Terrorism Targets America

Traditional Motives:

• Gain Political Freedom from Westerners • Expel Western Economic Influences • Preserve Traditional Religious or Cultural Beliefs

Primary Goal: • Destruction of what they consider to be an Evil Force

Popular Methods: • Acts of Extreme Violence

High Jacking and Kidnapping Bombings & Explosive Devices (IED’s)

World Trade Center Bombing in New York (26 Feb 1993)

• Car containing 1,500 pounds of uranium- nitrate was parked in underground garage

• Explosion rocked both towers, cut off emergency power, and sent smoke up elevator shafts & stairwells to 92nd floor

• 6 people killed & 1,042 injured • Osama bin Laden & Al Qaida

• Demanded the end of U.S. aid & diplomatic relations with Israel

Terrorism Targets America

Khobar Towers Bombing in Saudi Arabia

(25 Jun 1996)

• U.S. Air Force Barracks

• Tanker packed with 20,000 lbs of explosives

• Saudi Hezbollah “Party of God in the Hijaz”

• Force foreign (U.S.) influences out of Arabia

• 19 U.S. Service members killed & 1 Saudi

• 372 people injured (multiple nationalities)

• U.S. Coalition forces were moved to Prince Sultan Air Base where better security was available

Terrorism Targets America

U.S. Embassy Bombings in East Africa (7 Aug 1998)

• Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Nairobi, Kenya • Coordinated attacks using explosive packed trucks • Suicide bombers detonated explosives around 10:30 am • Attacks were attributed to Osama Bin Laden & Al Qaida • 223 killed & 4,000 wounded in the combined attacks

Terrorism Targets America

U.S.S. Cole Bombing in the Port of Yemen

(12 Oct 2000)

• Anchored in the port of Yemen at 10:30 am

• Small boat was allowed to approach ship at 11:18 am

• Bomb containing about 700 lbs of explosives

• 40 x 40 foot gash created in the side of the ship

• Blast hit ship’s galley during lunchtime

• 23 sailors were killed and 47 were seriously injured

• Osama bin Laden & Al Qaida

Terrorism Targets America

Airplane High-Jacking’s & Attacks (11 Sep 2001)

• Four terrorist cells high-jacked four airliners

American Airlines flight 11 (8:46 in North Tower) United Airlines flight 175 (9:03 in South Tower) American Airlines flight 77 (9:37 in the Pentagon) United Airlines flight 93 (Crashed in Pennsylvaina)

• 19 terrorists and 246 passengers died in the attacks

• 2,606 died in the area of the Twin Towers

• 184 died in the Pentagon

• 403 Rescue workers died

• Osama & Al Qaida

Terrorism Targets America

America Takes a Stand The USA PATRIOT Act

President George W. Bush signed it into law

on 26 October 2001 (45 days after the 9/11

attacks on the World Trade Center in N.Y.)

To unite and strengthen America by providing appropriate

tools required to intercept and obstruct terrorism in the U.S.

Substantially expanded the authority of U.S. law

enforcement agencies for the stated purpose of fighting

terrorism in the United States and around the world

Increased the ability of law enforcement to conduct

surveillance and investigative activities concerning any

individuals suspected of terrorist-related activities

America Takes a Stand The USA PATRIOT Act

It expanded the authority of the Secretary of the Treasury

to regulate financial transactions and seize assets

believed to support terrorist-related activities

It expanded the definition of terrorism to include

“Domestic Terrorism” and redefined the term to broadly

include mass destruction as well as assassination

The definition also encompassed activities that are

considered “dangerous to human life” and are intended to

intimidate the civilian population” or to impact the

conduct of the government through “mass destruction,

assassination, or kidnapping” within the United States

America Takes a Stand The USA PATRIOT Act

PROS

The patriot act allows investigators to use tools against

suspected terrorists that were already available to

investigate organized crime and drug trafficking

(Wire taps, Surveillance, Court Orders, and Covert Ops)

The patriot act updated the law to reflect the use of new

technologies against the new terrorist threats

(Computers, Internet Resources, Wireless Monitoring)

The patriot act increased the penalties for those who

commit terrorist acts, conspire with, or harbor terrorists

America Takes a Stand The USA PATRIOT Act

CONS

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) declared that

the USA Patriot Act threatens the Constitutional Freedoms

of ALL Americans

Ability of Law Enforcement to conduct surveillance on

Americans only suspected of terrorist related activities

without concrete evidence is a violation of their

Constitutional Rights

Law Enforcement and Government restrictions put in

place by the Patriot Act threaten American’s Freedom of

Speech and Expression (Publically and Electronically)

America Takes a Stand The Aviation and Transportation

Security Act

President George W. Bush signed it into law on

19 November 2001 ultimately creating the TSA

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was

created to strengthen the security of the nation’s

transportation systems and ensure the freedom of

movement for people and commerce

The TSA secures the nation’s airports and screens all

commercial airline passengers and baggage

The TSA uses risk-based strategies and works closely with

transportation, law enforcement, and intelligence agencies

America Takes a Stand

The Transportation Security Administration

Ticket Counter Agents continue to be required to ask:

Have any pf the items you’re traveling with been out of

your immediate control since the time you packed them?

Have any strangers asked you to carry an y items aboard

the aircraft?

ALL Passengers must successfully pass through a security

checkpoint prior to boarding any commercial airline:

ALL Passengers must show a valid ID (Passport, State

ID, or Military ID) at the security checkpoint and/or prior

to boarding

Airport Security Procedures

America Takes a Stand

The Transportation Security Administration

ALL Passengers must successfully pass through a security

checkpoint prior to boarding any commercial airline:

ALL Passengers must pass through metal detectors and

have their carry-on luggage x-rayed before entering the

airport concourse

Additional screening procedures also include:

Passenger Name Checks against

published No-Fly Lists

Hand-Held Metal detector wands

Pat-Down Screenings

Full Body X-Ray Scanners

Airport Security Procedures

America Takes a Stand

The Transportation Security Administration

• Claims that the use of No-Fly Lists are Unconstitutional

due to racial profiling

CRITICISM

• Complaints that full-body

scanners invade people’s

privacy and are too revealing

• Reports that baggage thefts

have risen drastically since

mandatory screening began

• Reports of TSA Agents failing to

perform their duties as required

America Takes a Stand The Homeland Security Act

President George W. Bush signed it into law on

25 November 2002, which authorized the creation

of the Department of Homeland Security in 2003

The act also created the new Presidential Cabinet position

of Secretary of Homeland Security

The Department of Homeland Security was created to lead

the unified national effort to secure America.

It is dedicated to the prevention and protection against

terrorist attacks or threats and hazards to the nation

It is also charged with ensuring safe and secure borders,

while safeguarding lawful visitors and national commerce

America Takes a Stand The Department of Homeland Security Combined 22 federal

agencies and programs with

roughly 170,000 employees

America Takes a Stand The Department of Homeland Security

• Integrating the operations of 22 agencies and programs of

different sizes and origins (military, law enforcement, civil)

EXPECTED OBSTACLES

• Coordination with the estimated 100 agencies in twelve

departments outside the direct control of the DHS

• Shared Intelligence Issues between the DHS and outside

agencies also critical to National Security (CIA, FBI, NSA)

• Balancing responsibilities between anti-terrorism mission

and traditional disaster safety and recovery missions

America Takes a Stand The Department of Homeland Security

• Declining public support due to poor response to primary

non-terrorism mission of disaster assistance and recovery

during recent hurricane / tornado / flood events

PROBLEMS TO OVERCOME

• Declining public support for the “War on Terrorism” due to

extended durations of the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan

• Political conflicts over Congressional Oversight and lack

of DHS responsiveness to Congressional Committees

• Intra-Organizational Conflicts between the operational

priorities of larger versus smaller agencies within the DHS

America Takes a Stand The War on Terror

A phrase first used by President George W. Bush

on 20 September 2001 following the 9/11 attacks

Used to describe the joint U.S. / NATO alliance to

combat terrorist activities by Islamic Extremist groups like

al-Qaeda, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, and the Taliban

The War on Terror incorporates

two primary conflicts:

The War in Iraq

(2003 – 2011)

The War in Afghanistan

(2001 – Present)

America Takes a Stand War in Afghanistan (2001-Present)

A U.S. led military intervention by various NATO

nations to destroy al-Qaeda and remove the

Taliban from power in Afghanistan

Following the 9/11 attacks, the U.S. demanded the Taliban

expel al-Qaeda and turn over Osama bin-Laden for crimes

committed against the United States

Failed compliance by the Taliban

resulted in a joint U.S. / British

resolution to invade Afghanistan

Setting the Stage

America Takes a Stand War in Afghanistan (2001-Present)

7 Oct 2001: The U.S. & U.K began

Operation Enduring Freedom to

oust the Taliban and hunt down

Osama bin-Laden

In 2003: NATO assumed leadership

of the ISAF with troops from 43

different nations

Dec 2001: The United Nations

created the International Security

Assistance Force (ISAF) to oversee

security of Afghanistan and train

Afghan National Security Forces

America Takes a Stand War in Afghanistan (2001-Present)

2004-2006: Operation Enduring Freedom focused on clearing

and holding villages, increasing nation building projects, and

winning the hearts and minds of the people

2 May 2011: U.S. Navy Seals

tracked down and killed Osama

bin-Laden in Pakistan

By 2007: Taliban and al-Qaeda

Leaders who fled into the eastern

mountains expanded the war into

the western regions of Pakistan

By 2013: Plans to withdraw U.S.

troops from Afghanistan began

America Takes a Stand War in Iraq (2003- 2011)

A U.S. led military intervention by various NATO

nations to remove the regime of Saddam Hussein

and allow the Iraqi People to establish a

democratically elected Iraqi Government

The motivations behind U.S. intervention in Iraq stemmed from:

• U.S. intelligence indicating possible WMD’s in Iraq

• U.S. belief that Saddam Hussein was support al-Qaeda

• U.S. evidence of Human Rights violations against the

Iraqi people by Saddam Hussein’s military forces

• Requests by anti-Saddam factions for U.S. assistance

Setting the Stage

America Takes a Stand War in Iraq (2003- 2011)

20 Mar 2003: A U.S. Coalition of the

“Nations of the Willing” initiated

“Operation Iraqi Freedom”

The invasion led to an occupation

of Iraq and eventual capture of

Saddam Hussein

Violence against Coalition forces

and an increased Sunni-Shia civil

war caused the rise of a new

faction of al-Qaeda in Iraq

America Takes a Stand War in Iraq (2003- 2011)

By 2008: Decreasing U.S. public

support and the belief that Iraqi

Security Forces had been properly

trained led to plans for withdrawal

U.S. and Iraqi Security forces

agreed on a strategic downsizing

of U.S. forces by January 2012

In 2009: President Barrack Obama

announced an 18-month plan for

the total withdrawal of U.S. troops

by December 2011

America Takes a Stand Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp

(2002 - Present)

Established in January 2002 to detain

and interrogate highly dangerous

prisoners suspected of war crimes and

terrorist activities

The facility included four key detainment

areas called Camp Delta, Camp Echo,

Camp Iguana, and Camp X-Ray

Originally established based on the idea

that detainees held at Guantanamo Bay

were outside the legal protections of U.S.

law or the Geneva Conventions

America Takes a Stand Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp

(2002 - Present)

2006: U.S. Supreme Court ruled that all

detainees were entitled to the minimum

protections under the Geneva Convention

In 2005: Amnesty International called the

facility the “Gulag of our times” due to

confirmed reports of abuse and torture

2009-2010: President Barrack Obama

ordered suspension of military detainment

operations and the transfer of the

prisoners to locations in the United States

America Takes a Stand Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp

(2002 - Present)

2011: President Obama signed an order

to place restrictions on the operations of

Guantanamo Bay impending an attempt to

close the facility

Congress voted to block funds needed to

transfer or release the prisoners held at

the Guantanamo Bay Detention Facility

2014: Due to Congressional opposition

to closing the facility and bringing its

detainees to the U.S., 154 detainees still

remain at Guantanamo Bay