...bombs exploded near the finish line of the Boston Marathon in 2013, former President Barack Obama stressed the event as an act of terrorism on America (Boston Marathon Terror Attack Fast Facts). The Boston Marathon bombing has played a significant role in reshaping the American views on terrorism. This attack killed three spectators, injured over 260 people, and caused an uprising of several controversies in the United States (History.com Staff). The American views on immigration, gun control, and police actions have been influenced by these bombings. The attack brought up on by the Tsarnaev brothers caused a shift in perspective on immigration. Since the two bombers were recent immigrants, many Republican legislators insisted on...
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...“the United Nations General Assembly has condemned terrorist acts using the following political description of terrorism: "Criminal acts intended or calculated to provoke a state of terror in the general public, a group of persons or particular persons for political purposes are in any circumstance unjustifiable, whatever the considerations of a political, philosophical, ideological, racial, ethnic, religious or any other nature that may be invoked to justify them." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Definitions_of_terrorism Terrorism has become a global threat and is not just confined to the theatre of war, it is also not only targeted at nations involved in those conflicts like the United States (9/11) and Great Britain (the July 7 London Bombings) but also with any nation and organization that is seen as an ally of such nations. ESICS Briefing on THE TERRORISM THREAT LINKED TO THE LIBYAN CRISIS states “obviously on the top of the list of likely targets for Colonel Gaddafi are the United Kingdom and France, they are closely followed by the United States (an old and usual enemy of Libya but also by the Arab countries taking part in the coalition, every single national participating in the operations could be seen as a legitimate target.” In stating this the point that I am making is, although , we must take into concideration that Current Situation: STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENT Emerging Terrorist Networks “As al-Qaeda has syndicated its ideology and violence, its affiliates and...
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...such as guns and even bombs. The two boys who were seniors, murdered 12 students and one teacher before then fatally shooting themselves. Like the Boston Marathon bombing, the Columbine attack was carried out by two people, and it involved some of the same methods such as using some homemade explosives. The Columbine attack can be remembered as being considered a school shooting or even a mass shooting perhaps being the most iconic of a sad string of events but not known as a terrorist attack. If Boston was to be considered terrorism based on the little that facts that are known, then people have to be able to answer these simple questions; Can only white people or people who believe in the Christian faith be considered sociopaths, or seem to deal with other mental illnesses that under some certain conditions then lead them to commit the violent acts? Can the only two white high school students act as a duo without having terrorist intentions? Can Muslims or other people of color, never be subject to the same kind of conditions or analysis as others? Surely the survivors and their families of the Boston bombing massacre deserve no less of an actual detailed accounting of what actually happened than the victims of Columbine? The public cannot and shouldn’t rule out that some evidence can possibly come upfront that the alleged Boston bombers may have had a political agenda or motive. But of course it hasn’t been seen so far. What the public have seen is the usual quickness to judgment...
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...Midterm What are the similarities between the Boston Bombers and DC Snipers (if any). The Boston Bombers and the DC Snipers have very few similarities between them. These few similarities include what type of terrorists they were, how they picked their victims, and how they both felt deprived which is what lead them to terrorism. While these similarities are not exactly the same, one could argue that they are close enough to group these two terrorist attacks in the same category of terrorism. The Domestic Terrorism and Homegrown Violent Extremism Lexicon defines domestic terrorism as “Any act of violence that is dangerous to human life or potentially destructive of critical infrastructure or key resources committed by a group or individual...
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...and ethnic minority officers increased slowly but steadily as well as hiring women for the force, they are on the frontline not just handling juveniles and woman prisoners. The law enforcement functions are better with the increase of officers, this give them the help they all need. The law enforcement agencies are starting to recruit college students; this includes all the law enforcement agencies. There are many roles in which local law enforcement agencies take part in everyday (Gil, 2009). The local law enforcement agencies are in place to provide routine patrol of the communities within their jurisdictions provide emergency services, maintain records, uphold traffic enforcement laws, conduct criminal investigations, planning and analysis, maintain property, They also handle crime prevention communications, and community relations (Gil, 2009). Walker & Katz (2008) states, “Community policing is a philosophy holding hat police departments should develop partnerships with neighborhood residents, develop programs tailored for specific problems, and give rank-and-file officers more decision-making freedom with regard to how best to...
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...However the JCS J2 can support missions that jeopardize the security of the Nation in combination with Deepwater Horizon’s foreign ownership. The JCS J2 can be called upon to support current crisis events where foreign intelligence collection, analysis, production, and dissemination are needed. The inclusion of the JCS J2 on the Deepwater Horizon incident would provide valuable lessons and post-incident critiques. Improvements on Department of Defense communications and the identification of policy and authority issues can be addressed before the next man-made or natural disaster. The following paragraphs describe the JCS J2 response to the Deepwater Horizon...
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...technology in policing has increased to a level thought unimaginable fifty years ago. One of the most important pieces of technology that has really developed, is the collection of information in databases around the country at the hand of any officer at any time. With all this information that an officer has readily at use it can make the job not just easier but safer. If an officer pulls someone over just by acquiring an ID the officer can figure out if the driver has a warrant for his arrest or if his rap sheet is clean, that knowledge can really affect how an officer approaches a situation. Information technology is one of the most important aspects of policing technology because it really affects policing from top to bottom. Crime analysis over the past decade has become much more prevalent...
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...The Homeland Security Act of 2002 and the Department of Homeland Security Benjamin K. Hickman Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University ABSTRACT This paper explores The Homeland Security Act of 2002 and its effect on the security landscape of the United States of America. The Homeland Security Act of 2002 created a new cabinet level department within the executive branch that would be called The Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Since its inception, the Department of Homeland Security has absorbed numerous agencies that had previously fallen under other departments for their importance in performing national security functions. Some of the agencies absorbed by DHS perform minor peripheral national security functions. Others, however, are very well-known agencies that stand on the front lines of American national security, like the United States Coast Guard (USCG), the Secret Service, and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). In this paper, we will examine some of these departments and discuss their roles in national security. Additionally, we will analyze the DHS in the context of successful and unsuccessful national security operations since the Homeland Security Act of 2002 was passed. The Homeland Security Act of 2002 and the Department of Homeland Security Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the US Congress determined the need for a new department within the U.S. government. This department would...
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...Terrorism is currently one of the most pressing political issues throughout the world. Terrorism attacks are on the rise globally and unfortunately the United States has also been subject to terrorist attacks such as the Boston Marathon bombing and the World Trade Center attacks in 2001. According to the Center of Immigration Studies, “Of the 94 foreign-born terrorists who operated in the United States, the study found that about two-thirds (59) committed immigration fraud prior to or in conjunction with taking part in terrorist activity.” The text also says, “in 17 instances, the terrorists claimed to lack proper travel documents and instead sought political asylum [and were granted it].” Another compelling statistic from the CATO Institute states, “Foreign-born terrorists who entered the country, either as immigrants or tourists, were responsible for 88 percent (or 3,024) of the 3,432 murders caused by terrorists on U.S. soil from 1975 through the end of...
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...terrorism threat within the American society. Background of the Issue On November 5, 2009, U.S. Army Major and Psychiatrist Nidal Malik Hasan killed 13 and wounded 32 people as he went on a shooting spree in Fort Hood, Texas. Hasan was convicted on 45 counts of pre-mediated killing as well as attempted pre-mediated murder for murdering and shooting individuals at Fort Hood. President Obama made a reference to the attack at the National Defense University: “Deranged or alienated individuals -- often U.S. citizens or legal residents - can do enormous damage, particularly when inspired by larger notions of violent jihad.” He further added: “That pull towards extremism appears to have led to the shooting at Fort Hood, and the bombing of the Boston Marathon.” (Levitt, 2013) While this seems to be the closest any high ranking official from judicial or executive branch has ever come referring to the attack at Ford Hood what it actually was: not a case of workplace violence but rather an act of terrorism. Hasan displayed clear signs of radicalizations and also acted as his own attorney in his attempt to plead guilty in the course of trial. He insisted that he had made a decision to “switch sides” in the American war against Islam or what he thought it was. Despite the fact that Army prosecutors had a possibility to incorporate the charges in federal terrorism into the case, for the still unclear reasons, they charged Hasan with murder & attempted murder. In the course of the case...
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...Drones have been used in the military, for commercial purposes, and for personal use, yet rules surrounded registration and laws remain vague. American law enforcement is now integrating unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) into the police force. Between 2010 and 2012, Custom and Border Protection flew 700 surveillance missions on behalf of other agencies, according to the Washington Post newspaper. North Dakota is the first state to legally allow drone use in the police. The statue, actually, is restrictive. Prior to this, there were no restrictions on how law enforcement could use unmanned aerial systems in North Dakota other than the rules set by FAA. The State wanted to do was highly restrict how law enforcement used drones in the public. It essentially eliminated the possibility of law enforcement using a drone except when we had a warrant to use them. That's certainly more restrictive than any form of technology that's available to law enforcement including helicopters, pole-mounted cameras, and the officers' personal observations, even. So the intent of the law was to restrict law enforcement practices. "A lot of the public doesn't understand how the technology is being used," said Gretchen West, vice president of the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International. "Law enforcement use (drones) to do the same thing they've used manned aircraft for years, it's just that (drones) are more affordable and usually a more efficient option." Law enforcement agencies...
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...Embracing big brother: How facial recognition could help fight crime - CNN.com 2014-09-16, 10:03 AM It looks like you are from Canada. Would you like to make International your default edition? SET EDITION: U.S. TV: CNN CNNi INTERNATIONAL CNN en Español MÉXICO HLN ARABIC Yes | No Sign up Close Log in Home TV & Video U.S. World Politics Justice Entertainment Tech Health Living Travel Opinion iReport Money Sports WATCH CNN: Defense Secretary Hagel testifies to Senate about ISIS threat. Part of complete coverage on Make, Create, Innovate Embracing big brother: How facial recognition could help fight crime By Jim Stenman, CNN updated 9:04 AM EST, Tue November 26, 2013 | Filed under: Innovations SHARE THIS Print Email Recommend More sharing 5.3k Part of complete coverage on Make Create Innovate 'Electronic sketch artist' fights crime Turn your kitchen into an orchestra STORY HIGHLIGHTS Soon, you could pay for goods simply by showing your face to a scanner Government agencies are keen to use the technology, with the stated aim of fighting crime The FBI will roll out advanced facial recognition technology across the U.S in 2014 Critics warn of the "compromising" risks of giving intimate information away updated 12:09 PM EDT, Wed September 3, 2014 (CNN) -- From fighting terrorism to processing payments in the blink of an eye, facial recognition is set to change our ideas on privacy. A number of...
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...Military Law Seminar Fall, 2014 Article The Influence of Social Media on Homegrown Terrorists and Balancing Data-mining Between Civil Liberties and National Security Julianne Grim [Insert Abstract] [The focus of this article will be narrowly tailored to include the most popular social media sites in the western world, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube and how they are utilized by known terrorist organizations Al-Qaeda and Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL)] I. The Developing World of Social Media Social media activity accounts for over 22 percent of all time spent online in the United States, making it the number one activity people do on the internet. However, the world of social media extends beyond Facebook Twitter and YouTube. Social networking sites are developing faster than they can be analyzed and popping up all over the world. But social media is not a new phenomenon either, people have been seeking out like minded individuals in online communities for nearly two decades. During the infancy stages of social media people logged onto forums, blogs, chat rooms etc. Each social media platform varies slightly from the next - allowing for different types of content to be generated - but each platform seeks to accomplish two goals; generating content and engaging with other interested people. Modern terrorists are taking advantage of the fruits of globalization and modern technology, especially advanced online communication technologies that are used to plan...
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...Social Media in Emergency Management Matthew W. MacClellan Webster University SECR 5060 – Mr. Griffaw July 8, 2012 Contents Introduction 3 Technology 3 Four Phases of Emergency Management 4 How to Develop and Maintain a Social Media Site 4 Mitigation 6 Preparedness 8 Response 9 Recovery 12 Works Cited 15 Introduction Communications has evolved greatly since the days of using a rotary telephone connected to copper wires in order to communicate. Today nearly 50% of the population in the United States use smartphones daily. According to Frank N. Magid Associates that is a leading research-based consulting firm, Smartphone owners have increased from 31% in 2011 to 44% in 2012 with a projected increase to 57% this year (Godfrey, 2013). Take a look around next time you are out in public and pay special attention to how many people are using their smartphones and tablet computers, you will see the use of them everywhere you go. Users can make phone calls on their smartphones, but tend to use data services such as Short Message Service (SMS) commonly referred to as text messaging, internet services, Global Positioning Service (GPS), and the camera on the Smartphone. Technology There are many other devices today from computers to tablet computers, but in order to frame how instantaneous communications can occur today it is important to understand the power the Smartphone yields when it comes to instantly sharing information, locations, and photographs...
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...AVIATION TERRORISM Thwarting High-Impact Low-Probability Attacks TERRORISME AÉRIEN Contrecarrer des attaques improbables à impacts élevés A Thesis Submitted to the Division of Graduate Studies of the Royal Military College of Canada by Jacques Duchesneau, C.M., C.Q., C.D. In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy April 2015 ©Jacques Duchesneau © This thesis may be used within the Department of National Defence but copyright for open publication remains the property of the author. ROYAL MILITARY COLLEGE OF CANADA COLLÈGE MILITAIRE ROYAL DU CANADA DIVISION OF GRADUATE STUDIES AND RESEARCH DIVISION DES ÉTUDES SUPÉRIEURES ET DE LA RECHERCHE This is to certify that the thesis prepared by / Ceci certifie que la thèse rédigée par JACQUES DUCHESNEAU, C.M., C.Q., C.D. AVIATION TERRORISM Thwarting High-Impact Low-Probability Attacks complies with the Royal Military College of Canada regulations and that it meets the accepted standards of the Graduate School with respect to quality, and, in the case of a doctoral thesis, originality, / satisfait aux règlements du Collège militaire royal du Canada et qu'elle respecte les normes acceptées par la Faculté des études supérieures quant à la qualité et, dans le cas d'une thèse de doctorat, l'originalité, for the degree of / pour le diplôme de PHILOSOPHIÆ DOCTOR IN WAR STUDIES Signed by the final examining committee: / Signé par les membres du comité examinateur...
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