Weapons of Mass DestructionAn Introduction to Terrorism

By Dr. Charles FeerCriminal Justice

Instructor

Video

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Terrorism is a Crime

Terrorist Goal:To force a

government or group to change its stance or position.

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California, a Target?

Public / Government Buildings

Mass Transit

Communication Facilities

Utilities

Water Supply

Food Production

Recreational Facilities

Malls

Stadiums

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Nature of TerrorismEight Stages of Terrorist PlotRecruitFinanceWeaponDate & Time of AttackLocationSurveillanceMeans of AttackEscape (?)

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Security Response

Recognize

Report

React

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What are Weapons of Mass Destruction?

Firearms Ambush

Explosives VBIED Bomb

Incendiary

Chemical

Biological

Nuclear

Radiological

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Three Main Concepts of Protective Measures:

Time

Distance

Shielding

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CONVENTIONAL BOMBS

Scenario: Terrorists explode truck bombs and suicide bombers blow themselves up at venues such as sports arenas, train stations and, later, hospitals. A hundred people die.

Threat: Improvised explosives remain the weapon of choice for al-Qaida and other jihadists. Of 63 al-Qaida attacks in the last 10 years, all but 12 were bombings, not including 9/11 and the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan

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CONVENTIONAL BOMBS

Vulnerability: It is impossible to protect all potential targets. Experts say the government needs to issue more realistic public warnings, turn to the community for tips and instill a resiliency to terrorism as a way of life.

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CHEMICAL EXPLOSION

Scenario: Terrorists blow up a storage tank of pressurized chlorine gas. A yellow-green cloud spreads 25 miles in six hours. Death toll is 17,500.Threat: Videotapes seized in Afghanistan in 2002 showed al-Qaida experiments on dogs using a lethal gas. Al-Qaida has sought chemical weapons but there is little evidence they acquired any. Such weapons are difficult to deploy.

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CHEMICAL EXPLOSION

Vulnerability: The bipartisan Partnership for a Secure America said more is needed to identify terrorist threats and secure chemical plants and rail cargo. Large volumes of toxic chemicals pass through cities on poorly protected rail cars.

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DIRTY BOMB

Scenario: Terrorists explode a bomb packed with radioactive Cesium-137 in a major U.S. city's downtown. About 180 people die, and a 36-block area is contaminated for years.Threat: Chicago al-Qaida recruit Jose Padilla admitted to planning a dirty bomb attack and was convicted in August on conspiracy charges. Most experts agree Padilla didn't have a thorough plan or the ability to carry it out, but concur that al-Qaida has long sought a dirty bomb.

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DIRTY BOMB

Vulnerability: The House Homeland Security Committee reported the government missed a deadline to screen sea cargo for radiological weapons and failed to improve counter-proliferation.

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BIOLOGICAL AGENT

Scenario: Terrorists release plague spores in three busy public restrooms. Within four days, the bacterium has spread to 11 countries and killed 2,500 people in North America.

Status: The best-known biological attack was the 2001 anthrax one, which killed five. No firm evidence exists that al-Qaida has developed a bio-weapon.

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BIOLOGICAL AGENT

Vulnerability: Counter-terror officials worry about former Soviet “super-germ weapons labs” or lax security at U.S. labs. “A one-year grad student knows exactly where to get toxins that can kill 100,000 people,” said Matt Rojansky, executive director of Partnership for a Secure America.

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CYBER-ATTACK

Scenario: Terrorists hack into the nation's financial system, causing 20 million credit cards to cancel and a panic over bank stability.Threat: Russian and Chinese agents routinely hack into sensitive government sites, the U.S. government says. The Russians crippled Georgian military computers weeks before invading its southern neighbor early in 2008. U.S. officials say al-Qaida is Internet-savvy and can recruit or hire hackers to shut down a power grid.

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CYBER-ATTACK

Vulnerability: Director of National Intelligence Michael McConnell testified in February that the threat of a cyber attack is growing and America's defenses are poor.