NCJ Number
102358
Journal
Security Management Volume: 20 Issue: 6 Dated: (July 1986) Pages: 46-50
Date Published
1986
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the extent and character of females' involvement in terrorist activity, identifying some of the female terrorists and their groups.
Abstract
Women's participation in hijackings and other terrorist incidents is increasing. Female terrorists participate in extortion, armed robbery, murder, and hostagetaking in addition to hijacking. Women terrorists are usually aligned with leftist or rightist radical groups, so they are more prevalent in countries where extremist theories are popular. Women with experience in the armed forces are prime targets for terrorist recruitment. Women recruited for combat roles are trained alongside the men. Other women are trained in terrorist support activities such as intelligence gathering, administrative work, nursing, and courier work. In a number of terrorist incidents, witnesses report that the women terrorists were more cruel and violent than the male terrorists. Security measures for female terrorists are the same as for males. Security measures should include inspections of aircraft after maintenance, the installation of electronic sensing devices around runways, intelligence sharing among law enforcement agencies, and improved training for airport security personnel.