Tendency of using chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear weapons for terrorist purposes

Marko Krstic

doi:10.5937/vojtehg65-11223

Abstract

Chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) terrorism is a serious problem, and its threat and use lead to a new era of terrorism: the epoch much more dangerous than any of the previous periods and the terrorism no one yet knows how to cope with. The disturbing fact is that terrorists can come into possession of weapons of mass destruction. Therefore, the goal of the paper is to analyze the probability of CBRN terrorist actions which have highlighted the growing concerns and increasing signs of convergence between terrorism and CBRN unconventional weapons for terrorist purposes. Terrorism today includes technologies available to anyone and anywhere and deployed through innovative solutions where it is also necessary to understand a complex interaction between the dynamic behavior of terrorist groups and the decisions regarding old and new technologies. The prospect of the use of CBRN terrorism has been confirmed by many countries as an acute security challenge that requires an efficient and quick response and reaction. The paper will also explain the importance of understanding the relationship between terrorist groups and non-conventional weapons, as well as difficulties in identifying factors that may cause the escalation. Since the end of 1990s and since the tragedy of September 11, 2001 in particular, government officials of many countries have pointed out the possibility that terrorist organizations eventually can come into the possession of unconventional materials and develop the possibilities of their use against some countries.

Highlights

Terrorism is a complex social phenomenon, because its causes, nature and objectives as well as the identity of perpetrators vary by epochs or societies
The use of CBRN weapons can transform the way countries wage wars, and if used on a large scale against civilians, it could redraw the patterns of society because people are becoming more concerned about the casualties of this silent and deadly type of war
The first challenge for the population is to be aware that the act of bioterrorism might happen and its probability is completely unknown and uncertain; the attack may never happen, but the fear is certainly present

Summary

Introduction

Terrorism is a complex social phenomenon, because its causes, nature and objectives as well as the identity of perpetrators vary by epochs or societies. Restrictions on their use appear to be diminishing, and so-called new terrorists do not always escalate and become apparent only by using unconventional weapons These weapons are spread or transmitted from person to person, have a high mortality rate and a potential impact on public health, causing mass casualties that can crush health systems and cause public panic and social disruption, requiring special efforts to suppress them. A CBRN terrorism threat is certainly a matter of concern; terrorists will face many obstacles in the implementation of an attack of this kind This includes the acquisition of materials and preparation for spreading them as well as a selection and a survey of a chosen objective and a correct dose required to achieve a desired effect

The growing threat of CBRN terrorism

Potential devastating effects of CBRN terrorist attacks

Nuclear and radiological materials as weapons of mass destruction

Findings

Conclusion