A CHANGE OF PARADIGM IN TERRORIST PRACTICES IN CONTEMPORARY ATTACKS
A CHANGE OF PARADIGM IN TERRORIST PRACTICES IN CONTEMPORARY ATTACKS

Author(s): Oana Elena Brânda
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences
Published by: Carol I National Defence University Publishing House
Keywords: terrorism; vehicular terrorism; paradigm; changes; training;
Summary/Abstract: It is an acknowledged fact that the 9/11 attacks represented a change in the means and tactics used by terrorists in order to achieve their goals. Since then, attacks have been massive in impact and the number of victims, with perpetrators choosing to detonate themselves in crowded areas, hitting symbolic buildings and thus shattering the feelings of comfort and safety that many enjoyed. Moreover, while these attacks were massive in impression, they were also rare in occurrence. Nowadays, a new pattern has emerged, combining not so massive attacks, with more frequent ones. Additionally, the modus operandi has suffered alterations: detonations in crowded areas, but not crowded enough to provoke thousands of casualties (such as subways, buses),simultaneous detonations in multiple areas (see the Paris bombing of 2015), assassinations(Charlie Hebdo) and the latest pattern: driving vans into crowds/crowded areas.

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