Terrorism and the Corporate Target (From Political Terrorism and Business - The Threat and Response, P 56-65, 1979, Yonah Alexander and Robert A Kilmarx, ed. - See NCJ-77538)

• NCJ Number: 77541
• Author(s): B H Miller; C A Russell
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 10 pages
• Sale Source: Praeger Publishers
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

The objectives and tactics of terrorists in targeting corporations are examined.

Abstract

Virtually all modern terrorists are self-proclaimed Marxists who operate under the simplistic philosophy that their problems and the world's problems are rooted in capitalistic systems, which are viewed as arraying wealthy and powerful corporations against the poor and powerless laborer. Capitalist corporations thus become terrorist targets. Security against determined terrorists seems an impossible task for corporations, which rely upon accessibility to the public. Stringent security measures are likely to sour the public as well as a company's own employees against the company. Corporations and their security managers have a major concern with trends in terrorist targeting, the selection of tactics, and new refinements in techniques, the execution of armed attacks on facilities. Bombings are maintaining a fairly level trend, whereas the incidence of armed facilities attacks is increasing. Groups concerned with their image tend to favor more sophisticated operations, which will garner more publicity than do explosive attacks. If coercive leverage is the objective, hostages are decidedly more valuable and command more media coverage than do bombing incidents. From a tactical standpoint, relying on hand-held weapons is much better equipped to adapt to changes in target configuration or location, to fluctuating conditions during an operation, and to unforeseen opportunities to seize additional advantage. The most frightening prospect concerning terrorist activity is terrorist infiltration of a company's labor force, which would provide a terrorist group with intelligence information and access that could practically destroy a company's operations. The vulnerability of complex organizations in the areas of computers, electronic banking, mass transit, water resources, and many other crucial facets of life in a technocracy also presents inviting targets for terrorists inclined toward massive disruption of a segment of a national economy. Twelve notes are listed.