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Preventing Terrorist Suicide Attacks

NCJ Number
216904
Author(s)
Michael Aman
Date Published
2007
Length
104 pages
Annotation
This book acts as a resource guide to provide essential information for law enforcement officers on techniques for recognizing potential terrorists and preventing suicide attacks, both domestic and international in origin.
Abstract
The term “terrorist suicide attack” is defined as a terrorist attack in which the perpetrator uses his/her own body as a weapon delivery and guidance system; the death of the attacker is a prerequisite for the success of the attack. This report discusses terrorist suicide attacks in detail, in two specific parts: the suicide terrorist and prevention guidelines. Several areas outlined in the first section provide a better understanding of the suicide terrorist and include: the emergence of religious terrorism and suicide missions, the objectives of suicide tactics, tactical advantages of a suicide mission, a profile of the suicide terrorist, motivating factors for a suicide terrorist, and weapons of the suicide terrorist. Specific areas outlined in section 2 focus on prevention guidelines in the areas of suicide bomber recruitment (foreign and domestic), the planning phase (target selection, tactics, mental preparation, training, and acquisition of bomb materials), preparation phase (movements and whereabouts, reconnaissance and tactical training, and behavioral training) and attack-in-progress (physical appearance of bombers, approaching the scene, engagement teams, use of deadly force, evacuation teams, and post-blast considerations). Appendix, index