Profile of a Modern Terrorist

Profile of a Modern Terrorist

At GovSec West 2013, after listening to Victor Vella, federal sector for Panasonic, business development manager, talk about terrorist ideologies, how to understand terrorism and how to mitigate it, I realized this harsh reality: We, America, our society, environment, economics and people are all targets because “they,” the terrorists, don’t like our freedoms, our religion, etc.

Profile of a Modern TerroristIn 2012 alone, 11,000 people were killed by terrorists, according to Vella, leaving us to wonder if those people, who are now deceased, held the key to some of life’s major issues, like a cure for Cancer or how to put an end to childhood hunger. Yet, we will never know.

Perhaps the scariest thing I learned is that we [America] cannot afford complete protection against terrorism because targets of opportunity are everywhere within our country. There is never enough time to respond when we encounter acts of terrorism, so the next best thing is to be able to act before something happens. In order to do this, we must become educated.

Profile of a Modern Terrorist

As seen by law enforcement bodies, the modern terrorist, the ones we are currently dealing with, usually have a sense or feeling of superiority and use religion as the basis for their actions. Not adorned in uniforms, they blend in with society, making them difficult to spot in a crowd.

Modern terrorists have overwhelming beliefs that:

  • There is no need for restraint with any of their actions;
  • He or she is on a sacred mission;
  • Greater violence is for the greater good of the world;
  • Killing infidels reduces the number of nonbelievers; and
  • Their religion is under attack.

Think of how strong some of their beliefs are; I mean, if you honestly believed you were on a sacred mission, for example, wouldn’t you stop at nothing until it was completed? Terrifying when you stop to analyze each characteristic in isolation.

Goal of a Modern Terrorist

The modern terrorist is an extreme and dedicated planner, with specific goals in which to carry out, most of which are to:

  • Create a sense of vulnerability in a large target population;
  • Gain recognition;
  • Provoke adversaries into some type of violent action;
  • Expose adversaries’ weaknesses;
  • Force policy change by pressuring the public; and
  • Turn the public or large target population against each other.

Terrorists are actually very sophisticated and intelligent. They know that if they can create chaos, it is much easier to accomplish their goals within a community. To them, their goals and actions are perfectly rational, and some terrorist groups even have well-defined goals, objectives and strategies posted on their websites.

Terrorist Timeline and Tactics

The modern terrorist uses whatever tactics they see fit to accomplish their goals, the most popular of which are explosives. The timeline of a terrorist act is actually quite simple and includes 3 stages.

  1. Pre-event: Terrorists are obsessively gathering intelligence and collecting surveillance.
  2. Event: Once the terrorists are in “go” mode, we are unable to catch him or her in time to prevent the act of terrorism.
  3. Post event: After the terrorist act is committed, we, America, have gotten really good at catching them, but the goal needs to be to catch terrorists either before or during the pre-event stage.

Protecting Ourselves against Terrorism

Terrorism is a global threat that is beyond the control of all country leaders, and it would take world-wide togetherness to defeat it; unfortunately, this is impossible. The next best thing is to develop situational awareness by knowing your environment and knowing exactly what is going on around you at all times. The fact is, if you’re not looking terrorism, you won’t find it because terrorists are experts at hiding in broad site.

Just as the terrorists are constantly planning and practicing, we too must do so to ensure that we are actively prepared at a moment’s notice.

No doubt about it, the whole concept of terrorism is horribly terrifying, but the more we learn and education ourselves about terrorists and terrorism, the more likely we will be to at least start to get a handle on it.

About the Author

Ginger Hill is Group Social Media Manager.

Featured

  • Allegion, Comfort Technologies Implement Mobile Credentials at the Artisan Apartment Homes in Florida

    Artisan Apartment Homes, a luxury apartment complex in Dunedin, Florida, recently transitioned from mechanical keys to electronic locks and centralized system software with support from Allegion US, a leading provider of security solutions, technology and services, and Florida-based Comfort Technologies, which specializes in deploying multifamily access control, IoT devices and software management solutions. Read Now

  • Mall of America Deploys AI-Powered Analytics to Enhance Parking Intelligence

    Mall of America®, the largest shopping and entertainment complex in North America, announced an expansion of its ongoing partnership with Axis Communications to deploy cutting-edge car-counting video analytics across more than a dozen locations. With this expansion, Mall of America (MOA) has boosted operational efficiency, improved safety and security, and enabled more informed decision-making around employee scheduling and streamlining transportation for large events. Read Now

  • Security Industry Association Launches New “askSIA” AI Tool

    The Security Industry Association (SIA) has unveiled a brand-new SIA member benefit – askSIA, a conversational AI agent designed to help users get the most out of their SIA membership, easily access SIA resources and find the latest information on SIA’s training and courses, reports and publications, events, certification offerings and more. SIA members can easily find askSIA by visiting the SIA homepage or looking for the askSIA icon in the top left of webpages. Read Now

    • Industry Events
  • Industry Embraces Mobile Access, Biometrics and AI

    A combination of evolving workplace dynamics, technology innovation and new user expectations is changing how people enter and interact with physical spaces. Access control is at the heart of these changes. Combined with biometrics and AI, mobile access control has become increasingly crucial for deploying entry solutions that are seamless, secure and adaptive to user needs. Read Now

  • Sustainable Video Solution Delivered for Landmark City of London Office Development

    An advanced, end-to-end video solution from IDIS, with a focus on reducing waste and costs, has helped a major office development in the City of London align its security with sustainability objectives. Read Now

New Products

  • Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems, an industry-leading manufacturer of pedestrian and vehicle secure entrance control access systems, is pleased to announce the release of its groundbreaking V07 software. The V07 software update is designed specifically to address cybersecurity concerns and will ensure the integrity and confidentiality of Automatic Systems applications. With the new V07 software, updates will be delivered by means of an encrypted file.

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge.

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.