Title: Terrorism 101: Fundamental Information for the Citizen Volunteer
Abstract: Abstract : Imagine three males of seemingly Mid-Eastern descent seen driving around locally in a late model van, stopping periodically for no apparent reason, or walking in the local mall acting suspiciously. What should be done? This question, and many others, have been asked by average citizens in lectures on terrorism. The American public is besieged with the uncertainty of terrorism and the next terrorist attack. As local and state law enforcement agencies begin to train to identify, prevent, and respond to militant Islamic extremists, it is becoming more apparent that this newest threat to our homeland will require a tremendous amount of assistance from the average citizen. This much needed support from citizens can come from education in the identification phase of homeland security. It begins with learning about the terrorists' mode of organization, their motivation, where they congregate and recruit, and how they select their targets. Once equipped with this understanding, the citizen volunteer can learn how to observe and recognize possible terrorist activities and to differentiate between innocent members of the community and truly potential terrorists. This article describes how terrorist cells penetrate a particular community and patiently plan and execute their future attacks. Terrorist cells within the United States follow seven phases in preparing to execute their terrorist-guerrilla warfare tactics: preparation, initial contact, infiltration, organization, buildup, combat employment, and demobilization. The article also discusses how citizens can identify a potential terrorist and protect themselves from becoming a victim, the citizen's role in fighting against terrorism, and the State Defense Force's (SDF) role in combating terrorism. The remainder of the article focuses on how SDFs, local police, or civilian contractors can train citizen volunteers in anti-terrorism, and what training should entail.
Publication Year: 2007
Publication Date: 2007-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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