Understanding and Responding to Terrorism (From Understanding and Responding to the Terrorism Phenomenon: A Multi-Dimensional Perspective, P 3-18, 2007, Ozgur Nikbay and Suleyman Hancerli, eds. -- See NCJ-225118)

• NCJ Number: 225119
• Author(s): Suleyman Hancerli; Ozgur Nikbay
• Date Published: 2007
• Length: 16 pages
• Sale Source: IOS Press
• Publication Format: Book Chapter
• Publication Type: Report (Summary); Issue Overview
• Language: English
• Country: Netherlands

Annotation

This executive summary of the book entitled, “Understanding and Responding to the Terrorism Phenomenon,” addresses the nature of terrorism; suicide attacks, radical terrorism, and case studies; strategies and tactics for dealing with terrorist hostage sieges, hijackings, and kidnappings; and counterterrorism policies and lessons for the future.

Abstract

Part I, entitled, "Understanding Terrorism," contains six chapters on various aspects of terrorism address features of terrorist attacks. Topics discussed include terrorists’ use of the Internet, bioterrorism, and fear tactics that stimulate adverse overreactions by terrorist target societies. Part II, entitled, “Suicide Attacks, Radical Terrorism and Case Studies," contains seven chapters address aspects of terrorist suicide attacks, characteristics of terrorist groups, and case studies. Among the issues addressed are profiles of suicide bombers, the history of suicide bombings, radical Islamist movements in the former Soviet regions, involving minority and politically powerless groups in the institutions of government, and locations where terrorist incidents commonly occur. Part III, entitled, “Strategies and Tactics for Dealing with Terrorist Hostage Sieges, Hijackings, and Kidnapping,” consists of 10 chapters that focus on characteristics of terrorist attacks. Based on analyses of case studies and the various terrorist tactics used, recommendations are offered for ways to counter common terrorist tactics. Part IV, entitled, “Counterterrorism Policies and Lessons for the Future,” contains 11 chapters, with each focusing on a different aspect of counterterrorism policies and response strategies of governments in the “war on terrorism.” Topics covered are situational crime prevention by reducing terrorists’ access to tools they need for various tactics, the avoidance of counterterrorist tactics that violate the basic principles of a democracy, the features of democratic policing in fighting terrorism, effective intelligence-sharing among countries, and international cooperation with Islamist leaders in fighting radical Islamic terrorist ideologies and tactics. 34 references