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An Examination of Terrorism and Hijackings
Nathan DeRosa
Sociology 308, Section A
Dr. G. Dalto
November 17, 2010
Terrorism and Hijackings 2
An Examination of Terrorism and Hijackings
Introduction
In the minds of many Americans, terrorism has become an increasing concern.
This is perhaps most apparent to those who use our air transportation system most often.
The September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks can be attributed to this anxiety more so than
other factors due to the almost simultaneous destruction in various locations and the
ensuing trauma that followed. This trauma has in many ways translated into fear, anger,
and prejudice towards Islam and those who practice that faith. It is this misunderstanding
that arguably leads to and breeds more violence and terrorism, which is essential to a
terrorist’s objective. Terrorism thrives on misunderstandings, fear, and ignorance of the
causes and history of such heinous acts. This fear and ignorance becomes an obstacle to
countering terrorism. Said another way, it is critical that the American people as well as
elected officials, businesses, and the media have a clear understanding of what terrorism
is as well as its history, so that as a society, we can truly overcome the fear that terrorism
is sustained by as well as maintain the balance of protecting the public and protecting our
civil liberties.
History
The tragic events on September 11, 2001 are often said to have changed
everything pertaining to American life. There is some validity to this with enhanced
security measures across the United States, but such a statement can further embolden
terrorist organizations such as al-Qaeda. While it is true that the potential of increased
harm from individual attacks has grown (9/11 is a notable incident); the threat to airline
safety from hijacking has been declining in the past couple of decades in terms of
Terrorism and Hijackings 3
numbers of incidents (Miller, 2007). While this is not meant to undermine the threat of
terrorism nor underscore the tragedy and suffering of 9/11 terrorist attacks, it is meant to
give perspective on terrorism across time. Essentially, terrorism has existed for as long
as civilization has existed. The persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire, the
Crusades during the Medieval Period, the anti-Semitic campaigns against the Jews in
Europe in the 19th
Century, the Holocaust during World War II, and millennial old
conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians over the Holy Lands are examples of
terrorism though they might not be labeled as such. The reason such events may not be
considered acts of terrorism is that terrorism has the opportunity to reinvent itself over
time. That is, the methods and ideologies behind it may change, but there is one constant.
According to H.H. Cooper in Criminology: Explaining Crime and Its Context,
“‘terrorism is the intentional generation of massive fear by human beings for the purpose
of securing or maintaining control over other human beings’” (Brown, 2010). To say that
terrorism began in the 20th
Century would be an incorrect statement. Rather, the modern
age of terrorism began at this point in time. It is generally agreed upon “modern
international terrorism occurred on July 22, 1968. On that day, three armed Palestinian
terrorists belonging to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), one of six
groups then comprising the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), hijacked an
Israeli El Al commercial flight en route from Rome to Tel Aviv” (Miller, 2007).
Also, the threat of terrorism to civil aviation in the United States was gaining
attention at that point in time as well. Sara Kornblatt explains that it was during the late
1960s and early 1970s that airline passenger screening originated as a preventive tool
against airline hijackings. She also points out that on September 11, 1970 that President
Terrorism and Hijackings 4
Richard Nixon presented a plan to combat airline hijackings, in which it mandated that
airlines develop inspection methods and set up surveillance at all appropriate airports
around the country. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) subsequently created
the Anti-Hijacking Program in partnership with its parent organization, the Department of
Transportation, as well as the Defense Department to determine the effectiveness of
military x-ray machines and metal detectors in preventing hijackings (2008). Following
these measures, “the FAA issued a rule on February 1, 1972, dictating that air carriers
must screen all passengers using behavioral profiling, magnetometers [metal detectors],
identification checks, physical searches, or some combination of those systems.”
Kornblatt further explains that the FAA issued emergency rules later that year requiring
airlines to implement security systems to prevent passengers from bringing weapons,
explosives, and other incendiary devices onto an aircraft as a result of continued
hijackings. Eventually, these measures did prove effective as hijackings declined in the
United States.
In fact, “prior to the 9/11 attacks, the United States had not had a hijacking for
more than a decade. Despite what was happening domestically, however, hijackings
were occurring in other parts of the world” (Miller, 2007). Throughout the 1990s,
hijackings were reported not only in the Middle East, and the perpetrators were not all
Muslims. Miller points out several hijackings such as one in China on April 6, 1993
when two men forced a China Southern Airlines flight to divert to Taiwan from Beijing.
Another hijacking in the Far East took place on June 21, 1995, when the Japanese terror
group Aum Shinrikyo was responsible for the hijacking of an All Nippon Airlines jet
demanding the release of the group’s founder, Shoko Asahara. In addition to hijackings
Terrorism and Hijackings 5
in Asia, Europe also had its share of hijackings. One such hijacking took place on a
KLM flight by an Egyptian who demanded the release of Egyptian Sheikh Omar Abd-al-
Rahman, known as the “Blind Sheikh.” The significance of this event is that the Blind
Sheikh was connected to Osama bin Laden and the attacks of the World Trade Center in
1993. It should also be noted that while hijackings did not occur in the United States
during the 1990s, hijackers were attempting to reach United States soil. Miller points to
attempts in 1993 and 1996 in which flights that originated in Haiti and Cuba were forced
to land in Miami and at Guantanamo Bay, respectively. Because these hijackings
occurred outside of the United States, these events are largely forgotten or unrecognized
by American citizens.
Causes and Problems
Oftentimes, hijacking and terrorism are considered to be synonymous especially in the
wake of 9/11, and while hijacking and terrorism are similar, not all hijackings are
connected to terrorist organizations such as al-Qaeda. Essentially, terrorism is a crime
that is committed by a group to control another group through fear, and this can be
facilitated through hijacking. On the other hand, hijacking itself is a crime that can be
committed by a group of people or an individual with more personal motives such as
ransom or asylum. The hijacking of a Cubanican flight on July 7, 1996 is one instance in
which the hijacker was not motivated by a political agenda but rather by asylum in the
United States by forcing the aircraft to divert to Guantanamo Bay from Cuba. In the
instance of the September 11, 2001 attacks, hijacking was not only involved, but
terrorism as well. The terror group al-Qaeda used jetliners as weapons to destroy
prominent U.S. landmarks in a coordinated attack motivated by a political agenda. Their
Terrorism and Hijackings 6
objective was to send the United States a message that policy towards Israel as well as
American involvement in the rest of the Middle East was unacceptable, all in the name of
Islam. While the attacks were destructive, the main objective was to not simply kill as a
means of revenge, but rather “‘the aim [was] to terrify.’” This is further explained by
terrorism expert Brian Jenkins, in which he states that “terrorists want a lot of people
watching, not a lot of people dead’” (Mueller, 2004). It is the misunderstanding of the
causes and objectives of terrorism that facilitate an environment of fear that is seen today.
While this is not to say that people should not be concerned about terrorism or
threats of terrorism, it should be noted that the number of people that die due to terrorism
is significantly far less than people who die in automobile accidents. In fact, “even with
the September 11 attacks included in the count, the number of Americans killed by
international terrorism since the late 1960s (which is when the State Department began
counting) is about the same number of Americans killed over the same period by
lightning, accident-causing deer, or severe allergic reaction to peanuts” (Mueller, 2004).
For all of the fear that terrorism evokes, no more than 329 people have been killed in a
single terrorist attack with the exception of September 11, which stands out as the only
extreme event in modern history (Mueller, 2004). In addition, John Mueller points to a
study by the University of Michigan in which they calculate that an American’s chance of
being killed in one nonstop airline flight is about one in 13 million (even taking the 9/11
crashes into account). The findings go on to say that one would have to travel 11.2 miles
on rural interstate highways, America’s safest roads, in order to achieve the level of risk
flying imposes.
In addition to the fear of flying, the fear of biological, chemical, and nuclear
Terrorism and Hijackings 7
weapons being used by terrorists is vast. Yet these kinds of weapons are expensive and
notoriously difficult to create, control, and focus. As a result, usage of these weapons
would most likely hinder a terrorist’s operation. During the First World War, “chemical
weapons caused less than one percent of total combat deaths,” and at that time, World
War I was the most destructive war in human history (Mueller, 2004). Much of the
hysteria can be traced to politicians and the media. Unfortunately, the media and elected
officials alike use this mass panic as it garners ratings for media outlets and votes for
politicians. Ever since the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, “the American public
has been treated to endless yammering about terrorism in the media. Politicians may
believe that, given the public concern on the issue, they will lose votes if they appear to
be downplaying the dangers of terrorism” (Mueller, 2004).
While mass panic throughout society is problematic when countering terrorism,
addressing issues of security procedures and law enforcement as it relates to civil liberties
is another area that must be addressed. Since the 1970s, metal detectors and x-ray
machines have been implemented to detect weapons and explosives. However, as terror
tactics continue to change and adapt, the need to expand current airport screening systems
has become a necessity. Since metal detectors only detect metal, plastic explosives have
become popular among terrorists and hijackers. In response to this threat, trace detection
technologies, such as puffers, have been developed at some airports. Puffers emit rapid
blasts of air to dislodge trace particles from a person and then are sucked into a filter to
be analyzed to determine the presence of explosives (Kornblatt, 2008). However, these
machines are not reliable for primary screening as they can produce false positives.
Kornblatt cites an example of a false positive in which someone who spreads fertilizer
Terrorism and Hijackings 8
and does not change shoes before arriving at the airport can be identified by a puffer as
someone who has residue from explosive materials since fertilizer can be used in the
manufacturing of explosives. Another drawback Kornblatt cites is that puffers cannot
detect liquid explosives, which are also attractive to terrorists. Most recently, imaging
technologies have been developed to detect illicit materials. While they are effective, the
issue of privacy and the Fourth Amendment also come into play with this technology.
Appearing in images produced by these machines are not only illegal materials, but also
breasts, genitals, catheter tubes, plastic, and ceramic objects on the body. It is argued that
it is essentially a warrantless, virtual strip-search.
While it is important to address security issues, law enforcement is also critical to
countering terrorism. However, “regular police practice often assumes that arresting
offenders is the same as preventing crime, when in fact this is not the case.” Essentially,
“decades of criminological research have failed to establish a relationship between severe
punishment and reduced crime” (Clarke, 2010). In addition, immigrant communities
have in some cases become breeding grounds for terrorists, thus making it imperative for
law enforcement to watch these areas. Clarke points out that individuals in a Jersey City
immigrant community were behind the 1993 attack on the World Trade Center.
However, Clarke also mentions that insensitive surveillance of immigrant communities
can hinder law enforcement’s ability to effectively prevent terrorism and exacerbate
prejudices. Essentially, the combination of mass hysteria and flawed law enforcement
and security measures invites terrorism and hijackings.
Proposals
Terrorism and Hijackings 9
While terrorism poses many threats to society and must not be ignored, there
ways to improve upon the way the public, elected officials, the media, and law
enforcement counter terrorism and hijacking. On a fundamental level, “more attention
needs to be devoted to giving people perspective on the remote likelihood of the terrible
consequences they imagine” (Mueller, 2004). Essentially, a reasonable, national
discussion facilitated by elected officials and the media is necessary to end the panic,
overcome fear, and ultimately the terrorists. However, part of ending the public hysteria
involves changing our security and law enforcement procedures. While imaging
technology is effective, it must be balanced with civil liberties. In other words, due to the
intrusiveness of imaging technology, making its usage secondary to metal detectors,
puffers, pat-downs, and cavity searches can be an effective way to balance individual
rights and security. In addition, placing a security agent off-site to view the images is
another effective method in the usage of imaging technology. By making this technology
an alternative to current methods, it enhances security with little to no compromise of
civil liberties. Kornblatt warns that while security is necessary, it must not come at the
cost of civil liberties because once society accepts a warped definition of what is
reasonable, there is no going back once rights have been eroded. In addition to balancing
the rule of law with security, law enforcement also plays a critical role in combating
terrorism. Clarke emphasizes community policing, in which law enforcement is able to
better understand the communities in which they serve through understanding the culture
and languages, getting to know the residents and business owners, and maintaining
visibility in the community to prevent crime as well as address issues members of the
community may have. This ultimately builds trust and better enables law enforcement to
Terrorism and Hijackings 10
identify potential dangers with the help of the community and relaying that information
to potential targets of interest such as airports, landmarks, and other crowded areas. This
approach to policing not only is effective within the context of terrorism, but also in
combating crime in general.
Conclusion
While terrorism poses a threat to society, and the public has every right to be
concerned, it must be emphasized that the ultimate goal of terrorism is to instill fear.
Fear is the weapon of choice as it is more powerful than any aircraft or bomb. Fear is
also cheaper to produce than a bomb or any other weapon. Terrorist organizations such
as al-Qaeda thrive on low operating costs and therefore weapons of mass destruction are
not real viable methods. Also, their heavily decentralized network allows for great
mobility and makes it more difficult to find its leaders. Based on these factors, they
advertise their culpability because they have great confidence in instilling fear in others.
With that being said, the most effective weapon that can be used against terrorism is not
giving in to fear. By not giving up civil liberties in the name of security or resorting to
harsher interrogation techniques, it hinders the terrorist’s ability to influence or control a
group of people. If the United States of America is to be a truly free society, we must
understand the nature of terrorism and be able to put it into perspective so that we may be
free from fear. Perhaps Franklin D. Roosevelt best said it when he declared in his first
inaugural address: “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”
References
Terrorism and Hijackings 11
Brown, Stephen E., et al (2010). Criminology: Explaining Crime and Its Context. 7th
Ed.
New Providence, NJ: Anderson Publishing.
Clarke, Ronald V., and Graeme R. Newman. “Police and the Prevention of Terrorism.”
Oxford Journals Vol. 1 Issue 1 p.9-20 (2010). Retrieved from Oxford Journals:
http://policing.oxfordjournals.org/content/1/1/9.full
Kornblatt, Sara. “Are Emerging Technologies In Airport Passenger Screening
Reasonable Under The Fourth Amendment?” (2007). Retrieved from Google
Scholar: http://llr.lls.edu/docs/41-1kornblatt.pdf
Miller, John S. “Conceptualizing the Hijacking Threat to Civil Aviation.” Criminal
Justice Review Vol. 32 No. p. 209-32 (2007). Retrieved from Google Scholar:
10.1.1.84.3385.pdf
Mueller, John. “A False Sense of Insecurity?” (2004). Retrieved from Google Scholar:
http://www.cato.org/pubs/regulation/regv27n3/v27n3-5.pdf

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Terrorism and Hijackings

  • 1. i An Examination of Terrorism and Hijackings Nathan DeRosa Sociology 308, Section A Dr. G. Dalto November 17, 2010
  • 2. Terrorism and Hijackings 2 An Examination of Terrorism and Hijackings Introduction In the minds of many Americans, terrorism has become an increasing concern. This is perhaps most apparent to those who use our air transportation system most often. The September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks can be attributed to this anxiety more so than other factors due to the almost simultaneous destruction in various locations and the ensuing trauma that followed. This trauma has in many ways translated into fear, anger, and prejudice towards Islam and those who practice that faith. It is this misunderstanding that arguably leads to and breeds more violence and terrorism, which is essential to a terrorist’s objective. Terrorism thrives on misunderstandings, fear, and ignorance of the causes and history of such heinous acts. This fear and ignorance becomes an obstacle to countering terrorism. Said another way, it is critical that the American people as well as elected officials, businesses, and the media have a clear understanding of what terrorism is as well as its history, so that as a society, we can truly overcome the fear that terrorism is sustained by as well as maintain the balance of protecting the public and protecting our civil liberties. History The tragic events on September 11, 2001 are often said to have changed everything pertaining to American life. There is some validity to this with enhanced security measures across the United States, but such a statement can further embolden terrorist organizations such as al-Qaeda. While it is true that the potential of increased harm from individual attacks has grown (9/11 is a notable incident); the threat to airline safety from hijacking has been declining in the past couple of decades in terms of
  • 3. Terrorism and Hijackings 3 numbers of incidents (Miller, 2007). While this is not meant to undermine the threat of terrorism nor underscore the tragedy and suffering of 9/11 terrorist attacks, it is meant to give perspective on terrorism across time. Essentially, terrorism has existed for as long as civilization has existed. The persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire, the Crusades during the Medieval Period, the anti-Semitic campaigns against the Jews in Europe in the 19th Century, the Holocaust during World War II, and millennial old conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians over the Holy Lands are examples of terrorism though they might not be labeled as such. The reason such events may not be considered acts of terrorism is that terrorism has the opportunity to reinvent itself over time. That is, the methods and ideologies behind it may change, but there is one constant. According to H.H. Cooper in Criminology: Explaining Crime and Its Context, “‘terrorism is the intentional generation of massive fear by human beings for the purpose of securing or maintaining control over other human beings’” (Brown, 2010). To say that terrorism began in the 20th Century would be an incorrect statement. Rather, the modern age of terrorism began at this point in time. It is generally agreed upon “modern international terrorism occurred on July 22, 1968. On that day, three armed Palestinian terrorists belonging to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), one of six groups then comprising the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), hijacked an Israeli El Al commercial flight en route from Rome to Tel Aviv” (Miller, 2007). Also, the threat of terrorism to civil aviation in the United States was gaining attention at that point in time as well. Sara Kornblatt explains that it was during the late 1960s and early 1970s that airline passenger screening originated as a preventive tool against airline hijackings. She also points out that on September 11, 1970 that President
  • 4. Terrorism and Hijackings 4 Richard Nixon presented a plan to combat airline hijackings, in which it mandated that airlines develop inspection methods and set up surveillance at all appropriate airports around the country. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) subsequently created the Anti-Hijacking Program in partnership with its parent organization, the Department of Transportation, as well as the Defense Department to determine the effectiveness of military x-ray machines and metal detectors in preventing hijackings (2008). Following these measures, “the FAA issued a rule on February 1, 1972, dictating that air carriers must screen all passengers using behavioral profiling, magnetometers [metal detectors], identification checks, physical searches, or some combination of those systems.” Kornblatt further explains that the FAA issued emergency rules later that year requiring airlines to implement security systems to prevent passengers from bringing weapons, explosives, and other incendiary devices onto an aircraft as a result of continued hijackings. Eventually, these measures did prove effective as hijackings declined in the United States. In fact, “prior to the 9/11 attacks, the United States had not had a hijacking for more than a decade. Despite what was happening domestically, however, hijackings were occurring in other parts of the world” (Miller, 2007). Throughout the 1990s, hijackings were reported not only in the Middle East, and the perpetrators were not all Muslims. Miller points out several hijackings such as one in China on April 6, 1993 when two men forced a China Southern Airlines flight to divert to Taiwan from Beijing. Another hijacking in the Far East took place on June 21, 1995, when the Japanese terror group Aum Shinrikyo was responsible for the hijacking of an All Nippon Airlines jet demanding the release of the group’s founder, Shoko Asahara. In addition to hijackings
  • 5. Terrorism and Hijackings 5 in Asia, Europe also had its share of hijackings. One such hijacking took place on a KLM flight by an Egyptian who demanded the release of Egyptian Sheikh Omar Abd-al- Rahman, known as the “Blind Sheikh.” The significance of this event is that the Blind Sheikh was connected to Osama bin Laden and the attacks of the World Trade Center in 1993. It should also be noted that while hijackings did not occur in the United States during the 1990s, hijackers were attempting to reach United States soil. Miller points to attempts in 1993 and 1996 in which flights that originated in Haiti and Cuba were forced to land in Miami and at Guantanamo Bay, respectively. Because these hijackings occurred outside of the United States, these events are largely forgotten or unrecognized by American citizens. Causes and Problems Oftentimes, hijacking and terrorism are considered to be synonymous especially in the wake of 9/11, and while hijacking and terrorism are similar, not all hijackings are connected to terrorist organizations such as al-Qaeda. Essentially, terrorism is a crime that is committed by a group to control another group through fear, and this can be facilitated through hijacking. On the other hand, hijacking itself is a crime that can be committed by a group of people or an individual with more personal motives such as ransom or asylum. The hijacking of a Cubanican flight on July 7, 1996 is one instance in which the hijacker was not motivated by a political agenda but rather by asylum in the United States by forcing the aircraft to divert to Guantanamo Bay from Cuba. In the instance of the September 11, 2001 attacks, hijacking was not only involved, but terrorism as well. The terror group al-Qaeda used jetliners as weapons to destroy prominent U.S. landmarks in a coordinated attack motivated by a political agenda. Their
  • 6. Terrorism and Hijackings 6 objective was to send the United States a message that policy towards Israel as well as American involvement in the rest of the Middle East was unacceptable, all in the name of Islam. While the attacks were destructive, the main objective was to not simply kill as a means of revenge, but rather “‘the aim [was] to terrify.’” This is further explained by terrorism expert Brian Jenkins, in which he states that “terrorists want a lot of people watching, not a lot of people dead’” (Mueller, 2004). It is the misunderstanding of the causes and objectives of terrorism that facilitate an environment of fear that is seen today. While this is not to say that people should not be concerned about terrorism or threats of terrorism, it should be noted that the number of people that die due to terrorism is significantly far less than people who die in automobile accidents. In fact, “even with the September 11 attacks included in the count, the number of Americans killed by international terrorism since the late 1960s (which is when the State Department began counting) is about the same number of Americans killed over the same period by lightning, accident-causing deer, or severe allergic reaction to peanuts” (Mueller, 2004). For all of the fear that terrorism evokes, no more than 329 people have been killed in a single terrorist attack with the exception of September 11, which stands out as the only extreme event in modern history (Mueller, 2004). In addition, John Mueller points to a study by the University of Michigan in which they calculate that an American’s chance of being killed in one nonstop airline flight is about one in 13 million (even taking the 9/11 crashes into account). The findings go on to say that one would have to travel 11.2 miles on rural interstate highways, America’s safest roads, in order to achieve the level of risk flying imposes. In addition to the fear of flying, the fear of biological, chemical, and nuclear
  • 7. Terrorism and Hijackings 7 weapons being used by terrorists is vast. Yet these kinds of weapons are expensive and notoriously difficult to create, control, and focus. As a result, usage of these weapons would most likely hinder a terrorist’s operation. During the First World War, “chemical weapons caused less than one percent of total combat deaths,” and at that time, World War I was the most destructive war in human history (Mueller, 2004). Much of the hysteria can be traced to politicians and the media. Unfortunately, the media and elected officials alike use this mass panic as it garners ratings for media outlets and votes for politicians. Ever since the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, “the American public has been treated to endless yammering about terrorism in the media. Politicians may believe that, given the public concern on the issue, they will lose votes if they appear to be downplaying the dangers of terrorism” (Mueller, 2004). While mass panic throughout society is problematic when countering terrorism, addressing issues of security procedures and law enforcement as it relates to civil liberties is another area that must be addressed. Since the 1970s, metal detectors and x-ray machines have been implemented to detect weapons and explosives. However, as terror tactics continue to change and adapt, the need to expand current airport screening systems has become a necessity. Since metal detectors only detect metal, plastic explosives have become popular among terrorists and hijackers. In response to this threat, trace detection technologies, such as puffers, have been developed at some airports. Puffers emit rapid blasts of air to dislodge trace particles from a person and then are sucked into a filter to be analyzed to determine the presence of explosives (Kornblatt, 2008). However, these machines are not reliable for primary screening as they can produce false positives. Kornblatt cites an example of a false positive in which someone who spreads fertilizer
  • 8. Terrorism and Hijackings 8 and does not change shoes before arriving at the airport can be identified by a puffer as someone who has residue from explosive materials since fertilizer can be used in the manufacturing of explosives. Another drawback Kornblatt cites is that puffers cannot detect liquid explosives, which are also attractive to terrorists. Most recently, imaging technologies have been developed to detect illicit materials. While they are effective, the issue of privacy and the Fourth Amendment also come into play with this technology. Appearing in images produced by these machines are not only illegal materials, but also breasts, genitals, catheter tubes, plastic, and ceramic objects on the body. It is argued that it is essentially a warrantless, virtual strip-search. While it is important to address security issues, law enforcement is also critical to countering terrorism. However, “regular police practice often assumes that arresting offenders is the same as preventing crime, when in fact this is not the case.” Essentially, “decades of criminological research have failed to establish a relationship between severe punishment and reduced crime” (Clarke, 2010). In addition, immigrant communities have in some cases become breeding grounds for terrorists, thus making it imperative for law enforcement to watch these areas. Clarke points out that individuals in a Jersey City immigrant community were behind the 1993 attack on the World Trade Center. However, Clarke also mentions that insensitive surveillance of immigrant communities can hinder law enforcement’s ability to effectively prevent terrorism and exacerbate prejudices. Essentially, the combination of mass hysteria and flawed law enforcement and security measures invites terrorism and hijackings. Proposals
  • 9. Terrorism and Hijackings 9 While terrorism poses many threats to society and must not be ignored, there ways to improve upon the way the public, elected officials, the media, and law enforcement counter terrorism and hijacking. On a fundamental level, “more attention needs to be devoted to giving people perspective on the remote likelihood of the terrible consequences they imagine” (Mueller, 2004). Essentially, a reasonable, national discussion facilitated by elected officials and the media is necessary to end the panic, overcome fear, and ultimately the terrorists. However, part of ending the public hysteria involves changing our security and law enforcement procedures. While imaging technology is effective, it must be balanced with civil liberties. In other words, due to the intrusiveness of imaging technology, making its usage secondary to metal detectors, puffers, pat-downs, and cavity searches can be an effective way to balance individual rights and security. In addition, placing a security agent off-site to view the images is another effective method in the usage of imaging technology. By making this technology an alternative to current methods, it enhances security with little to no compromise of civil liberties. Kornblatt warns that while security is necessary, it must not come at the cost of civil liberties because once society accepts a warped definition of what is reasonable, there is no going back once rights have been eroded. In addition to balancing the rule of law with security, law enforcement also plays a critical role in combating terrorism. Clarke emphasizes community policing, in which law enforcement is able to better understand the communities in which they serve through understanding the culture and languages, getting to know the residents and business owners, and maintaining visibility in the community to prevent crime as well as address issues members of the community may have. This ultimately builds trust and better enables law enforcement to
  • 10. Terrorism and Hijackings 10 identify potential dangers with the help of the community and relaying that information to potential targets of interest such as airports, landmarks, and other crowded areas. This approach to policing not only is effective within the context of terrorism, but also in combating crime in general. Conclusion While terrorism poses a threat to society, and the public has every right to be concerned, it must be emphasized that the ultimate goal of terrorism is to instill fear. Fear is the weapon of choice as it is more powerful than any aircraft or bomb. Fear is also cheaper to produce than a bomb or any other weapon. Terrorist organizations such as al-Qaeda thrive on low operating costs and therefore weapons of mass destruction are not real viable methods. Also, their heavily decentralized network allows for great mobility and makes it more difficult to find its leaders. Based on these factors, they advertise their culpability because they have great confidence in instilling fear in others. With that being said, the most effective weapon that can be used against terrorism is not giving in to fear. By not giving up civil liberties in the name of security or resorting to harsher interrogation techniques, it hinders the terrorist’s ability to influence or control a group of people. If the United States of America is to be a truly free society, we must understand the nature of terrorism and be able to put it into perspective so that we may be free from fear. Perhaps Franklin D. Roosevelt best said it when he declared in his first inaugural address: “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” References
  • 11. Terrorism and Hijackings 11 Brown, Stephen E., et al (2010). Criminology: Explaining Crime and Its Context. 7th Ed. New Providence, NJ: Anderson Publishing. Clarke, Ronald V., and Graeme R. Newman. “Police and the Prevention of Terrorism.” Oxford Journals Vol. 1 Issue 1 p.9-20 (2010). Retrieved from Oxford Journals: http://policing.oxfordjournals.org/content/1/1/9.full Kornblatt, Sara. “Are Emerging Technologies In Airport Passenger Screening Reasonable Under The Fourth Amendment?” (2007). Retrieved from Google Scholar: http://llr.lls.edu/docs/41-1kornblatt.pdf Miller, John S. “Conceptualizing the Hijacking Threat to Civil Aviation.” Criminal Justice Review Vol. 32 No. p. 209-32 (2007). Retrieved from Google Scholar: 10.1.1.84.3385.pdf Mueller, John. “A False Sense of Insecurity?” (2004). Retrieved from Google Scholar: http://www.cato.org/pubs/regulation/regv27n3/v27n3-5.pdf