assignment 2 Flashcards
Lord Lloyd of Berwick, terrorism legislation in 1986
“The use of serious violence against persons or property, or threat to use such violence, to intimidate or coerce a government, the public or any section of the public, in order to promote political, social or ideological objectives.”
However, he did note at the time that this definition would not cover such situations as the disruption of air traffic control or other vital electronic systems.
Definition of terrorism used in UK legal systems is to be found in Section 1 of the Terrorism Act 2000, as amended:
S1. Terrorism: interpretation
(1) In this Act “terrorism” means the use or threat of action where:
(a) the action falls within subsection (2),
(b) the use or threat is designed to influence the government or an international governmental organisation or to intimidate the public or a section of the public, and
(c) the use or threat is made for the purpose of advancing a political, religious or ideological cause.
(2) Action falls within this subsection if it:
(a) involves serious violence against a person,
(b) involves serious damage to property,
(c) endangers a person’s life, other than that of the person committing the action,
(d) creates a serious risk to the health or safety of the public or a section of the public, or
(e) is designed seriously to interfere with or seriously to disrupt an electronic system.
(3) The use or threat of action falling within subsection (2) which involves the use of firearms or explosives is terrorism whether or not subsection (1)(b) is satisfied.
(4) In this section:
(a) “action” includes action outside the United Kingdom,
(b) a reference to any person or to property is a reference to any person, or to property, wherever situated,
(c) a reference to the public includes a reference to the public of a country other than the United Kingdom, and
(d) “the government” means the government of the United Kingdom, of a Part of the United Kingdom or of a country other than the United Kingdom.
(5) In this Act a reference to action taken for the purposes of terrorism includes a reference to action taken for the benefit of a proscribed organisation.
N.B. The words in subsection (1)(b) “or an international governmental organisation” were inserted by the Terrorism Act 2006, s 34(a), and came into force on the 13th April 2006.
Terrorism can appear in a number of guises.
A form of unconventional warfare,
attempting to force political change by convincing a government or population to agree to demands to avoid future harm or fear of harm,
destabilizing an existing government,
motivating a disgruntled population to join an uprising, escalating a conflict in the hopes of disrupting the status quo,
expressing a grievance,
drawing attention to a cause.
The main terrorist threat facing the United Kingdom comes from international terrorist groups that are part of, or affiliated to Al Qaeda.
World Trade Centre in New York on the 11th September 2001.
Coalition forces action against Afghanistan and Iraq, with considerable United Kingdom military support, has led to an increased threat to the population.
UK Attacks
7th July 2005, where 52 people were killed by four suicide bombers carrying rucksacks containing improvised explosive devices.
21st July 2005 similar attacks on the London Transport system, although in this case the devices failed to detonate.
the failed Heathrow Plot in August 2006
Glasgow attacks in June 2007.
Westminster bridge, london bridge, Manchester, Parson Green.
Threats to UK prior to Islamic terrorism
Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA) campaign, started in 1968 - 1999 cease-fire at the time of the Good Friday Agreement.
Republican splinter groups, Real IRA and Continuity IRA, have continued attacks in the province of Northern Ireland and in mainland Britain.
IRA split into two factions,
the Official IRA (OIRA) / Provisionals, of which the latter continued to fight a terrorist campaign when OIRA decided to pursue a political path.
PIRA split to spawn the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA)
PIRA and INLA who have carried out attacks on the mainland, with PIRA by far the most threatening in terms of capability and delivery.
Types of attacks
politicians such as Airey Neave MP / Thatcher Cabinet in Brighton
Armed forces in Aldershot, London, Shropshire and Kent
Gas and electricity facilities
Oil refineries
Key road infrastructure and the railways
City of London business area
Types of attacks
Person borne improvised explosive devices
Vehicle borne improvised explosive devices
Bombs directed against property
packages, briefcases and by post
Fire bombs using fuel and chemical incendiaries
Improvised mortar attacks, usually vehicle-borne,
Shooting of key figures (not very frequent)
Riot and civil disturbance
Kidnapping and extortion
Armed robbery, fraud and credit card fraud for fund raising
Note: less common forms of attack include product contamination, sabotage, criminal damage and cybercrime. Cybercrime is seen as a growing problem with terrorist groups actively targeting organisational computer systems.
The main terrorist threat to business
bomb campaigns, e.g. of places of public resort, leisure facilities
critical national infrastructure, e.g. energy targets, communications,
transport links and premises, and their contents.
kidnap
extortion
intimidation of workforces.
Target Harding
Target-hardening measures are vital to convince the terrorist to look elsewhere, eg:
Protection of the premises by good, physical and electronic security
A proactive and alert response force
A workforce that is alert to the threat of terrorism
threat must be defined.
target harding conciderations
Location Association Types of activities (Ethos) international terrorist groups has been against people: public transport systems, aviation, crowded places and iconic sights. Nature of work force-religous
PIRA, main targets were economic.
a favoured hypothesis of terrorism
groups have much more success in persuading governments to open a dialogue when they cause significant economic damage, rather than killing people.
Counter Measures to terrorism
Identify the threats hostile reconnaissance Perimiter controls Vistor controls/queqing Vehicle access, parking, stand off General house keeping Access control to building/floors/offices Physical protection of building communication/education evacuation drills Mail rooms operational rooms/cctv Telephone threat cyber threats Specialist/sensitive areas emergency services Transportation key personnel
Terrorist methodalogy
Penetrate
Avoid
Exploit
Attack
