Terrorism is defined as the calculated use of violence or threat of violence to attain political or social goals through instilling fear, coercion or intimidation. It involves a criminal act, often symbolic in nature, that is intended to influence an audience beyond the immediate victim.

The primary objectives of most terrorist groups are:

• To gain publicity
• To stimulate loss of confidence in the government
• To attract recruits
• To get public support
• To gain support from financial institutions, and ultimately
• To weaken and overthrow the government

Techniques used to gain an audience for their platform include: hostage_taking, product_tampering, criminal extortion, arson, sabotage, threats against individual family members, assassinations, kidnaping, explosive bombings, and armed attacks.

The most likely targets of these forms of terrorism are political leaders, key military personnel, foreign missions, military facilities, corporate executives and facilities, and celebrities.

Unfortunately, the risk of terrorist acts exists in our state. Indications that the is a potential for terrorist activity in specific localities include:

• Dissent for political, social, or ethic reasons; charges brought against local government.
• Formulation of radical groups, branches of national subversive groups or secret societies.
• Anti-government, anti-United States agitation.

The most dangerous variants of terrorism, nuclear, biological, or chemical violence, could affect Montana. The probability remains low. At present, the most likely form of nuclear, biological or chemical terrorism may be threat or hoax involving a nuclear device or sabotage. This method of terrorism could have enormous coercive and disruptive results without mass killing or destruction. Terrorists could pose a threat in several ways:

• Stealing a bomb or biological or chemical weapons.
• Stealing suitable nuclear material and building a bomb.
• Stealing suitable material to make biological or chemical weapons.
• Sabotaging and holding for ransom a reactor or other nuclear facility or a shipment of reactor fuel or waste. Or, doing the same with a facility housing chemical or biological materials.
• Credibly claiming to have acquired a weapon or the nuclear or chemical materials to build a bomb or other dispersal devices.
• Causing or threatening to cause a serious nuclear or chemical accident.

It is impossible to assess Montana’s vulnerability to international terrorism. Although extremist groups exist within our state, it is unlikely that any terrorist act perpetrated by these groups would be of disastrous proportions statewide. Authorities on terrorism generally agree that terrorism cannot be wiped out entirely. For the present, they see it as a problem to be managed, not solved.

Efforts to manage potential terrorism in Montana should include:

• Gathering intelligence on terrorist operations, possible members, and their ideology.
• Pooling intelligence and information with knowledgeable sources.
• Physically protecting suspected targets.
• Promoting public awareness.
• Controlling arms and explosives.
• Careful screening of applicants for jobs that require the use of arms and explosives (e.g. law enforcement, military, etc.).
• Encouraging the media to engage in self-regulation.
• Preparing contingency plans for different kinds of terrorist acts.

 

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