Al Qaida Ideology, Structure, Target and Tactics
Inside Al-Qaida: Ideology, Structure, Targets, and Tactics
Monique Bates
Columbia Southern University
Homeland Security
MSE 6201
Dr. Milen
October 30, 2012
Inside Al-Qaida: Ideology, Structure, Targets, and Tactics
The purpose of this paper is to briefly describe and analyze the USA Patriot Act and its abilities to prevent, protect, and/or respond to current and/or future Al-Qaida terrorists attacks.
On the morning of September 11, 2001, 19 of Al-Qaida’s workers hijacked four
U.S. commercial airliners for use as suicide weapons, killing 2,972 people making it the most deadly act of terrorism and the first known suicide terrorist attack in the U.S. “How much freedom are Americans willing to give up for safety from terrorists?” This question, proposed by a January 2003 feature in USA Today newspaper, resides at the center of debates about homeland security. More than a year after 9/11 terrorists attacks on the U.S., the federal government’s stepped up security efforts are still a major focus today” (Torr, 2004).
New homeland security measures weighed by policy makers and outside viewers using two values: “their success in preventing terrorist attacks and the impact it would have on the American people”. It included a combination of efforts to prevent terrorist attacks such as random bag checks at the airport, as well as wide-ranging policies in the way intelligence was being gathered and law enforcement modifications (Torr, 2004). Al-Qaida presents an unparalleled threat to America, its allies, and to global security. “In addition to training its own members, 4000 was the October 2001 estimate, according to the Western intelligence community, Al-Qaeda and the Taliban regime trained 70,000 members in its camps in Afghanistan. While Al-Qaeda has conducted one major attack every year prior to 9/11, Al-Qaeda and its associated groups have also conducted one attack every three months since 9/11. Although it is the most wanted terrorist group
Monique Bates
Columbia Southern University
Homeland Security
MSE 6201
Dr. Milen
October 30, 2012
Inside Al-Qaida: Ideology, Structure, Targets, and Tactics
The purpose of this paper is to briefly describe and analyze the USA Patriot Act and its abilities to prevent, protect, and/or respond to current and/or future Al-Qaida terrorists attacks.
On the morning of September 11, 2001, 19 of Al-Qaida’s workers hijacked four
U.S. commercial airliners for use as suicide weapons, killing 2,972 people making it the most deadly act of terrorism and the first known suicide terrorist attack in the U.S. “How much freedom are Americans willing to give up for safety from terrorists?” This question, proposed by a January 2003 feature in USA Today newspaper, resides at the center of debates about homeland security. More than a year after 9/11 terrorists attacks on the U.S., the federal government’s stepped up security efforts are still a major focus today” (Torr, 2004).
New homeland security measures weighed by policy makers and outside viewers using two values: “their success in preventing terrorist attacks and the impact it would have on the American people”. It included a combination of efforts to prevent terrorist attacks such as random bag checks at the airport, as well as wide-ranging policies in the way intelligence was being gathered and law enforcement modifications (Torr, 2004). Al-Qaida presents an unparalleled threat to America, its allies, and to global security. “In addition to training its own members, 4000 was the October 2001 estimate, according to the Western intelligence community, Al-Qaeda and the Taliban regime trained 70,000 members in its camps in Afghanistan. While Al-Qaeda has conducted one major attack every year prior to 9/11, Al-Qaeda and its associated groups have also conducted one attack every three months since 9/11. Although it is the most wanted terrorist group
References: Bin Laden’s Long Reach. (2001, ). The Seattle Times. Retrieved from http://seattletimes.com/news/nation-world/crisis/terrorism/binladen_18.html Gunaratna, R. (2005, May 19). Current Trends in Islamist Ideology. Hudson Institute, Vol 1. Retrieved from http://www.currenttrends.org/research/detail/Al-Qaedas-ideology Kamien, D. G. (2006). The McGraw-Hill Homeland Security Handbook. Retrieved from Terrorism 2002-2005. [Entire issue]. (2005). U.S Department of Justice. Federal Bureau of Investigations. Retrieved from http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/terrorism-2002-2005