities of those countries that work with the US and require assistance.

Capabilities

• Intelligence• FBI• DOD• Other national agencies• State and local

Major Responders

• Bijzondere Bijstands Einheid (BBE) (Norway)• Forsvarets Specialkommando (Netherlands)• GSG-9 (Germany)• Oman’s Cobras (Oman)• Sayert Mat’kal (Israel)• Delta Force (Seal Team Six)• SAS (GB)• Tactical Assault Group (Australia)

Difficulties

• Sharing information between intelligence and law enforcement agencies.

• Obtaining and recognizing critical intelligence on international based groups operating within the United States.

• Conducting multi-agency operations.• Following numerous small groups.• Living in a free society.• Protecting against crazies or zealots.

Concepts to Improve

• Pursue terrorists relentlessly.

• Keep terrorist in jail• Be tough always.• Educate the public.• Train first responders

specifically.• Use sensors and other

devices.

• Impose diplomatic, economic and military sanctions.

• Neutralize enclaves• Impose sanctions of

suppliers of nuclear technology.

• Be proactive.• Freeze Financial assets of

terrorists.

Specific Measures

• Equipment• Specialized Teams• Training• Vigilance• Intelligence• Education

Combating TerrorismHistorical SettingA Few Major ExamplesA Few Major ExamplesA Few Major ExamplesA Few Major ExamplesA Few Major ExamplesA Few Major ExamplesA Few Major ExamplesA Few Major ExamplesA Few Major ExamplesSummaryGeneral TrendsChangesNature of the ThreatUS PolicyCapabilitiesMajor RespondersDifficultiesConcepts to ImproveSpecific Measures