Evaluating counter-terrorism interventions to promote reports about leaking prior to terrorist attacks

Abstract

ABSTRACT The present study examined three different interventions that aimed to increase the willingness to report leaking and radicalization signs for Islamist terrorist attacks. Using an experimental approach, 697 participants from Germany reported their willingness to report different behavior to law enforcement and counseling centers after seeing poster advertisements on indicators of violent Salafism with or without additional instructions or reading a brochure about leaking and radicalization signs. Participants in the control group who received no intervention, reported a significantly higher willingness to report leaking than to report radicalization signs to both, counseling centers and law enforcement. In terms of the interventions, presentation of posters did not increase the willingness to report. However, the presentation of a brochure increased the willingness to report leaking (and radicalization signs) to counseling centers, but not to law enforcement authorities. These findings provide important starting points for adequate approaches to a sensible education about important warning signs for terrorist attacks and the improvement of prevention.