Terrorism: What's Coming - The Mutating Threat

(Compiler's note: A 76-page study worthy of your review. Must read. Click on the title above for the full report.)

by The Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism (MIPT) is a non-profit, nationally
recognized think tank creating state-of-the-art knowledge bases and sharing information
on terrorism.

....A more ominous change was taking place at the same time. Terrorism was becoming bloodier. More terrorist incidents resulted in fatalities rather than purely symbolic violence, more incidents resulted in multiple fatalities, and in more incidents, it was clear that the terrorists were determined to kill as many people as possible. In part, the escalation reflected the continuing need to command attention, which, in a crowded terrorist field, required more spectacular violence. In part, it reflected the brutalization of the terrorists themselves. The self-imposed constraints that had discouraged terrorists from wanton bloodshed were eroding. But the escalation also reflected the replacement of terrorists who had political agendas with terrorists who were inspired by religious ideology and were therefore beyond considerations of morality and earthly politics.

This change was also apparent in terrorist tactics. Increased security and international cooperation among governments (largely fostered by self-interest) had gradually reduced the number of terrorist hijackings. Better security, hard-line government policies, and a greater willingness to use force in barricade situations reduced the number of hostage seizures and kidnappings, except those for cash ransoms. But terrorist motivations played a role too. Direct coercion was being replaced by threatening to kill hostages if demands were not met. ....