THREAT REPORTS
Drones to Search Find and Rescue Victims Faster
Drones have been a big topic of discussion in the public sphere for the past few years. Some have concentrated on how drones are used by defense and intelligence forces to track and assassinate members of terrorist groups; others have concentrated on the use of drones by police authorities to conduct surveillance and the privacy implications of such activities; and others have concerned themselves with the economic impact of drones and their expected use by companies such as Amazon to disrupt the delivery market. One area that has shown significant promise for drone technology while not necessarily receiving a level attention equal to the use cases described above is the area of search and rescue.
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Family suicide bombers: A new trend for militants
Most, when they think of suicide bombers, think of the lone bomber – often a younger male that is - in some manner, disaffected from society for some reason which, subsequently, renders him susceptible to radicalization. Originally deployed by the nationalist Tamil Tigers (LTTE) in their conflict with the Sri Lankan government over the creation of a Tamil nation in the island’s north and east (which they called Elam), Jihadist organizations throughout the world added a religious dimension to the tactic. Contrary to the stereotype, the demographics of suicide bombers has been diversifying for years, and, indeed, from its inception in Sri Lanka, suicide bombing was not wholly male-dominated. For example, over a two week period in the summer of 2017, multiple ISIS (Islamic State) suicide attacks were conducted by a woman and at least one involved a woman killing both herself and her young child
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SECURING CROWDED PLACES
Increasingly, the public is beginning to see a trend towards terrorist attacks targeting crowded, so-called soft targets. The Australian government, in a public paper discussing terrorism in crowded spaces, noted that terrorist prefer such places because density increases the likelihood of large numbers of casualties, many crowded places are accessible, the psychological effect on the public, and the attention such attacks garner. These were seen with the attacks that have occurred over the last few years in United Kingdom such as the London Bridge attack, the Manchester concern bombing, and the Borough Market attack; elsewhere in Europe, there were attacks in France on Bastille Day in 2016 and an attack at a Berlin Christmas market; in the United States, it is seen in the mass shootings that have occurred in schools, nightclubs, concerts, and at mass public events (e.g., the Boston Marathon bombing). Inherent in public spaces – especially crowded and non-permanent spaces – are significant security challenges that authorities and planners must contend with as they seek to reduce both the risk of terrorist attacks and, if an attack were to occur, its damage. Some common targets that concern authorities are malls, stadiums, and shopping centers.
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