Terrorism

1. Philosohies and rules of war dictate that it is both sound and practical that groups with the same opponent and the same schema forge alliances or common supportive coexistence, and there is a very high probability that that dogma would be followed, considering the fact that terror group leaders are learned men. But the question of having the same agenda is putting terrorism in a very general and pop culture perspective since the truth is that these types of militant extremists have, at some level, varying aims and goals. But another important point is the fact that these different groups can be brought together to act as one unit in a full scale operation. The best example of this tendency is the 9/11 bombing, described by the FBI a few days after the incident as a handiwork of an alliance of terrorists. 2. The pall of gloom that terrorism brought not just in the US but around the world is not just the threat to life, but as well as the threat to liberty. Because of the growing manhunt for suspected terrorists and the increased drive to take the upper hand and identify terrorists even before they can accomplish their missions, some elements of the law enforcement agencies are willing to overstep their boundaries marked by the exercise of individuals of their most basic human right, ready to trespass the domain of private communication with the use of many and all technologies available, including the Internet. Terror groups also found the use of Internet for their cause – ransom demands are telecast via video streaming while home made and improvised bombs know-how is just a few mouse clicks away. For this new problem, the solution may lie in old practices – kill the head of the serpent and the body ceases to be dangerous. The Internet should not be the target, as US knows it cannot afford to start a new war – even in cyberspace. 3. Michael Hamm reported that motor vehicle violations, counterfeiting, smuggling weapons of mass destruction and armed bank robbery, are several criminal acts terrorist participate in. The most common criminal action that terrorists do is the falsification of documents and forgery. Almost every terrorist who entered the country carries a false identification. This criminal act is very crucial in the operation of terrorist cells in the country since the first and most important part of a terrorist mission is the entry of a terrorist in a country or place wherein the terrorist action would take place. This is the reason why border officials are consistently monitoring the many entry and exit points of the country. 4. The most significant findings and information contained in the Hamm report is the moving away of the image of the mythical militant extremists to purely purist forms of terrorism from the true terrorists which is much less now conformed in the mold of idealist / hero into nothing more than a common criminal. The implications for the criminal justice system of this newfound knowledge consist of the possible responsibility law enforcement and criminal justice elements when it comes to profiling active and prospective terrorists by investigating the offenses for they are in trial for. Hamm concluded how a certain set of criminal acts bend towards particular groups as its identifiable crime suspects and this newfound information can be utilized as another efficient tool to battle terrorism. 5. Both international and domestic terrorism presents a clear and urgent threat to the US, simply because a threat to even one single life is an important issue to the US government, or to any government for that matter. Domestic and international terrorism may have many similarities and differences which include M.O. (method of operation), financing, training, orientation, goals, aims and motivation, strength in numbers, leadership hierarchy. Intelligence network and arms and ammunitions supplies, terrorism still wears the same face and the government's efforts to counter it do not diminish based on the type of terror group it faces. Terrorism and the government's fight against it is a microcosm of the proverbial battle of good versus evil; the truth is that there will always be a group of people who will try to use force and intimidation to achieve there cause. Terrorists might have a different name in the future, and the government which the people created is always tasked to battle a constant threat to life presented by another man as a result of differences in ideology. References: Hamm, M. S. (2005). Crimes Committed by Terrorist Groups: Theory, Research and Prevention. US Department of Justice. Retrieved October 10, 2007, from http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/211203.pdf Schmid, A. (2005). Links between Terrorism and Drug Trafficking: A Case of â€Å"Narco terrorism†. Retrieved October 10, 2007. Sisk, R. and Smith, G. B. (2001). Feds Have Names Of 19 In Dark Alliance. The New York Daily News. Retrieved October 10, 2007, from http://www.fromthewilderness.com/timeline/2001/nydailynews091501.html             Terrorism Assignment 2. â€Å"Prepare a written briefing for a Board (you can choose any company real or imaginary) explaining why they should increase or decrease their security in relation to the threat of terrorism. † BRIEFING ON THE THREAT OF TERRORISM POSED TOWARDS TELECOMS ORGANISATIONS OPERATING IN AFRICA Purpose: The purpose of this briefing note is to present an overview of terrorist threats within Africa, spesifically towards the Vodacom organisation operating in the Democtratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and to make recommendations on how to mitigate the risk.Background: Terrorism: â€Å"the United Nations General Assembly has condemned terrorist acts using the following political description of terrorism: â€Å"Criminal acts intended or calculated to provoke a state of terror in the general public, a group of persons or particular persons for political purposes are in any circumstance unjustifiable, whatever the considerations of a political, philosophical, ideological, racia l, ethnic, religious or any other nature that may be invoked to justify them. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Definitions_of_terrorism Terrorism has become a global threat and is not just confined to the theatre of war, it is also not only targeted at nations involved in those conflicts like the United States (9/11) and Great Britain (the July 7 London Bombings) but also with any nation and organization that is seen as an ally of such nations.ESICS Briefing on THE TERRORISM THREAT LINKED TO THE LIBYAN CRISIS states â€Å"obviously on the top of the list of likely targets for Colonel Gaddafi are the United Kingdom and France, they are closely followed by the United States (an old and usual enemy of Libya but also by the Arab countries taking part in the coalition, every single national participating in the operations could be seen as a legitimate target. † In stating this the point that I am making is, although Vodacom is a South African operation, we must take into conciderati on that Vodafone, a British entity is our major hareholder and the building where our head office is located, Building Gulf Oil is an American institution. Thus it would be a grave mistake to make the assumption that the company cannot be seen as a target of militant action and sensationalism. Current Situation: STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENT Emerging Terrorist Networks â€Å"As al-Qaeda has syndicated its ideology and violence, its affiliates and adherents in Africa and the Arabian Peninsula have become increasingly networked and adaptable in their recruiting, training, financing, and operations.Violent extremist organizations, insurgents, and criminal organizations are exploiting weak governance and under-governed spaces, and remain determined to harm the United States, our partners and Allies, and innocent civilians. † General Carter Ham, USA Commander, USA Africa Command in his address to the Senate of Armed Services Committee, 2 March 2013(sic). Terrorist organisations are operat ing in numerous African countries now including but not limited to: Country| Active Terrorist Networks (only major listed)|Cameroon| Al Qaeda – Movement for Democracy and Development (MDD)| Chad| Al Qaeda – Movement for Democracy and Justice in Chad (MDJC) +2| Egypt| Al Qaeda + 11| Eritrea| Al Qaeda – Eritrean Islamic Jihad Movement (EIJH)| Ethiopia| Al Qaeda – Ethiopian Islamic Jihad Movement (EIJH) + 6| Kenya| Al Qaeda – Al Shabaab| Libya| Al Qaeda – Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG)| Morocco| Al Qaeda – Moroccan Combatant Islamic Group (MCIG)| Nigeria| Al Qaeda – Boko Haram| Somalia| Al Qaeda – Al-Shabaab| Sudan | Al Qaeda – Sudan People Liberation Army (SPLA) – Hezbollah| Syria| Al Qaeda – Al Nusra| Tanzania| Al Qaeda – People Liberation Party|Zambia| Riyadus-Salikhin Reconnaissance – Al Nusra| Source: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Terrorism and www. crimicweb. org â€Å"The Ho rn of Africa is Africa’s bridge to the Middle East. That fact explains much about the complex interrelationships between differing Islamic cultures within Africa, from east to west. † (John Harbeson, The War on Terrorism in Africa; Princeton N. Lyman from Africa in World Politics p7) Vodacom Congo has up till now not considered terrorism to be a significant threat to business operations but rather conventional security threats as in fire, arson, bomb threats and armed robbery to name but a few.Recommendations: The risk management department recommends that the company review all emergency response, disaster recovery and business continuity protocols. Establishing contingency plans is suggested; general training for all employees would result in more efficient response should an emergency occur and is highly recommended. It is imperative that all security measures are reevaluated and a gap analysis be conducted. Recommended areas where improvements are needed: * Access a nd egress control policies should be enforced for effective visitor control and especially with vehicles entering premises and deliveries of parcels. Do an assessment of all CCTV and monitoring services and place additional cameras where needed. * At the moment the local security service provider is ill equipped, there are no personal body scanners available at the building entrances. * There is no equipment available to search vehicles, i. e. stemmed mirrors etc. * Retraining of security personnel, the security officers have not been trained on what to look for and how to search vehicles and people properly. * General housekeeping, rubbish collection and building perimeters. (Security Management Bulletin no: 6.Countermeasures of threats of terrorist action) Training for these officers should focus on the following types of terrorist attack: * Person borne IED (improvised explosive device) * Vehicle borne IED * Bombs directed against property and infrastructure, delivered in trucks, vehicles, packages, briefcases, laptop bags and also in postal items * Fire bombs using chemicals and incendiaries * Improvised mortar attacks * Riots and civil disturbance * Kidnapping for ransom and extortion * Armed robbery, fraud and credit card fraud for financing purposes * Assassination of key figures Security Management Bulletin no: 6. Countermeasures of threats of terrorist action) In a nutshell the security department should do a threat analysis and identify areas where the terrorist would want to: * Penetrate * Avoid * Exploit * Attack Jason A, 16 April 2013, Boston Marathon Bombings, in his briefing after the bombings, also suggest that it should be noted that due to the recent attacks in Boston, that security at airports across the United States and Great Britain has increased substantially. Business travelers are advised to allow extra time to get to the ticket counters and to their gates.There are long queues at the check-in counter and the duration of the security p rocess has increased due to additional random bag searches. Hotel security has increased as well; travelers are advised to adhere to corporate security policies as well as local policies. In saying that if employees travel to the United States or the United Kingdom for the purpose of visiting Vodacom’s parent company or any other business travel, it is advised to monitor local media for additional security measures. This will also apply to the other countries mentioned where known terrorist cells are operating. ConclusionA school of thought that postulates â€Å"as major disasters never occur at a time or in a manner that may be anticipated, pre-catastrophe planning is futile† is a gross abdication of reponsibilty and cannot be supported. (Security Management bulletin 5. Disaster Planning) Vodacom Congo has clear ties with the United Kingdom due to alliances and shareholding agreements, Vodacom’s offices are located in a building owned by an American entity and the building is shared by Chevron Oil which is an American owned company, it would therefore be foolish not to recognize the direct threat to the company, it’s employees and assets. It would be surprising if many businesses and orginisations could avoid the consequences of terrorism at some time in their existance†. (Security management Bulletin 5. Disaster Planning) It is therefore imperative that urgent security focus is placed on the threat that terrorism poses to the company and its operations, large walk in customer care areas are prime targets where lots of people gather. A balance of security measure are very important to maintain a vigilant level of protection without creating too much discomfort to the employees, visitors, business partners and customers.References Martin Gill, The Handbook of Security. 2006 The Security Institute. Security Management Bulletin 5. Emergency Procedures – Major Disasters. Rachel Briggs, R. and Edwards, C. The business of re silience. DEMOS 2006 The Security Institute. Security Management Bulletin No: 6. Countermeasures to threats of terrorist action. John Harbeson, The War on Terrorism in Africa; Princeton N. Lyman from Africa in World Politics p7 Human Rights Watch: In the name of security, www. hrw. org Wikipedia Website: http://en. ikipedia. org/wiki/Terrorism Michael Burleigh; Al-Qaeda and a Decade of Terror Andre Burstin; European Strategic Intelligence and Security Center (ESISC), Boko Haram and the Risk of Terrorism in Northern Cameroon; 01 April 2012 Claude Moniquet, European Strategic Intelligence and Security Center (ESISC), The Terrorist Threat Linked to the Libyan Crisis. 2011 Jason A; Boston Marathon Bombing, Aon Crisis Management Consulting/ Global Risk Consulting. p4 Subscriber Journal, 16 April 2013 Terrorism Assignment 2. â€Å"Prepare a written briefing for a Board (you can choose any company real or imaginary) explaining why they should increase or decrease their security in relation to the threat of terrorism. † BRIEFING ON THE THREAT OF TERRORISM POSED TOWARDS TELECOMS ORGANISATIONS OPERATING IN AFRICA Purpose: The purpose of this briefing note is to present an overview of terrorist threats within Africa, spesifically towards the Vodacom organisation operating in the Democtratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and to make recommendations on how to mitigate the risk.Background: Terrorism: â€Å"the United Nations General Assembly has condemned terrorist acts using the following political description of terrorism: â€Å"Criminal acts intended or calculated to provoke a state of terror in the general public, a group of persons or particular persons for political purposes are in any circumstance unjustifiable, whatever the considerations of a political, philosophical, ideological, racia l, ethnic, religious or any other nature that may be invoked to justify them. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Definitions_of_terrorism Terrorism has become a global threat and is not just confined to the theatre of war, it is also not only targeted at nations involved in those conflicts like the United States (9/11) and Great Britain (the July 7 London Bombings) but also with any nation and organization that is seen as an ally of such nations.ESICS Briefing on THE TERRORISM THREAT LINKED TO THE LIBYAN CRISIS states â€Å"obviously on the top of the list of likely targets for Colonel Gaddafi are the United Kingdom and France, they are closely followed by the United States (an old and usual enemy of Libya but also by the Arab countries taking part in the coalition, every single national participating in the operations could be seen as a legitimate target. † In stating this the point that I am making is, although Vodacom is a South African operation, we must take into conciderati on that Vodafone, a British entity is our major hareholder and the building where our head office is located, Building Gulf Oil is an American institution. Thus it would be a grave mistake to make the assumption that the company cannot be seen as a target of militant action and sensationalism. Current Situation: STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENT Emerging Terrorist Networks â€Å"As al-Qaeda has syndicated its ideology and violence, its affiliates and adherents in Africa and the Arabian Peninsula have become increasingly networked and adaptable in their recruiting, training, financing, and operations.Violent extremist organizations, insurgents, and criminal organizations are exploiting weak governance and under-governed spaces, and remain determined to harm the United States, our partners and Allies, and innocent civilians. † General Carter Ham, USA Commander, USA Africa Command in his address to the Senate of Armed Services Committee, 2 March 2013(sic). Terrorist organisations are operat ing in numerous African countries now including but not limited to: Country| Active Terrorist Networks (only major listed)|Cameroon| Al Qaeda – Movement for Democracy and Development (MDD)| Chad| Al Qaeda – Movement for Democracy and Justice in Chad (MDJC) +2| Egypt| Al Qaeda + 11| Eritrea| Al Qaeda – Eritrean Islamic Jihad Movement (EIJH)| Ethiopia| Al Qaeda – Ethiopian Islamic Jihad Movement (EIJH) + 6| Kenya| Al Qaeda – Al Shabaab| Libya| Al Qaeda – Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG)| Morocco| Al Qaeda – Moroccan Combatant Islamic Group (MCIG)| Nigeria| Al Qaeda – Boko Haram| Somalia| Al Qaeda – Al-Shabaab| Sudan | Al Qaeda – Sudan People Liberation Army (SPLA) – Hezbollah| Syria| Al Qaeda – Al Nusra| Tanzania| Al Qaeda – People Liberation Party|Zambia| Riyadus-Salikhin Reconnaissance – Al Nusra| Source: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Terrorism and www. crimicweb. org â€Å"The Ho rn of Africa is Africa’s bridge to the Middle East. That fact explains much about the complex interrelationships between differing Islamic cultures within Africa, from east to west. † (John Harbeson, The War on Terrorism in Africa; Princeton N. Lyman from Africa in World Politics p7) Vodacom Congo has up till now not considered terrorism to be a significant threat to business operations but rather conventional security threats as in fire, arson, bomb threats and armed robbery to name but a few.Recommendations: The risk management department recommends that the company review all emergency response, disaster recovery and business continuity protocols. Establishing contingency plans is suggested; general training for all employees would result in more efficient response should an emergency occur and is highly recommended. It is imperative that all security measures are reevaluated and a gap analysis be conducted. Recommended areas where improvements are needed: * Access a nd egress control policies should be enforced for effective visitor control and especially with vehicles entering premises and deliveries of parcels. Do an assessment of all CCTV and monitoring services and place additional cameras where needed. * At the moment the local security service provider is ill equipped, there are no personal body scanners available at the building entrances. * There is no equipment available to search vehicles, i. e. stemmed mirrors etc. * Retraining of security personnel, the security officers have not been trained on what to look for and how to search vehicles and people properly. * General housekeeping, rubbish collection and building perimeters. (Security Management Bulletin no: 6.Countermeasures of threats of terrorist action) Training for these officers should focus on the following types of terrorist attack: * Person borne IED (improvised explosive device) * Vehicle borne IED * Bombs directed against property and infrastructure, delivered in trucks, vehicles, packages, briefcases, laptop bags and also in postal items * Fire bombs using chemicals and incendiaries * Improvised mortar attacks * Riots and civil disturbance * Kidnapping for ransom and extortion * Armed robbery, fraud and credit card fraud for financing purposes * Assassination of key figures Security Management Bulletin no: 6. Countermeasures of threats of terrorist action) In a nutshell the security department should do a threat analysis and identify areas where the terrorist would want to: * Penetrate * Avoid * Exploit * Attack Jason A, 16 April 2013, Boston Marathon Bombings, in his briefing after the bombings, also suggest that it should be noted that due to the recent attacks in Boston, that security at airports across the United States and Great Britain has increased substantially. Business travelers are advised to allow extra time to get to the ticket counters and to their gates.There are long queues at the check-in counter and the duration of the security p rocess has increased due to additional random bag searches. Hotel security has increased as well; travelers are advised to adhere to corporate security policies as well as local policies. In saying that if employees travel to the United States or the United Kingdom for the purpose of visiting Vodacom’s parent company or any other business travel, it is advised to monitor local media for additional security measures. This will also apply to the other countries mentioned where known terrorist cells are operating. ConclusionA school of thought that postulates â€Å"as major disasters never occur at a time or in a manner that may be anticipated, pre-catastrophe planning is futile† is a gross abdication of reponsibilty and cannot be supported. (Security Management bulletin 5. Disaster Planning) Vodacom Congo has clear ties with the United Kingdom due to alliances and shareholding agreements, Vodacom’s offices are located in a building owned by an American entity and the building is shared by Chevron Oil which is an American owned company, it would therefore be foolish not to recognize the direct threat to the company, it’s employees and assets. It would be surprising if many businesses and orginisations could avoid the consequences of terrorism at some time in their existance†. (Security management Bulletin 5. Disaster Planning) It is therefore imperative that urgent security focus is placed on the threat that terrorism poses to the company and its operations, large walk in customer care areas are prime targets where lots of people gather. A balance of security measure are very important to maintain a vigilant level of protection without creating too much discomfort to the employees, visitors, business partners and customers.References Martin Gill, The Handbook of Security. 2006 The Security Institute. Security Management Bulletin 5. Emergency Procedures – Major Disasters. Rachel Briggs, R. and Edwards, C. The business of re silience. DEMOS 2006 The Security Institute. Security Management Bulletin No: 6. Countermeasures to threats of terrorist action. John Harbeson, The War on Terrorism in Africa; Princeton N. Lyman from Africa in World Politics p7 Human Rights Watch: In the name of security, www. hrw. org Wikipedia Website: http://en. ikipedia. org/wiki/Terrorism Michael Burleigh; Al-Qaeda and a Decade of Terror Andre Burstin; European Strategic Intelligence and Security Center (ESISC), Boko Haram and the Risk of Terrorism in Northern Cameroon; 01 April 2012 Claude Moniquet, European Strategic Intelligence and Security Center (ESISC), The Terrorist Threat Linked to the Libyan Crisis. 2011 Jason A; Boston Marathon Bombing, Aon Crisis Management Consulting/ Global Risk Consulting. p4 Subscriber Journal, 16 April 2013