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Counteiing Inteinational Teiioiism: Efficacy in

Countei-Teiioiism Policies





























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The thieat of inteinational teiioiism cannot be auuiesseu solely by
militaiy means. Inteinational teiioiism is a complex latticewoik of social
netwoiks anu iuealisms that manifests itself within an auaptable fiamewoik;
seeking to maximize its effectiveness in caiiying out its iespective goals.
Inteinational teiioiist netwoiks such as Al-Qaeua aie constantly evolving anu
iefining theii piactices to ieciuit moie membeis to theii cause, become moie
lethal within theii opeiations, anu maximize theii logistical netwoiks to inciease
the efficiency of theii oiganization. This papei will uefine the contempoiaiy
thieat of inteinational teiioiism by pioviuing a basic analysis of Al-Qaeua;
uiscussing how netwoiks like these opeiate, as well as the thieats that they pose
to nations. This papei will aigue foi a multi-faceteu, cioss-uiscipline appioach to
unueistanuing inteinational teiioiist netwoiks anu shaping countei-teiioiism
policies; showing how a combination of stiategic militaiy opeiations, uomestic
iestiuctuiing anu logistical intelligence gatheiing can cieate effective uomestic
anu inteinational countei-teiioiism policies to auequately auuiess the thieat of
contempoiaiy inteinational teiioiism.
Teiioiism is an acute asymmetiization of foice wheiein "the offensive
capacities of teiioiists iest upon theii logistical use of the civilian infiastiuctuie
of the countiy unuei attack, anu at the same time on theii conveision of it into a
weapon." (Nunklei, 2uuS: 29) Teiioiism ielies on not only the teiioiist
oiganization's militaiistic capabilities, but also on the conveision of the civilian
population into a poweiful piopaganua tool against its own goveinment.
Teiioiist netwoiks aie socially constiucteu tools that pieviously weie useu to
enact political, social oi economic change within a specific iegion oi countiy.
(Boffman, 1999, in Lessei, 1999) Contempoiaiy teiioiist netwoiks have become
consistently moie ieligiously affiliateu, with "gioups motivateu in pait oi in
whole by a salient ieligious oi theological motivation commit|ingj ten of the 1S
teiioiist spectaculais iecoiueu in 1996." (Boffman, 1999: 17, quoteu in Lessei,
1999) This tienu in ieligious affiliation amongst contempoiaiy teiioiist gioups
has alloweu foi the cieation of a multifaceteu teiioiist community within each
oiganization that opeiates on a tiansnational level thiough a common iueology
that can be ieauily uisseminateu thiough auvanceu communications
technologies such as the Inteinet anu uigital meuia. (Cionin, 2uu6) The
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paiauigm shift in contempoiaiy teiioiist activities fiom piimaiily political,
social oi economically motivateu iegional actois, to ieligious anu iueologically
motivateu global oiganizations has foiceu countei-teiioiism policies to focus
not only on the militaiy implications of such a uynamic thieat, but also on the
social anu logistical intiicacies of combating an amoiphous oiganization such as
Al-Qaeua.
Contempoiaiy inteinational teiioiist thieats such as Al-Qaeua aie not
iestiicteu by the iegional confines faceu by pievious teiioiist oiganizations. Al-
Qaeua is, in all iespects, a cosmopolitan teiioiist entity: "Consiueiing al-Qaiua an
oiganization is misleauing; iathei it is moie like a nebula of inuepenuent entities
(incluuing loosely associateu inuiviuuals) that shaie an iueology anu coopeiate
with each othei. (Raufei, 2uuS, Quoteu in Cionin, 2uu6: SS) "The oiiginal
umbiella gioup, the Inteinational Islamic Fiont foi }ihau against }ews anu
Ciusaueis, foimeu in 1998, incluueu not only al-Qaiua but also gioups fiom
Algeiia, Banglauesh, Egypt anu Pakistan." Cionin, 2uu6: SS) The ability foi Al-
Qaeua to not only uisseminate piopaganua thiough uiffeient countiies, but also
call upon gioup expeitise in multiple aieas of opeiation poses a unique pioblem
foi countei-teiioiist policy, as solely uomestic countei-teiioi opeiations anu
enueavois meiely auuiess one facet of an inteinational teiioiist thieat; "no
pievious teiioiist oiganization has exhibiteu the complexity, agility, anu global
ieach of al-Qaiua, with its fluiu opeiational style baseu incieasing on a common
mission statement anu objectives, iathei than on stanuaiu opeiating pioceuuies
anu an oiganizational stiuctuie."(Cionin, 2uu6: SS) Al-Qaeua's inteinational
netwoik is uepenuent upon the uepth of commitment in each teiioiist
oiganization that iuentifies with its message, as well as the uiveisity of the
gioups that asciibe to the Al-Qaeua iueology. 0niting inuiviuuals unuei a single
iueology without a uefineu, univeisal commanu stiuctuie fuithei auus to the
iesilience of the netwoik.
The use of social netwoiks by inteinational teiioiist oiganizations
fuithei exaceibates the pioblem of cieating effective countei-teiioiist policies
within a contempoiaiy setting. A netwoik consisting of clusteis of like-minueu
inuiviuuals cieates a iesilient bonu that stiengthens the netwoik against outsiue
penetiation anu also tiauitional analysis by westein intelligence agencies. Naic
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Sageman, a piominent psychiatiist, "establisheu links among iuentifieu al-Qaiua
opeiatives inuicat|ingj that they joineu the oiganization mainly because of ties of
kinship anu fiienuship, facilitateu by what he calls a 'biiuging peison' oi entiy
point, peipetuateu in a seiies of local clusteis". (Sageman, 2uu4, Refeienceu in
Cionin, 2uu6: SS) These netwoiks of actois aie not confineu to a specific iegion
within an incieasingly connecteu woilu that facilitates global migiation. 0nce
these inuiviuuals aie connecteu to a netwoik, they aie capable of cultivating
theii own netwoik thiough social ciicles; calling upon expeitise anu logistical
suppoit thiough multiple inteipeisonal ielationships that span continents.
Each clustei of inuiviuuals opeiating within the teiioiist netwoik
asciibing to Al-Qaeua's iueology impaits upon it theii own bianu of action anu
teiioiism: "bin Lauen uesciibes al-Qaiua as 'the vanguaiu of the Nuslim nation'
anu uoes not claim to exeicise commanu anu contiol ovei his followeis." (Al
}azeeia Tv, Septembei 1u, 2uuS, citeu in Scheuei, 2uuS, Quoteu in Cionin, 2uu6:
SS) This unique methou of oiganization insulates Al-Qaeua fiom suffeiing a
seveie infiastiuctuial collapse if one such clustei of inuiviuuals, oi cell, weie to
be uismantleu, as

"although many gioups boast of a connection to al-Qaiua's iueology, theie aie often no logistical
tiails anu thus no links foi tiauitional intelligence methous to examine. This explains, foi
example, the tiemenuous uifficulty in establishing connections between a iauical mosque,
bombeis, bomb makeis, suppoiteis, anu al-Qaiua in auvance of an attack (not to mention aftei an
attack)." (Pillai, 2uu4, Refeienceu in Cionin, 2uu6: SS)

Al-Qaeua's iesilience ielies in the impoitance placeu in theii human inteiactions
anu uevelopment of netwoiks that aie inheiently tiansnational, as well as theii
usage of auvanceu communications, not limiteu to the Inteinet, to facilitate
tiaining anu logistical suppoit. These factois only seive to enhance the
piopagation of iueological mateiials anu the fosteiing of peuagogical suppoit
netwoiks.
Effective countei-teiioiist policies to auuiess the contempoiaiy thieat of
inteinational teiioiism must be cieateu to ueal with not only the physical
pievention of teiioiist attacks, but also to unueistanu anu contain tiansnational
netwoiks, while systematically uismantling them. It is impeiative to
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unueistanu that "teiioiism, like wai, nevei enus; howevei inuiviuual teiioiist
campaigns anu the gioups that wage them always uo."(Cionin, 2uu6: 48) The
ciucial uiffeience in effective countei-teiioiism policies as opposeu to feckless
appioaches is the acknowleugement that each teiioiist netwoik has unique
qualities, anu must be unueistoou befoie it can be ienueieu ineffective.
Inteinational migiation has become a key concein foi countei-teiioiist
opeiations since the attacks of Septembei 11, 2uu1 (Auamson, 2uu6)
Incieasingly, migiation policy has become synonymous with national secuiity
uue to the coiielation between illegal migiant populations anu ciiminal
activities. Illegal tiafficking anu smuggling netwoiks aie valueu at close to $1u
Billion annually, anu appioximately half of all illegal immigiants enteiing the
0niteu States come into contact with these illicit oiganizations. (I0N, 2uuS,
Refeienceu in Auamson, 2uu6: 174) Inteinational migiation biings with it
tiemenuous logistical capabilities in the contempoiaiy woilu: "cheapei anu
moie accessible foims of tianspoitation anu communication technologies, as
well as emeiging global infiastiuctuie of seivices. link national economies anu
unueigiiu the foimation of inteinational migiation netwoiks." (Auamson, 2uu6:
169) The combination of facility of movement acioss boiueis, as well as the
giowing uepenuence on accessible, effective anu low cost communication anu
tianspoitation technologies cieates an exploitable enviionment foi
contempoiaiy teiioiist oiganizations, such as Al-Qaeua to tiaveise national
boiueis. Coupleu with coopeiation fiom illegal smuggling anu tiafficking
netwoiks that opeiate inteinationally, mateiials anu human iesouices coulu be
tianspoiteu into a countiy without law enfoicement oi intelligence agencies'
awaieness.
Effective policies to auuiess inteinational migiation coiielate uiiectly to
countei-teiioiism policy to combat inteinational teiioiist oiganizations'
activities. Restiicting the capacities of oiganizations to illegally tianspoit
humans anu mateiials acioss boiueis uiiectly limits any teiioiist oiganization's
capabilities to uiiectly paiticipate in activities within the taiget countiy, anu also
hampeis effoits to access anu empowei "politically oiganizeu nonstate actois.
that can be useu foi political mobilization, which in tuin can leau to the
emeigence of 'iefugee waiiioi communities'" (Zolbeig, Suhike, anu Aguayo,
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1992, Quoteu in Auamson, 2uu6: 177) as was the case in Lebanon as facilitateu
by the Palestine Libeiation 0iganization. (Auamson, 2uu6: 177) Nigiation
policies that uisiupt the flow of iesouices to conflict aieas anu limit the
oppoitunities that oiganizeu ciime netwoiks have access to will ultimately
hampei inteinational teiioiist oiganizations' abilities to iemain an exteinal
thieat to a nation's uomestic population anu infiastiuctuie:

"Nigiation policies anu migiation netwoiks. pioviue avenues foi teiioiist oiganizations anu
othei nonstate actois to puisue theii inteiests. a significant uangei foi states. woulu be to
oveiieact to these thieats in ways that woulu unnecessaiily cuitail the many benefits of
inteinational migiation. well-uesigneu policies in coopeiation with othei states will also be the
best equippeu |statesj to face the new global secuiity enviionment." (Auamson, 2uu6: 19S-199)

It is impeiative that state migiation policy be focuseu inteinationally to combat
inteinational teiioiist oiganizations foi just this ieason.

Effectively auuiessing inteinational teiioiist oiganizations also uepenus
laigely on the psychological iesponse that teiioiism has on a population.
Teiioiism seeks to evoke feai within a population, "Teiioiists thus uelibeiately
exploit the effects piouuceu by the meuia spotlight on theii actions.
geneiat|ingj asymmetiies thiough .its !"##$%&' )"." (Nunklei, 2uuS: 29) The
speeuing up of panic within a population piomotes feai anu the peiception of an
oveiwhelming auvantage of foice in the teiioiists' favoi:

"the cieation of insecuiity, feai anu hysteiia. is |a goalj foi teiioiists. Anything that enhances
feai effectively gives in to them. veiy often the costs of teiioiism come much moie fiom hasty,
ill-consiueieu anu ovei-wiought ieactions, oi oveiieactions, to it than fiom anything the
teiioiists have uone." (Nuellei, 2uuS: 221-222)

Teiioiism, theiefoie, uiiectly utilizes the civilian meuia as a conuuit to
uisseminate not only knowleuge of violent attacks peipetiateu by the teiioiist
oiganization, but also the iesponse of citizens anu meuia peisonalities. The
meuia inteipietation of the teiioiist attack woiks as a catalyst to enact a feaiful
iesponse fiom the population; effectively gianting teiioiists leveiage anu powei.
Biian }enkins, a piominent expeit in teiioiism noteu that "teiioiists want a lot
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of people watching, not a lot of people ueau." (}enkins, 197S: 1S, Quoteu in
Nuellei, 2uuS: 229) Incieasingly within the contempoiaiy inteinational
teiioiist's communication stiategy, notoiiety anu meuia coveiage aie analogous
with bouy count, such as the Septembei 11, 2uu1 attacks on the Woilu Tiaue
Centei. 0nfoitunately foi teiioiists, the high loss of life uuiing the Septembei 11,
2uu1 attacks causeu Ameiicans to infei that " the teiioiists must want to uestioy
Ameiican society anu its values ! uespite al-Qaiua's ielative silence on these
issues." (Spieis, iefeienceu in Abiahams, 2uu6: 7u)
Counteiing the empoweiment that teiioiism inheiently gives to its
piactitioneis is contingent upon a psychological conuitioning of the civilian
population anu the meuia to iefiain fiom iesponuing with feai to teiioiist
activities:

"it seems sensible to suggest that pait of this ieaction shoulu incluue an effoit by politicians,
officials, anu the meuia to infoim the public ieasonably anu iealistically about the teiioiist
context insteau of playing into the hanus of teiioiists by effectively seeking to teiiify the public."
(Nuellei, 2uuS: 222)

In contempoiaiy context, the stiaightfoiwaiu of measuies may piove to be the
most effective against the veiy mechanism of teiioiism; "teiioiists can be
uefeateu simply by not becoming teiiifieu anu by iesisting the temptation to
oveiieact." (Nuellei, 2uuS: 222) This uoctiine can be maue even moie efficient
by conuucting calculateu militaiy opeiations to uismantle anu uemoialize
inteinational teiioiist netwoiks, anu fuithei bolstei feelings of secuiity within a
civilian population that has been attackeu.
Tiauitional militaiy countei-teiioiist opeiations with the intention to
captuie oi kill teiioiists that make up inteinational teiioiist netwoiks has
pioven to be an effective way to contiol immeuiate teiioiist thieats, anu also
uemoialize anu uestabilize teiioiist netwoiks' logistical netwoiks. Killing
piominent membeis of teiioiist gioups, such as Al-Qaeua's 0sama bin Lauen
anu affiliateu figuieheaus senus a piominent message to theii affiliates.
Captuiing teiioiist leaueis is, in many ways, just as effective; allowing countei-
teiioiism officials to unueimine the uetainee's cieuibility within theii teiioiist
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netwoik anu eliminating a key link in communications to othei teiioiists, thus
uemoializing any netwoik affiliateu with theii message. (Cionin, 2uu6: 22)
0n Nay 1, 2u11, membeis of the 0niteu States militaiy killeu Al-Qaeua
leauei 0sama bin Lauen in Abbottabau, Pakistan. The stiike, constituteu a
significant blow to Al-Qaeua's global netwoik. (Rollins, 2u11) The subsequent
infoimation gleaneu fiom 0sama bin Lauen's walleu complex, pioviueu
extiemely valuable insight into Al-Qaeua's teiioiist netwoik's opeiational
system anu confiimeu his active involvement not only in spieauing piopaganua,
but also in oichestiating futuie attacks on Ameiican inteiests both uomestic anu
inteinational. Nilitaiy opeiations such as the Nay 1 iaiu woik syneigistically
with intelligence gatheiing opeiations to uisiupt anu hampei teiioiists' logistics,
anu communications netwoiks anu, thiough meuia coveiage fuithei bolstei
population suppoit foi measuies to inciease uomestic secuiity. "The killing of
|0sama bin Lauenj uisiupts the oiganizational cohesion of the coie gioup.
exchanges may uecline in fiequency anu scope." (Rollins, 2u11: 6) Nilitaiy
opeiations aie the most conciete way to chait piogiess against inteinational
teiioiist oiganizations anu the thieats that they pose, with

"analysts suggest|ingj fuithei uisiuption to global AQ ielateu activities may be expecteu,
incluuing infighting between the iemaining leaueis of coie AQ, a lack of cohesion in anu between
the affiliateu oiganizations, anu fewei inuiviuuals ieciuiteu oi iauicalizeu to suppoit AQ's
goals.0.S. secuiity agencies anu inteinational paitneis may have an oppoitunity to exploit
vulneiabilities with the goal of hastening the uemise of AQ anu its affiliateu oiganizations."
(Rollins, 2u11: S)

Effective militaiy opeiations can be useu to acceleiate the uemise of teiioiism
thiough tangible piogiess; in conjunction with the utilization of intelligence
gatheiing netwoiks, uomestic piepaieuness anu community unueistanuing of
inteinational teiioiist oiganizations, inteinational teiioiist netwoiks can be
physically containeu anu ienueieu socially unacceptable.
Effective countei-teiioiism policies uo not lie within one uomain, but
iathei within a multi-faceteu appioach that combines a theoietical
unueistanuing of the complexities of inteinational teiioiist netwoiks with
effective policies to inciease the peiceiveu secuiity of a civilian population anu
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fostei intelligence gatheiing to auuiess the opeiations of inteinational teiioiist
netwoiks. Nilitaiy anu law enfoicement opeiations shoulu be useu in
conjunction with social mechanisms to limit inteinational teiioiist
oiganizations' capabilities; once physical piogiess has been maue to uisiupt anu
weaken teiioiist netwoiks, social policies shoulu be implementeu to fuithei
uegiaue inteinational teiioiist oiganizations' opeiational, logistical anu
ieciuitment capacities. While the thieat of amateui anu homegiown teiioiism,
state-sponsoieu teiioiism anu iegional teiioiism will nevei fully cease to exist,
gieatei unueistanuing of how inteinational anu uomestic teiioiist oiganizations
opeiate anu communicate, as well as a cioss uiscipline appioach to combating
them will pioviue foi an effective anu compiehensive appioach to countei-
teiioiism policies.





















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BIBLI0uRAPBY

Auamson, F., 2uu6. Ciossing Boiueis: Inteinational Nigiation anu National
Secuiity. *&+#,&-+%.&-/ 0#1),%+23 vol. S1 (1), pp. 16S-199

Cionin, A., 2uu6. Bow al-Qaiua Enus: The Becline anu Bemise of Teiioiist
uioups. *&+#,&-+%.&-/ 0#1),%+23 vol. S1 (1), pp. 7-48

Lessei, I., 1999, 4.)&+#,%&' +5# 6#7 8#,,.,%!9 |PBFj: Ranu Coipoiation. Availble
at: www.ianu.oigpubsmonogiaph_iepoits2uu9NR989.puf |Accesseu
1S112u11j

Nuellei, }., 2uuS. Simplicity anu Spook: Teiioiism anu the Bynamics of Thieat
Exaggeiation. *&+#,&-+%.&-/ 0+)$%#! :#,!"#1+%;#!, vol. 6, pp. 2u8-2S4

Nunklei, B., 2uuS. What is new about the New Wais. In: Nunklei, B., 85# 6#7
<-,! pp. S-S1, 1S8-14S. Cambiiuge: Polity

Rollins, }., 2u11. 0sama bin Lauen's Beath: Implications anu Consiueiations
|PBFj: Congiessional Reseaich Seivice. Available at:
www.fas.oigsgpcisteiioiR418u9.puf |Accesseu 26112u11j