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Mutating Forms of Terrorism
Think about the last time that you saw
a television report on a terrorist event.
What went through your mind? If the context
of the event changed, would you have viewed it
differently? If you had a definition of terrorism,
would it have changed your view of the event?
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Individual and Group Behavior
List the factors you think contribute to criminal
behavior. Divide those factors into individual
motivators (psychological factors) and group
motivators (social factors). Looking at these
conditions, do you believe you can profile criminals?
Now do the same thing based on what you know about
terrorism. Does your criminal logic apply to terrorists?
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Modern Terrorism
After a revolution a new government will frequently
order the execution of former government officials,
if they fear a violent counterrevolution. In addition,
when a new government is weak and threatened by enemies,
it will frequently try to extend its revolutionary
ideology into neighboring countries. Do you think
this helps to explain terrorism? Are such courses
of action moral? Are they logical? Do you see any
link between revolutionary activities in these
countries and the logic of terrorism?
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Terrorism in the US
Terrorism is changing. Groups and infrastructures are
disappearing, and violent religious zealots and ideological
fanatics are replacing them. Theodore Kaczynski, the so-called
Unabomber, conducted a campaign of individual political
murders and attacks from 1978 to his arrest in 1996. Was
Kaczynski a terrorist or a serial killer? Do you think
there is a difference between the two?
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Technological Terrorism
Assume you are in charge of security in a major urban hospital,
and victims from a biological terrorist attack are arriving.
What precautions would you need to take? Think about things
like quarantining patients, protecting the staff, decontaminating
rooms and equipment, obtaining and securing antidotes, and
monitoring the spread of disease. Do you think the same
techniques would be applicable in a chemical or nuclear attack?
What additional actions would you take in these circumstances?
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Terrorism and the Media
Imagine you are the law enforcement scene
commander at a convenience store robbery,
where the robbers have taken the customers
and clerk hostage. A local television
station is broadcasting the event live
through a telephoto lens, and the robbers are
watching the coverage on a television inside
the store. What actions should you take? Can
you ask the station to stop broadcasting? Can
you force them to do so? If the hostage-takers
say they want to negotiate with the media, would
you let them do so? List the things that might
happen if you do.
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