The underlying issues and considerations in conducting covert operations within the context of counterterrorist operations are also discussed. This is done in relation to the need to established better methods for critically and judicially examining each case while simultaneously dealing with potential threats in a quick and efficient manner. The methods used in order to focus the direction of policy towards such ends are considered as well as the frameworks by which policy is shaped and maintained throughout the challenges that are likely to be faced. The underlying frameworks and systems in place in order to ensure that these needs are met are also discussed and the level to which they require attention in order to better address the complications that will likely arise in combating terrorist threats. The capacity of counterterrorist measures to effectively contribute to lowering the overall threat of terrorism is considered and the adaptation of strategies in order to attain such a goal are presented and assessed.
The use of terror by those with specific ideologies or values poses a fundamental threat to the stability of democratic order. As the public good is faced with danger or the threat of violence, the power of democratic values can be susceptible to the desire and need for safety. These needs can often overshadow the ideological values of freedom and liberty upon which democratic order has been established. These ideologies, when confronted with the potential for violence, can often be marginalized out of fear or rationalization of the needs for safety. It is under this framework that the needs of counterterrorism often come under scrutiny. The need for adequate responses to terrorist threats belies the need for increased power being placed in the hands of authority (Reinhardt, 2009). In order to successfully adapt and change to circumstances, those agencies tasked with public safety often require a greater deal of autonomy in their actions. These needs can often come in direct conflict with the democratic needs for due process and fair and equal justice. Powers given to central agencies out of fear or panic are difficult to win back, which presents the need for careful consideration of the various threats that are actually posed to society and the most effective and unintrusive ways of responding to such threats. The issue of indiscriminate terrorism has challenged law enforcement in coming up with ways to successfully adapt to the changing circumstances.
One way in which security experts have been tasked with increasing public safety is by securing airlines, which are essential networks for travel. Within a democratic system, free trade and free travel are essential aspects of maintaining order. The threat of attacks on the airways could potentially reduce the movement of people, resulting in economic stagnation and loss of jobs. The sheer number of airlines and potentialities for attack present a difficult challenge to counterterrorism experts. The need to screen packages and belongings for safety comes into conflict with the interests of travelers, to arrive at their destinations quickly, and the airports themselves, to process as many individuals through their terminal as quickly and efficiently as possible (Wright, 2013). It is impossible to ensure foolproof safety no matter how many measures are in place. The potential for airlines to be used as either terrorist targets, or as means of destructions as in the World Trade Center attacks, creates a need to establish methods that limit the potential for threats to personal safety. By careful cooperation between agencies such as the FBI, CIA, and NSA, passengers are screened in order to maintain an active system of basic security. Furthermore, by layering together various methods for ensuring security, these agencies are able to further enhance their potential for discovering and preventing potential terrorist threats.
These aspects of security present the need for intelligence gathering that is able to flexibly adapt and evolve to changing circumstances. Information is the most essential factor in developing any counterterrorism strategy. The sheer volume of possible threats presents the need to attain information that can bring into focus the various possibilities that these experts might face. By overwhelming security experts, terrorists are able to force security personnel into unplanned actions, create situations that they are unable or unprepared to deal with, capitalize on the creation of such situations, use this to disperse or effectively disarm the security personnel, and, doing so, create the image of strength or dominance for their organization (Demleitner, 2009). Because terror organizations primarily work by their reputations, this can garner a greater amount of fear and hysteria, reducing the possibility of successful counter efforts. In achieving such goals, terrorists essentially win the small-scale battles that they are seeking to wage on society as a whole. The creation of fear and panic can work to disarm the social frameworks that are in place to protect people from potential threats. In doing so, they further weaken the systems that they desire to dismantle.
This demonstrates the primary disadvantage that security forces have in dealing with terrorist groups. The capability for surprise attacks due to the relative anonymity of terror organizations forces public agencies into a defensive position, in which they have to establish methods for effectively guessing when and where the attacks might strike. The structures of terror groups are, for this reason, established in broken up cell-like organizations which are much more difficult to track and bring down. This makes it difficult to ensure that potential threats are targeted and not civilians or other innocent non-combatants (Smith, 2001). Communication has therefore become one of the most essential factors for both sides of the conflict. For terrorist groups, communication is a necessary element which allows them to coordinate strikes despite their fractured nature. For security forces, communication is necessary to ensure that targets are dealt with in a quick and efficient manner, and that they are who they believe them to be. This has led to the rise of covert warfare, in which operations are undertaken without the prior consent of the public. By establishing information networks, informants, and covert channels of communication, these groups can attempt to limit the amount that the other can communicate accurate information, severely limiting their capacity to operate effectively.
Collection of information, data, and intelligence are essential steps in establishing any form of intelligence that can be acted upon in such a situation. Threat analysis should be undertaken so that the nature and extent of the situation can be determined. Manipulation of media can occur on both sides, as law enforcement attempts to maintain order by keeping certain issues secret, the terrorists might establish means of communicating those threats to the public, further limiting the capacity of security experts to deal with the attacks (Caputo, 2004). Threat analysis involves the careful collection of intelligence, looking at the threat itself, and any vulnerabilities that it is targeting. Then, the most effective methods for either stopping or reducing the possibilities for the terrorist threats will be enacted. The inability to continuously review the information as it evolves over time could potentially result in attacks to the public that result in death or injury. The inability to adequately collect and assess information in order to reduce the possibility of these threats presents the primary concern of many security agencies. Terrorists work to exploit such weaknesses in the overall chain of defense that have been constructed in order to protect the public.
Despite the fact that the public has become more informed about terrorism, the potential threats that it poses, and the underlying moral and ethical concerns that surround the countermeasures designed to deal with it, threats to public safety to due terrorism have continued to increase. The increasing number of attacks on public, rather than government, institutions represents a growing trend in terrorist activities that see targeting the public as a much more effective means to cause mass hysteria and panic, effectively crippling the organizations that are designed to protect them. In order to attain the maximum effect for their efforts, terrorist organizations target large populations that can provide as big of a response as possible. Retaliation policies have been created in order to reduce the desire of these individuals to commit such acts. This can include marital or civil punishment as well as other legal ramifications. This also demonstrates an underlying public concern regarding the rights of terrorists. Whether or not they are tried as individuals or having acted in a group largely depends on the context of the attack and the evidence that can be gathered. Concern for basic human rights has prompted discussion regarding those that should be extended to those who act out these attacks.
References
Caputo, G.A. (2004). Intermediate Sanctions in Corrections. North Texas Crime and Criminal
Justice Series, No. 4. North Texas Press. 19.
Demleitner, N.V. (2009). Replacing Incarceration: The Need for Dramatic Change. Federal
Sentencing Reporter. Vo. 22. No. 1. 5.
Reinhardt, S. (2006). The Judicial Role in National Security. Boston University Law Review.
Vol. 86. 1309-1314.
Smith, J.M. & Thomas, W.C. (2001). The Terrorism Threat and U.S. Government Response:
Operational and Organizational Factors. The USAF Institute for National Terrorist
Studies.
Wright, A.L. (2013). Terrorism, Ideology, and Target Selection. Princeton University Press.
