Terrorist Attacks Research Articles

Difficult Memories as Institutional Narrative: U.S. Journalists’ Recollections of 9/11 Across Three Anniversaries

ABSTRACT Due to professional norms like objectivity, the emotional experiences U.S. journalists have while reporting tend to be obscured. However, occasions of memory-making, particularly around traumatic events, not only permit expression, but channel these emotions into promoting romanticized visions of journalism. The observances of 9/11 anniversaries in the U.S. serve as one critical site where sanctioned display of journalists’ emotions feed into assertions about journalism’s social value and, by extension, its legitimacy. Drawing on Zelizer’s interpretive communities with Hanitzsch and Vos’s discursive institutionalism, this study examines U.S. journalists’ retellings of difficult memories, or the emotional, painful, and/or traumatic experiences endured in the course of covering the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Thematic analysis of the first, tenth, and twentieth anniversaries reveals how these recollections reinforce idealized notions of journalists as uniquely compassionate, heroic individuals driven by a sense of duty. In doing so, the analysis establishes difficult memories as unruly rhetorical tools that can both bolster and undermine institutional authority. Ultimately, this study demonstrates how the persistence of nostalgized narratives, exemplified by 9/11 anniversaries, impacts journalism’s ability to navigate its past, present, and future amidst ongoing industry decline.

Improving emergency evacuation capacity for subway stations based on agent-based modelling

Purpose Modern subway transportation systems need to satisfy increasing safety demands to rapidly evacuate passengers under hazardous emergency circumstances, such as fires, accidents or terrorist attacks, to reduce passenger injuries or life losses. The emergency evacuation capacity (EEC) of a subway station needs to be revised timely, in case passenger demand increases or the evacuation route changes in the future. However, traditional ways of estimating EEC, e.g. fire drills are time- and resource-consuming and are difficult to revise from time to time. The purpose of this study is to establish an intuitive modelling approach to increase the EEC of subway stations in a stepwised manner. Design/methodology/approach This study develops an approach to combine agent-based evacuation modelling and building information modelling (BIM) technology to estimate the total evacuation time of a subway station. Findings Evacuation time can be saved (33% in the studied case) from iterative improvements including stopping escalators running against the evacuation flow and modifying the geometry around escalator exits. Such iterative improvements rely on integrating agent-based modelling and BIM. Originality/value The agent-based model can provide a more realistic simulation of intelligent individual movements under emergency circumstances and provides precise feedback on locations of evacuation bottlenecks. This study also examined the effectiveness of two rounds of stepwise improvements in terms of operation or design to increase the EEC of the station.

Drawing the line: public attitudes towards warranted and unwarranted government surveillance in European countries

This article investigates public attitudes towards government surveillance for law enforcement and national security in different European countries, considering the broader context of citizens' security concerns. These concerns encompass crime within individual countries, potential terrorist attacks, activities of foreign agents, and even inter-state conflicts, such as the Russian Federation's military aggression against Ukraine. Using data from the International Social Survey Programme, we examine opinions about various types of government surveillance. Regression analysis is employed to determine which variables influence these opinions. Notably, there is a tangible hesitation among citizens regarding such surveillance, stemming from fears of privacy invasion and potential misuse of collected data. Our findings indicate greater support for government surveillance in Western and Nordic countries compared to post-Communist countries. Respondents with a comprehensive understanding of political issues and those advocating for government spending on security generally held a more positive view of government surveillance rights. On the other hand, perceptions of higher corruption were linked to negative views on surveillance.

Effects of Insecurity on Social Activities of Pastoralist Communities, A Case Study of Mandera County

The presence of an imminent threat to people's lives and property is referred to as insecurity. It might represent a threat, posing difficulties, and risks, and raising anxieties, which would have an impact on a nation's socioeconomic progress. The purpose of this study was to examine forms of insecurity among pastoralist communities and evaluate how insecurity affected the social activities of pastoralist communities in Mandera County, Kenya. A descriptive survey study design was used to collect both qualitative and quantitative data using questionnaires, interviews and content analysis. A total of 399 household heads, 4 chiefs, 6 sub-chiefs, 10 religious leaders, and 6 members of civil society. A stratified method was used to ensure all the sub-counties were included in the study. Household heads, chiefs, sub-chiefs, religious figures, and members of civil society were sampled using purposive sampling. Data analysis was done using the Statistical Packages for Social Science (SPSS Version 25) computer software program to yield descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations. Verbatim quotes were used to analyse qualitative data. The findings of the study were presented using tables, figures, pie charts and bar graphs. The findings of this study indicated that Mandera experiences a variety of kinds of insecurity, such as livestock rustling, banditry, border conflicts, terrorism attacks, and inter-clan disputes. The study concluded that there was heightened insecurity in Mandera County caused by terrorism and cattle rustling. Based on the findings above, the study recommended that the county government of Mandera to provide adequate amenities and intensify security in the county in order to ensure the pastoral communities have access to social services

Assessing the attractiveness of chemical and process facilities to terrorism using a situational crime prevention approach

As intentional attacks to industry have been on the rise in the last years, researchers and institutions put effort in addressing risks of industrial assets exposed to acts of interference. One of the key steps of security risk assessment is the evaluation of the attractiveness, i.e. determining which installation or part of it could be of interest to a potential attacker. As security concerns are intrinsically tied to human intention, attractiveness does not only depend on technical characteristics of the facility, but also on the type of threat and its geographic, economic, and socio-political context. Therefore, interdisciplinarity is among the key features of a team tasked with assessing attractiveness. This work is the result of the joint effort of Physical Sciences and Engineering experts and Social Sciences and Humanities experts, and it presents a methodology for the assessment of attractiveness of process facilities to physical terroristic attacks developed using a “terrorist thinking” approach. Technical factors such as plant layout and physical protection systems were combined with modern criminology principles (namely Situational Crime Prevention, i.e. how actors take advantage of situated opportunities to commit a crime) to obtain a comprehensive picture of the possible motives behind a physical terroristic attack to a chemical and process facility (meant as facilities where chemical substances are present and where chemical and/or physical processes occurs). The methodology was applied to a case study featuring facilities located in a critical context; a ranking among facilities was obtained, and the robustness of the results was tested through a Monte Carlo-based uncertainty analysis. The results revealed that it is not possible to obtain a clear ranking of critical facilities accounting only for technical or non-technical factors, but both are necessary. The method developed was demonstrated easy to apply and could be used not only by plant security managers, but also by Institutions and Governments to prioritize critical assets in threatening contexts.

Christchurch False Flag Conspiracy Theory in the Czech Context: The Aeronet Case Study

The terrorist attack in Christchurch of March 2019 marked a watershed moment in history, among others, since it was the first attack of this kind that was livestreamed on the Internet by the perpetrator himself. Since then, the footage has been reappearing online across the globe, and so have various conspiracy theories related to the attack, clearly showing the cross-boundary and cross-cultural nature of the phenomenon. The objective of this article is to examine a set of texts published on a Czech conspiracy site Aeronet and to look at how their author uses broader conspiracy contexts to explain an alleged ‘false flag’ operation in Christchurch. The overall aim of this article is to provide an in-depth analysis of texts published in the Czech language and contribute to the mosaic of research conducted in relation to this attack.

Chabahar Port: A Geopolitical Need Or, Economic Compulsion for India

In the year 2024, in the case of Chabahar port in Iran, two important events took place; first, the visit of Mr. S Jaishankar, India’s External Affairs Minister to Tehran in January 2024 and second, one is the terror attack on Chabahar port by Jaish-al-Ahad on 3 April 2024. Both these developments are pole apart as far as the development of Chabahar port and the realisation of The International North-South Transportation Corridor (INSTC) is concerned. The first one talks about development, hope, connectivity, and the future of trade through a new corridor and the second one is about the existing security challenges in the region which has put this project on a slow grind since the year 2002. As we are aware the International North-South Transportation Corridor (INSTC) is a multi-modal transportation network connecting India, Iran, Russia, Central Asia, and Europe. It aims to facilitate the movement of goods and reduce transportation costs by providing an alternative route to traditional sea routes. The Chabahar Port, located in southeastern Iran, plays a crucial role in the INSTC as a key maritime gateway.

PTSD, distress and substance use in the aftermath of October 7th, 2023, terror attacks in Southern Israel

The October 7th, 2023, terror attacks in Israel were characterized by a scope and magnitude not previously known to Israeli citizens. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence and correlates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), emotional distress and use of addictive substances among Israeli adults, approximately one month following the attacks. PTSD was assessed with the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL-5) and emotional distress was assessed with a brief version of the Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL-25). Participants also ranked the degree of change in their frequency of use of six addictive substances. The final sample consisted of 415 Jewish and Arab Israeli adults. Results indicate that one month following the attacks, 31.4% of the total sample qualified for positive screening of PTSD. An increase in the use of tobacco, alcohol, tranquilizers and sleep medications was reported by 16.5%, 10.1%, 11.1% and 10.6% of the sample, respectively. Being at a younger age, of female sex and with increased exposure to the attacks was associated with increased levels of PTSD (β = -0.24, p < 0.001; β = 0.19, p < 0.001 and β = 0.29, p < 0.001, respectively) and increased distress (β = -0.22, p < 0.001, β = 0.26, p < 0.001 and β = 0.19, p < 0.001, respectively). Being male was significantly associated with increased use of cannabis (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) = 4.73, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 1.70–13.13, p = 0.003), and level of exposure to traumatic events was significantly associated with increased use of tranquilizers (AOR = 1.58, 95% CI = 1.17–2.13, p = 0.003). The high magnitude of symptomatic response should alert other countries as they prepare for national disasters.

Leaving terrorism behind? The role of terrorist attacks in shaping migration intentions around the world

ABSTRACT Terrorism globally yields severe consequences for individuals and societies, potentially driving migration within and across borders. Yet, empirical evidence on its causal impact remains limited. The contribution of our paper is twofold. First, we construct various indicators of terrorist activity at a fine level of spatial and temporal granularity, which allow to accurately identify individuals’ exposure to terrorist threat. Second, we use these geo-localised indicators to empirically analyse the role of terrorist attacks in shaping internal and international migration intentions for 133 countries between 2007 and 2015. Our results indicate that terrorist attacks spur both internal and international migration intentions, though the effect is stronger for the latter. The effect on international migration intentions is linked to the intensity of attacks, rather than their frequency. Furthermore, the impact varies based on individual and country characteristics.

ASSESSING NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT’S EFFORTS IN SAFEGUARDING CITIZENS, UTILITIES, AND INFRASTRUCTURE FROM TERRORIST ATTACKS

Vulnerable places are usually the targets of terrorist attacks everywhere in the world. The scenario is quite the same in Nigeria. Boko Haram and other terrorist groups in Nigeria have attacked ordinary citizens and infrastructure like schools and hospitals. Especially crowded places are the main targets of the terrorists. To mitigate this security challenge, the Nigerian government factored in the protection of soft targets in its National Counter-Terrorism Strategy (NACTEST). The second pillar of NACTEST, known as “to secure,” is in charge of this assignment. The NACTEST document was launched in 2014 by President Jonathan as a standing policy to combat terrorism in Nigeria. It is expected that this strategy needs to be evaluated since it has been in operation for more than half a decade. The focus of this paper is to examine the extent to which the Nigerian government has successively protected soft targets from terrorism attacks. The paper makes use of both primary and secondary data as sources of data gathering and content analysis for data analysis. The research makes use of the NACTEST document and bases its evaluation on the specified objectives of the NACTEST second pillar, “to secure." It also adopts asymmetric theory as its theoretical framework. The paper discovered that the Nigerian government has, to a large extent, successively protected the vulnerable, like civilian citizens, utilities, and infrastructure. However, sporadic attacks by terrorists are equally a challenge that the government needs to handle seriously. The paper recommended, among others, that the government should provide needed resources, both human and material, for security and better performance.

The aftermath of the 2019 Pulwama terror attack – religion, nationalism and exclusion in online news comment sections

ABSTRACT This study analyses the Indian and Pakistani publics reactions of the extensive coverage of the Pulwama terror attack, through an analysis of the online comments appearing at the end of the news stories covering the attack from the two leading English newspapers: Times of India (TOI) (India), and Dawn (D) (Pakistan). A qualitative content analysis is performed to compare and examine this dialogue emerging in the news comments sections. Findings are explored and discussed through conceptualizations of religion, nationalism, and a social psychological perspective towards exclusion of out-groups.

The moderating role of belongingness in the contribution of depression to suicide ideation following the October 7, 2023, terrorist attack in Israel: A nationwide prospective study

IntroductionWith >1300 civilians murdered, the terrorist attack of October 7 is one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in modern history. Previous research documented a sharp increase in depression in the aftermath of the attacks and the military conflict that followed. In this national prospective cohort study, we examined to what extent perceived belongingness (PB) moderates the association between depression and suicide ideation (SI) in the wake of the October 7th terrorist attack. MethodsA representative sample of 710 Israeli adults (of them, 362 females, 51.1 %), Jews (557, 79.9 %), and Arabs (153, 20.1 %), aged 18–85 (M = 41.01, SD = 13.72) completed questionnaires assessing depression, current SI, and perceived belongingness at two timepoints: T1 (in August 2023) and T2 (in November 2023). ResultsPerceived belongingness at T1 predicted SI at T2 beyond demographic and trauma-related characteristics. Importantly, we found a significant interaction in which a PB at T1 moderated the link between depression and current SI at T2. Specifically, the level of depression at T2 contributed to current SI-T2 more strongly for individuals with low PB levels than for individuals with high PB levels. DiscussionOur study highlights the impact of PB on SI following the October 7th terrorist attack. Clinicians treating individuals coping with depression should attend to their patients' sense of belongingness, as low PB comprises a significant risk factor for current SI. Moreover, community and national initiatives that could increase levels of PB among the citizens may help to diminish suicide risk in the aftermath of the attack.

Innovations in prosthetic foot design enhancing durability, functionality and comfort through PLA composite filament 3D printing

Purpose The number of people with special needs, including citizens and military personnel, has increased as a result of terrorist attacks and challenging conditions in Iraq and other countries. With almost 80% of the world’s amputees having below-the-knee amputations, Iraq has become a global leader in the population of amputees. Important components found in lower limb prostheses include the socket, pylon (shank), prosthetic foot and connections. Design/methodology/approach There are two types of prosthetic feet: articulated and nonarticulated. The solid ankle cushion heel foot is the nonarticulated foot that is most frequently used. The goal of this study is to use a composite filament to create a revolutionary prosthetic foot that will last longer, have better dorsiflexion and be more stable and comfortable for the user. The current study, in addition to pure polylactic acid (PLA) filament, 3D prints test items using a variety of composite filaments, such as PLA/wood, PLA/carbon fiber and PLA/marble, to accomplish this goal. The experimental step entails mechanical testing of the samples, which includes tensile testing and hardness evaluation, and material characterization by scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectrometer analysis. The study also presents a novel design for the nonarticulated foot that was produced with SOLIDWORKS and put through ANSYS analysis. Three types of feet are produced using PLA, PLA/marble and carbon-covered PLA/marble materials. Furthermore, the manufactured prosthetic foot undergoes testing for dorsiflexion and fatigue. Findings The findings reveal that the newly designed prosthetic foot using carbon fiber-covered PLA/marble material surpasses the PLA and PLA/marble foot in terms of performance, cost-effectiveness and weight. Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first study to use composite filaments not previously used, such as PLA/wood, PLA/carbon fiber and PLA/marble, to design and produce a new prosthetic foot with a longer lifespan, improved dorsiflexion, greater stability and enhanced comfort for the patient. Beside the experimental work, a numerical technique specifically the finite element method, is used to assess the mechanical behavior of the newly designed foot structure.

Counter-Terrorism: The Risk of Performativity in Big Data-Based Mass Surveillance

Starting in 2015, the terrorist organization known as the “Islamic State” (IS) experienced a gradual decline in territorial control within Syria and Iraq due to military success on the part of various armies and militias, and it was finally defeated as a political entity in February 2019. As predicted by terrorism experts and announced by the leaders of IS, the gradual fall of the IS led to an increase in terrorist attacks in Europe and the US. To combat these threats, governments and their security services are relying increasingly on big data-based mass surveillance. This paper is concerned with the structure and effectiveness of big data surveillance and strategies in countering Islamist violence. We develop a Bayesian analysis of the effectiveness and performativity of big data-based surveillance and counterterrorism methods, where performativity describes the fact that sometimes the very measures used to prevent terror can themselves contribute to the creation of Islamist violence. Furthermore, we evaluate the ethical dimensions of big data surveillance under the assumption of performativity.

Implications of the jihadist terrorism in cyberspace

The terrorist attack on the 11th of September, 2001, marked the change in the West’s perception of the Middle East and vice versa. Followed by the US military presence in the Middle East, this event contributed to the development of the means of terrorist actions around the world and the popularization of jihad. The hostile attitude of the West thus succeeded in maintaining the state of tension between the two spaces. Over time, jihadist and terrorist groups have been joined by members originating from the West who were convinced by the importance of the “missions” they later undertook. In the present paper, we will focus on the transposition and continuation of hostilities in both geographic and cyber spaces, with reference even to the current Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Can you have it both ways? Attribution and plausible deniability in unclaimed coercion

Abstract States and non-state actors conduct unclaimed coercive attacks, inflicting costs on adversaries to signal resolve to prevail in a dispute while refraining from claiming or denying responsibility. Analysts argue that targets often know who is responsible, which enables coercive communication, and that the lack of claims of responsibility grants coercers plausible deniability in the eyes of third parties. The puzzle of different audiences holding different beliefs about who is behind an unclaimed attack, even when they may have the same information, has been neglected. We address this puzzle by theorising that targets and third parties tend to reach different conclusions due to distinct emotional reactions: targets are more likely to experience anger, which induces certainty and a desire to blame someone, as well as heuristic and biased information processing, prompting confident attribution despite the limited evidence. A vignette-based experiment depicting a terrorist attack lends empirical plausibility to our argument.

CROCUS CITY AFTERSHOCKS. - Will the Terrorist Attack Change Russia’s Foreign Policy Toward Central Asian States?

CROCUS CITY AFTERSHOCKS. - Will the Terrorist Attack Change Russia’s Foreign Policy Toward Central Asian States?

Statistical Analysis of Terrorist Attacks in the World: An Islamic Perspective

Terrorism has become a common phenomenon in the modern world, but often in various scientific works and media there are attempts to find a correlation between terrorism and Islamic law. This article provides a statistical analysis of terrorist acts in the world on the basis of which it aims to identify the major tendencies, as well as to highlight important conclusions backed by the information obtained. Islam’s view of the crime under investigation is also important within the research frame.An institutional approach came as the methodological basis of this scientific article. It allowed the author to assess the influence of terrorism on the modern socio-political and economic situations.In the course of statistical analysis of terrorist attacks in the world it was found that Muslim countries suffer the greatest damage from the harmful effects of terrorism, although Islam has radiant arguments for banning violations against the population as means of casting terror and achieving political goals. An important conclusion of the paper is the fact that there are various terrorist groups in the world that do not act for religious reasons. Moreover, the most important conclusion of the article is in understanding the necessity of addressing and solving social problems, which are considered to be the key factors of economic growth and the absence of which cultivates terrorism expansion.

Residual mechanical properties of high strength concrete BBR9 subjected to dynamic uniaxial compressive loading

In recent years, enormous efforts have been devoted to accurately quantifying the residual load-bearing capacity of concrete at the material level when exposed to elevated temperatures. However, relatively less attention has been given to investigating the effects of dynamic events such as terrorist attacks, earthquakes, and hurricanes, which can cause complete collapse of concrete structures and have significant public and economic consequences. Hence, in the present study, a modified Kolsky compression bar system integrated with a momentum trapping technique was implemented to develop precisely controlled pre-/post peak high strain-rate loading to introduce distinctive states of damage inside the high strength concrete HSC-BBR9 specimens and to measure the corresponding plastic strain. Thereafter, the partially damaged specimens were tested to quantify the residual mechanical properties (e.g., residual stiffness and residual strength) at different plastic strain levels. Furthermore, a high-resolution laboratory micro-CT scanner was used to visualize the 3D crack network morphology in the partially damaged specimens. The findings demonstrated a remarkable decrease in the residual capacity with increasing levels of damage-induced plastic deformation. Additionally, the results showed a fundamental difference in the influence of internal damage on residual stiffness and strength to be acknowledged in the formulations of future constitutive damage models for concrete materials.

Effectiveness of Body Armor Against Shock Waves: Preventing Blast Injury in a Confined Space.

Introduction Blast injuries in modern society often occur owing to terrorist attacks in confined spaces, particularly in urban settings, indoors, and in vehicles, leading to significant damage. Therefore, it is important to focus on blast injuries in confined spaces rather than in conventional open-field experiments. Materials and methods We used an air-driven shock wave generator (blast tube) established indoors in 2017 and conducted basic research to potentially save the lives of patients with blast injuries. Under general anesthesia, pigs were divided into with body armor (BA) and without BA groups. The pigs were fixed in the measurement chamber with their dorsal chest directly exposed to the shock wave. The driving pressure was set at 3.0 MPa to achieve a mortality rate of approximately 50%. A generated shock wave was directly applied to the pigs. Comparisons were made between the groups with respect to cardiac arrest and survival, as well as apnea, bradycardia, and hypotension, which are the triad of blast lung. Autopsies were performed to confirm the extent of the organ damage. Statistical analysis was performed using Fisher's exact test, and statistical significance was set at p<0.05. The animal experimentation was conducted according to the protocol reviewed and approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of the National Defense Medical College Hospital (approval number 19041). Results Eight pigs were assigned to the BA group and seven pigs to the non-BA group. In the non-BA group, apnea was observed in four of seven cases, three of which resulted in death. None of the eight pigs in the BA group had respiratory arrest; notably, all survived. Hypotension was observed in some pigs in each group; however, there were no cases of bradycardia in either group. Statistical analysis showed that wearing BA significantly reduced the occurrence of respiratory and cardiac arrest (p=0.026) but not survival (p=0.077). No significant differences were found in other vital signs. Conclusions Wearing BA with adequate neck and chest protection reduced mortality and it was effective to reduce cardiac and respiratory arrest against shock wave exposure. Mortality from shock wave injury appears to be associated with respiratory arrest, and the avoidance of respiratory arrest may lead to survival.