This week will involve us understanding how terrorist organizations influence and promote their agendas.
Let’s think about past terrorist attacks that have occurred in London. The attackers took a white rental van and ran over pedestrians on London bridge. The van travelled towards the Borough Market and crashes outside the Barrowboy & Banker pub. The attackers then dismount the van and proceed to run around that location stabbing/slashing civilians with knives. It was also reported that these attackers were wearing dummy suicide vests. Multiple deaths were reported and 48 people were taken to five hospitals in that capial – 21 of those injured were categorized as critical. A few days later, ISIS reports and claims responsibility of this event.
Let’s dissect this event. These attackers used a vehicle and knives to cause injury/death. They were focused on conducting random attacks in a highly populated area that consists of a dense tourist population. The attack closed down all traffic on the London bridge, it caused a massive police force and SAS response to counter the threat. It is presently unknown if these perpetrators were on any watchlist and if these attackers were either influenced by ISIS to commit these acts or were directed to execute this action by ISIS leadership.
Here’s the important take away from this topic”¦the strategy used is always different from the tactics employed. What do I mean by this? The tactics used in this event invovled the attackers using a vehicle to kill/injure, the knives used to kill/injure and the use of dummy suicide vests to deter civilians from counterattacking. The strategic goal of the attackers was to develop a sense of fear and disrupt the local economy through intimidation. The tactics are always different the strategy. Remember, for every terror attack that is committed, there is a strategic goal behind the carnage.
I want you to consider these questions:
Does England have a problem with their citizen population?
Does England’s immigration policy work or does it work against the safety and security of its own population?
Are these attacks preventable?
Did the attackers (presumably directed by ISIS) achieve their goals?