NCJ Number
190879
Date Published
2000
Length
27 pages
Annotation
This chapter explored the strategic and tactical motivations and disincentives for terrorists in using nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) weapons.
Abstract
The question of whether the use of NBC weapons would further terrorist objectives is primarily dependent upon the consequences of their use. The consequences of the use of any of the categories of NBC weapons are casualties, contamination, panic, degraded response capabilities, economic damage, loss of strategic position, and social-psychological damage and political change. Terrorists use violence as a means to generate propaganda, to demonstrate to their constituency, their enemies, and the world at large, that their cause is still alive and that the group is still active. In deciding how to generate propaganda, terrorists have to choose what levels of violence and categories of targets would most suit their objectives. Terrorists also use violence as a means to commit extortion, by threatening or committing specific acts in order to coerce governments into making concessions. Other major strategies are to attempt to defeat the state economically, to deter the state from pursuing various courses of action, to polarize the communities in which they live, and, ultimately, to break the will of government. In analyzing terrorists’ strategies and tactics, it is important to differentiate between attacks in which the target is discriminate and attacks in which the target is indiscriminate. Terrorist violence is typically directed at targets with symbolic value. Attacking military facilities is a typical means for terrorists to kill members of the security forces. Indiscriminate attacks on population targets can take two general forms: those where the intent is to limit casualties and those where the intent is to kill as many people as possible. Tactical motivations and disincentives will play a key role in determining what kinds of NBC weapons terrorists might acquire. 46 notes