Wiley Handbook of Science and Technology for Homeland Security, 4 Volume Set

TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS AND MODELING TRENDS

IRMAK RENDA-TANALI

University of Maryland University College, Adelphi, Maryland

CHRISTOPHER D. HEKIMIAN

DXDT Engineering and Research, LLC, Hagerstown, Maryland

1 INTRODUCTION

The US Joint Tactics, Techniques and Procedures (JTTP) for Antiterrorism, Joint Publication 3-07.2 as cited in [1] states: The terrorist organization’s structure, membership, resources, and security determine its capabilities and reach”. Any method of analysis and understanding that can be directed against the broad threat posed by terrorist organizations (TOs) can contribute to mitigation strategies. Moreover, since TO activities are often covert, and government secrets regarding intelligence pertaining to TOs are closely guarded, knowledge, understanding, and analytical tools may be the only assets that analysts have to direct toward terrorism threat mitigation. Understanding the structures and modes of operation of terrorist groups is a key enabler in the assessment and mitigation of the terrorism threat. Organizational structures of terrorist groups that may appear complex during initial assessments may be more understandable when laid out in systematically modeled formats. This article focuses on existing and ongoing efforts related to terrorist data analysis and modeling aspects that deal with terror risk mitigation.

2 SCIENTIFIC OVERVIEW

The research in support of understanding the construct and operation of TOs can be categorized into (i) studies that focus ...