Under these conditions, countries need an effective anti-terrorist policy and methods as a means of ensuring their own survival, public support, and international stability. Accordingly, new methods to combat terrorism began to be emerged and be developed, namely the use of new technologies such as satellites, information technology, surveillance, weaponry, Bio-metrics, finance, drones etc.
Satellites
It is worth noting a significant contribution of satellite systems to the resolution of the intelligence, communication, navigation and meteorological problems. Cosmic intelligence systems were used in order to provide US troops with timely and reliable data on the grouping of the Islamic movement of Taliban forces during the «Enduring Freedom» operation in Afghanistan, the enemy’s plan of action, its combat capability and readiness for strikes, as well as obtaining information about the features of the terrain (Ball, 2014). With the help of satellites were obtained images with a resolution of about 30 m of the earth's surface, which were used to assess the degree of destruction of objects based on a comparison of multispectral images taken before and after the air strikes, as well as to decide on the need for repeated bombings (Ball, 2014). For example, the Technology Experiment Satellite which was launched in 2001 has significantly helped US army with high-resolution satellite imagery during anti-terrorism operations after 9/11 (1.). The overall analysis states that satellites ensured the success of the counter-terrorist operations.
Information technology
Certain types of information and psychological warfare, addressed to the population in general or addressed to specific individuals and groups of social strata, political parties, and movements, can seriously disrupt the proper functioning of social institutions, government agencies, non-governmental organizations, citizens' associations and individuals. These impacts are classified as a negative, as they cause of psycho-emotional, social and psychological tension, distortion of moral criteria and norms, moral and political disorientation and, consequently, an inadequate behavior of individuals, groups, and masses of people. Information technology is the essence of the management of all critical elements of the infrastructure of modern civilization (“Information Technology for Counterterrorism”, 2003). These infrastructures are vulnerable due to the possibility of terrorist effects on the computer and telecommunications network of companies, states and even globally. Information technology plays a critical role in the management of nuclear power plants, waterworks, power networks, control systems and to ensure the safety and financial institutions of all types (market, insurance business, etc.) (“Information Technology for Counterterrorism”, 2003). Thus, the computer systems themselves have become a national critical infrastructure, highly vulnerable to external influences. The infrastructure of information technology (IT) consists of the Internet; telecommunications infrastructure, including satellite (space), radio and telecommunication systems; embedded operating in real-time computers, etc.
The relationship of information technology and terrorism are ambivalent. On the one hand, information technology greatly expands the opportunities for illegal actions of the terrorists. On the other hand, modern information technology in the rational combination with traditional methods can be already an effective tool to combat terrorism itself. Today, in anti-terrorist operations can actually be used such information technologies as fingerprinting, processing telephone calls (for example, recognition of the keywords in the speech stream), suspects recognition (identification) w2ith help of photos, creation and processing of information in the databases and some other data (Carafano, 2005). To combat terrorism, a data collection techniques and technology of their analysis and decision making are used. Technologies of data collection are basically the implementation of sensors, sensor networks and merging information from multiple sources (Carafano, 2005). Technologies for data analysis and decision-making (or analytical techniques) are technology of decision-makers interaction; selection and justification of decisions, analysis of texts; Detection and analysis of images; predictive modeling; natural language processing. With these technologies, one can create a model samples of terrorist activity; retrieve objects and their relationships from large amounts of data, in order to cooperate, draw conclusions and share information; make hypotheses and test possible actions of terrorists and counter-strategy to search and use many different media data, a multilingual speech and text; make a choice of possible solutions and strategies for alleged anti-terrorist actions (Carafano, 2005). An important aspect in this regard is the establishment of control over the terrorist communications, their electronic correspondence, social resources, and other communication
Surveillance
There are different types of surveillance that might be used for fighting terrorism. Some of them were already mentioned (computer, data mining, telephone calls processing and so on.) (“Is Increased Surveillance the Answer to Countering Terrorism?”, 2016). However, surveillance also includes the usage of other devices like cameras, biometric, social network analysis, etc. Surveillance helps to prevent the crime and different terror acts, search for the terrorists with the help of the types mentioned above (“Guidance Surveillance and counter-terrorism” , 2013). The importance of such type of technology is obvious. The police and army can use it for the counter-terrorism operations and it may ease and accelerate the search for terrorists because surveillance cameras are located in various public places (airports, government offices, stadiums, schools, hospitals, museums and so on.), ie in crowded areas.
Weaponry
The technological development of the weaponry is also a highly important issue in countering terrorism. The great impact on it was made by NATO, where the Program of Work for Defense against Terrorism was implemented. The aim of this program is to develop specific systems that will help the military to “prevent specific forms of terrorist attack and to give militaries new, cutting-edge technologies to detect, disrupt and pursue terrorists.” (“Combating terrorism through technology”). These systems will specifically focus on preventing different explosive devices used by terrorists (car bombs, roadside bombs); assistance in finding bombs, and bomb-makers; improving the ability of sappers to identify explosives; work with the effects of explosions; protection of aircraft against man-portable air shells; defense of the ports and ships from other boats and divers packed with explosives; and others (“Combating terrorism through technology”). Knowing about how terrorists build and use specific explosive devices and effects of each type of them, the world can begin developing various technologies to result in such bombs malfunction (“Combating terrorism through technology”), and finding different ways to prevent all the above-mentioned forms of terrorist attacks.
Bio-metrics
Physiological characteristics, such as fingerprint, geometry of the face, facial skin temperature, pattern of the iris, the geometry of the palm, retina, DNA structure, the shape of the ear, keyboard set characteristics, features signature and many others are permanent and immutable characteristics of the human being (Carafano, 2005). The benefits of biometric security systems are obvious: the uniquely human qualities are good in that they are difficult to counterfeit, it is difficult to leave a fake fingerprint or make the iris of your eye look like a someone else's. Unlike paper IDs (passport, driving license, identity card), by a password or personal identification number (PIN), biometric characteristics can not be forgotten or lost because of their uniqueness, they are used to prevent theft or fraud and also can be used to identify the terrorists (Carafano, 2005).
Finance
One of the most important issues in the fight against terrorism is the tracing of its financing. Not seeking financial gain as the ultimate goal, terrorist organizations need money to organize and conduct terrorist activities, attracting new supporters, providing support locally and abroad because of overlapping ways of financing terrorism has become a significant problem of the international community. Global efforts to counter the financing of terrorism were made before September 11 when in 1999 it was admitted to a universal international treaty – the United Nations Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism (Kaplan, 2006). In the framework of the Convention, states have developed practical measures to create an effective system of control over financial flows both internationally and domestically: prevent and stop the financing of terrorist acts; impose criminal responsibility for deliberate transmission or collection of funds to commit terrorist acts; “block funds and other financial assets or economic resources of persons who commit or attempt to commit terrorist acts” (Kaplan, 2006) ; etc. Most countries that follow the norms of international law have the legislation on the issue of fighting terrorism. Of course, the fight against the financing of terrorism will not prevent the commission of terrorist acts or block any deal, possibly connected to terrorism. Both the strategic objective of combating the financing of terrorism are designed to facilitate management of the broader fight against terrorism by providing financial intelligence, as well as suppression of activity or liquidation of the infrastructure of terrorism, without creating unnecessary impediments to access to a financial sphere or to the functioning of the global financial system.
Drones
A drone is a plane, which is managed either by the ground pilot, or, more often, automatically, by a pre-set flight program (Hays, 2008). Although there are many different types of drones, they all fall into two categories: those that are used for reconnaissance and observation purposes and those that are equipped with the missile strike systems. The area where considerable forces of terrorists are hiding, a constant monitoring to keep track of the enemy is needed. Drones have become the best solution for the respective intelligence and logistical problems. In addition, their maintenance costs a low, as well as pilot training, allowed US authorities to save significant funds (Hays, 2008).
References
1. TES (Technology Experiment Satellite), EO Portal Directory. Retrieved from
https://directory.eoportal.org/web/eoportal/satellite-missions/t/tes
2. Gregory Ball (2014) “Operation Enduring Freedom”, Air Force Historical Support Division.
Retrieved from: http://www.afhso.af.mil/topics/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=18634
3. James Carafano (2005) “The Future of Anti-Terrorism Technologies”. Retrieved from:
http://www.heritage.org/research/lecture/the-future- of-anti- terrorism-technologies
4. “Information Technology for Counterterrorism: Immediate Actions and Future Possibilities”
(2003), The Nation Academies Press. Retrieved from: http://www.nap.edu/read/10640/chapter/5#30
5. “Guidance Surveillance and counter-terrorism” (2013), Home Office. Retrieved from: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/surveillance-and- counter-terrorism
6. “Is Increased Surveillance the Answer to Countering Terrorism? (Guest Voice)” (2016), The
Moderate Voice. Retrieved from: http://themoderatevoice.com/is-increased-surveillance-
the-answer-to-countering-terrorism-guest-voice
7. “Combating terrorism through technology” NATO Review. Retrieved from: http://www.nato.int/docu/review/2004/issue3/english/military.html
8. Eben Kaplan (2006) “Tracking Down Terrorist Financing”, Council on Foreign Relations.
Retrieved from: http://www.cfr.org/terrorist-financing/tracking-down-terrorist-financing/p10356
9. Jeffrey Hays (2008) “Drones And The Fight Against Terrorism”, Facts and Details.
Retrieved from: http://factsanddetails.com/world/cat58/sub384/item2377.html
