The Terrorist Threat

Paper Summary:

The paper explores the likelihood of terrorist organizations using weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) or chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) weapons. The paper then considers the potential impacts of these weapons and their value for a terrorist organization. Next, the paper looks at the current intelligence system and its strengths and weaknesses for dealing with terrorism and identifies the most notable threats of terrorism facing the United States. The paper also discusses the targets that could be used by terrorist organizations to achieve the maximum effect and then outlines how intelligence systems can adapt to today's networked forms of terrorist organizations.

From the Paper:

"Scholars examining the scope and breadth of chemical weapons define these devices as "weapons using the toxic properties of chemical substances rather than their explosive properties to produce physical or physiological effects on an enemy" ("Weapons of"). Although these types of weapons have been used by both the US government and terrorist groups, research demonstrates that in order to produce mass causalities from chemical weapons, terrorists would need a significant amount of chemical agent. In addition, in order to effectively release the chemicals, the terrorists would need to consider how to prevent exposure to themselves. Because of the amounts needed to produce significant causalities and the potential impact of the chemicals on the terrorist, it is unlikely that this weapon would be used by a terrorist group ("Weapons of...")."

Sample of Sources Used:

• "The dynamic terrorist threat." RAND Corporation. [2005]. Accessed October 31, 2007 at: http://www.rand.org/pubs/monograph_reports/2005/MR1782.pdf.
• Thornburgh, Dick. "Balancing civil liberties and homeland security." Albany Law Review, 68(4), (2005): 801-813.
• "Weapons of mass destruction." Global Focus. [2006]. Accessed October 31, 2007 at: http://globalfocus.org/GF-WMDs.htm.

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