Terrorist Attacks Research Articles

The importance of the feeling of isolation and loneliness among French Holocaust survivors after the 7 October terrorist attack

IntroductionThe 7 October terrorist attack in southern Israel and the increase in anti-Semitic acts have had a significant impact on the mental health of Holocaust survivors (HS), with some experiencing feelings of isolation and loneliness associated with an increased risk of mortality. The main objective of our work was to assess the incidence and intensity of perceived stress among French HS suffering from feelings of isolation and loneliness following the 7 October attack. The secondary objective was to determine the impact on health and to establish a link with the Holocaust period. Materials and methodsThe study was conducted between 30 October and 15 December 2023 among HS living in France who were contacted by mail through HS support organisations. They completed a questionnaire that included sociodemographic data and experiences during the Holocaust, an assessment of perceived stress using the PSS-10 scale, the presence or absence of feelings of isolation and loneliness, and health consequences and reactions to the 7 October attacks. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 21.0, with Mann-Whitney tests, chi-squared and Student's t-tests used to compare HS experiencing loneliness and isolation with those not experiencing loneliness and isolation, with a p-value of < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results94 respondents completed the questionnaire, of whom 29 (30.5 %) were men. The HS had a mean PSS-10 score of 17.7 ± 6.0 (min 5 - max 35). Thirty (31.6 %) reported feeling isolated or alone after the 7 October massacre. Those who felt isolated or alone were more likely to feel that they had no support from those around them (73.3 % vs. 19.7 % p < 0.05). The PSS10 scores of HS suffering from isolation and loneliness were significantly higher than those of other HS (21.2 ± 5.2 vs. 16.0 ± 6.2, p ≤ 0.05). After the 7 October massacre, 93.3 % of HS suffering from loneliness and isolation felt that their Holocaust experience had reawakened their vulnerability, especially aggravated health problems (34 %). They tend to think about the Holocaust period more often (96.7 % vs. 80.3 %, p ≤ 0.05) and are significantly more worried about the future of their children and grandchildren as Jews (93.3 % vs. 77.0 %, p ≤ 0.05). ConclusionThis is the first study to assess the importance of stress among HS, particularly those suffering from loneliness and isolation, following the 7 October terrorist attack. It highlights the importance of implementing intervention programmes to support the last eyewitnesses of the Holocaust period.

Impact of death-related media information on the effectiveness of in-feed advertising: A compensatory consumption perspective

With the increasing availability of news related to unexpected and catastrophic events, such as public health issues, natural disasters, murder cases, and terrorist attacks, the coexistence of death-related media information and commercial advertising has become prevalent in media platforms. This study is to clarify whether, when, and why death-related media information impacts the effectiveness of in-feed advertising. We conducted a field study along with three laboratory experiments. Results indicated that users are more likely to click in-feed advertising when it was exposed to death-related information compared to information unrelated to death. Moreover, this positive effect would be amplified when the ads framing is loss (vs. gain) or the ads image brightness is high (vs. low). The findings not only enrich literature on death-related information but also contributes to practice regarding how to improve the effectiveness of in-feed advertising.

Paramedics at risk? How responding to a terror attack affects mental wellbeing

Background: Terror attacks have a significant impact on first responders’ wellbeing, with an associated risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Aims: To improve understanding of how responding to terror attacks affects paramedics’ mental health. Methodology: A literature search was carried out on databases using the PRISMA strategy. Critical appraisal tools were used alongside thematic analysis to appraise and synthesise the literature. Findings: Ten papers were identified. Themes arising regarding risks to responders included: the level of exposure, with the amount related to the risks of developing PTSD and psychopathology; and level of preparedness, with responders carrying out unfamiliar tasks and working outside the scope of practice as well as lacking education on the psychological impact of terror attacks. Conclusion: If paramedics are deployed into terror attack warm zones, policy needs to consider the associated psychological risk. Training should incorporate stress management techniques and education on the extreme emotions these practitioners may experience. More research specifically with the paramedic population is required to understand the risk posed to them and how this may be managed.

A parallel investigation of trauma exposure, maladaptive appraisals and posttraumatic stress reactions in two groups of trauma-exposed adolescents

ABSTRACT Background: Maladaptive appraisals, such as thoughts about experiencing a permanent and disturbing change and about being a fragile person in a scary world, are associated with posttraumatic stress reactions (PTSR) for trauma-exposed children and adolescents. Less is known about what puts young people at risk for developing such appraisals, and the differential relationship between the types of appraisals and PTSR. Objective: The primary aim was to examine the role of age, gender and exposure to potentially traumatizing events (PTEs) for the levels of maladaptive appraisals. The secondary aim was to investigate the association between the levels of maladaptive appraisals (appraisals of a permanent change and appraisals about a scary world) and PTSR. Methods: We investigated these aims in two samples: survivors after the terror attack at Utøya island in Norway in 2011 (N = 165, mean age 17.65, SD = 1.19) and adolescents referred to treatment after mainly interpersonal trauma (N = 152, mean age 15.08, SD = 2.18). The aims were investigated using linear regression and partial correlation. Results: In the terror-exposed sample, female gender was significantly associated with higher levels of scary-world appraisals, witnessing or learning that someone close were exposed to physical violence was significantly associated with more permanent-change appraisals, and a higher number of PTEs was significantly associated with higher levels of both types of appraisals. For the clinical sample, we found no significant associations between exposure to PTEs, gender, age, and the level of maladaptive appraisals. Both types of maladaptive appraisals were highly associated with PTSR in both samples, and there was no significant difference in the strength of the associations between the types of appraisals and PTSR. Conclusions: The results have implications for identifying adolescents at risk for developing harmful maladaptive appraisals. Both scary-world appraisals and permanent-change appraisals were strongly associated with PTSR in both groups of trauma-exposed adolescents.

Calming the Wind: A Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner's Approach to Wartime Acute Stress Disorder Symptoms.

In this narrative essay, a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practitioner describes the challenge of treating three survivors of a terror attack, all of whom were presenting various symptoms of acute stress disorder (ASD). Working in new and exceptionally demanding circumstances - with thousands of people injured in an extensive and direct terror attack, with relatives taken hostages and entire communities evacuated from their homes - the practitioner looked for an effective treatment strategy to alleviate symptoms of stress response. He found it in the interface between TCM and the function of the autonomic nervous system.

Biased Social Media Debates About Terrorism? A Content Analysis of Journalistic Coverage of and Audience Reactions to Terrorist Attacks on YouTube

Social media are an important source of news during crises such as terrorist attacks. However, how news media and their audiences make sense of terrorism on social media is subject to bias, for example, given their differential treatment of terrorism by right-wing versus Islamist extremist perpetrators. In this study, we analyze how incident- and perpetrator-related characteristics of terrorist attacks are associated with bias in public debates about terrorism on YouTube. We focus on selectiveness in which attacks are covered (gatekeeping bias), how attacks are covered (presentation bias), and how audiences react to coverage (audience bias). Methodologically, we employ a manual and an automated content analysis of terrorism coverage by five international broadcasters on YouTube ( N = 643, 2018–2020) and related user comments ( N = 193,721). Our findings illustrate how sociocultural contexts shape news bias in terrorism coverage, both in the form of gatekeeping bias and presentation bias—but we conclude with less evidence for audience bias in public reactions to terrorism, at least on social media. Consequently, journalists should critically question working routines in covering crises to avoid reinforcing power imbalances, especially those from Western contexts.

Development of Johnson-Cook-Distinct Lattice Spring Model and its application in projectile penetration into metal targets

Projectile penetration into metal targets plays an important role in modern protective structure engineering, damage assessment in terrorist attacks, and car clash accident analysis, etc. The penetration process of metal target has been characterized by large deformation, high temperature, high pressure, and dynamic damage, which can be classified as a continuous-discontinuous dynamical process. To capture the dynamic responses of metal materials subjected to high-speed penetration, Johnson-Cook model has been implemented in a continuum-discrete model, namely, Distinct Lattice Spring Model (DLSM). This is achieved by redefining the constitutive model in DLSM, with plasticity hardening (plastic strain effects), strain rate, temperature, damage evolution, equation of state, etc., being taken into account, thus developing a new numerical model called JC-DLSM model. This model is validated through studying Taylor rod high-speed impact experiments, thin metal plate penetration experiments, and projectile impact experiments on titanium alloy targets. Good agreement between numerical modelling and experimental data has been achieved for all cases considered, thereby demonstrating the capability of JC-DLSM to reproduce the damage characteristics and ballistic limits of metals under high-speed impact/penetration. Then, the impacts of projectile shape, metal target surface configuration on the characteristics of penetration damage patterns have been investigated. This contributes to a better understanding of the damage mechanisms of metal targets upon penetration or impact, facilitating the computational means for analysing and optimizing the penetration resistance of protective engineering structures.

Airline performance measurement using bias-corrected network data envelopment analysis estimates: Evidence from a turbulent era

This study's objective is to estimate airline performance and identify the most resilient business model during periods affected by global crises, including financial crises, natural disasters, pandemics, terrorist attacks, and post-crisis periods. A balanced panel of 80 airlines, classified into full-service carriers (FSC), low-cost carriers (LCC), high perceived quality, and low perceived quality, during 2008–2021 is used in this work. The data is sourced from the ICAO Data+ and Skytrax databases. Following the recent literature on airline efficiency, we consider airlines' internal structure, which unfolds into three stages: (a) operations, (b) services, and (c) sales. Also, we employ a novel three-stage multi-parametric bias correction (MPBC) slacks-based measure (SBM) network data envelopment analysis (NDEA) approach to estimate system- and stage-specific efficiencies. It has been proven that the MPBC estimates are consistent, while the MPBC-SBM-NDEA approach addresses the limitations of conventional NDEA and SBM-NDEA models. This work highlights that airline passengers have become more price-sensitive, selecting value-for-money airline products and services after the Global Financial Crisis. Given this trend and the remainder of the study's findings, LCCs offering value-for-money products and services and operating smaller-scale networks with smaller plane capacities are less vulnerable to external shocks and are easier to rebound during post-crisis periods.

Effects of Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) on Physico-Chemical Properties of Low-Density Polyethylene.

Hazardous chemicals are transported on rail and road networks. In the case of accidental spillage or terror attack, civilian and military first responders must approach the scene equipped with appropriate personal protective equipment. The plausible manufacturing of chemical protective polymer material, from photocatalyst anatase titanium dioxide (TiO2) doped low-density polyethylene (LDPE), for cost-effective durable lightweight protective garments against toxic chemicals such as 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulphide (CEES) was investigated. The photocatalytic effects on the physico-chemical properties, before and after ultraviolet (UV) light exposure were evaluated. TiO2 (0, 5, 10, 15% wt) doped LDPE films were extruded and characterized by SEM-EDX, TEM, tensile tester, DSC-TGA and permeation studies before and after exposure to UV light, respectively. Results revealed that tensile strength and thermal analysis showed an increasing shift, whilst CEES permeation times responded oppositely with a significant decrease from 127 min to 84 min due to the degradation of the polymer matrix for neat LDPE, before and after UV exposure. The TiO2-doped films showed an increasing shift in results obtained for physical properties as the doping concentration increased, before and after UV exposure. Relating to chemical properties, the trend was the inverse of the physical properties. The 15% TiO2-doped film showed improved permeation times only when the photocatalytic TiO2 was activated. However, 5% TiO2-doped film exceptionally maintained better permeation times before and after UV exposure demonstrating better resistance against CEES permeation.

Social Media and Conflict: A Visual Analysis of War and Peace Frames in Pakistan

Based on traditional peace communication scholarship, this study, embedded in journalism studies and visual politics literature, analyzes photographs of conflict using war and peace frames and explores the role social media can play in digital peacebuilding practices. A content analysis of 674 visuals of the second deadliest terrorist attack in Pakistan posted on Twitter revealed the dominance of war photographs. The majority of the visual tweets were related to the afflicted victims and the visiting elites. Our analysis revealed that the visual narrative predominantly adopted a war approach. Results also showed significant variations in the war and peace narrative over time. Overall, this study challenges the views of peace journalism scholars that social media would lead to a more peace-oriented approach. We argue that peace narratives may be difficult to occur on digital platforms in securitized national conflicts where elites and a dominant public opinion oppose alternative perspectives.

A Novel Spatial-Aware Deep Learning Approach for Exploring the Environmental Context of Terrorist Attacks and Armed Conflicts

The quantitative assessment of terrorist attacks and armed conflicts (TAACs) is a crucial component of global public safety research and is vital for societal stability and national security. This study addresses the spatial dependency of such events, i.e., the relationship between the outbreak of an event and its environment. Based on geographic big data and artificial intelligence (AI), we propose a spatial feature utilization pattern that takes into account the impact of the event environment, and established a deep learning (DL) framework of features within the joint event location and space neighborhood to improve the precision of the quantitative assessment. The results demonstrate that in scenarios under a combination of 14 social, natural, and geographic driving factors, models that incorporate spatial features outperform those that only use location features during both the training and testing phases. Furthermore, models that consider both location and spatial features outperform models using only a single feature across various evaluation metrics. Global attribution analysis further confirms the spatial dependency of events, manifested in the mutual influence on the likelihood of events occurring among adjacent cities and the correlation with various environmental factors, particularly elements related to human activities and living environments. We find that both prosperous urban centers and underdeveloped rural areas are hotspots for TAACs, and that such events more likely to occur in harsh climatic patterns characterized by high temperatures and low precipitation. This enhances our understanding and preparedness for managing and preventing such events.

Verbal attacks on terrorist groups increase violence against civilians

Abstract Terrorists and other transnational extremist groups are responsible for thousands of civilian deaths. In confronting extremists, governments have relied heavily on threats, demands, denunciations, and other forms of verbal conflict. Do these efforts at verbal coercion have any effect on terrorist behavior? This analysis focuses on the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), which continues to be the world's deadliest terrorist group and was responsible for recent high-profile attacks in Baghdad, Vienna, Kabul, and Russia. We use Bayesian structural vector autoregression models to analyze daily event data on interactions between ISIS and foreign governments for the 2014–2020 period. We find that verbal conflict initiated by governments not only failed to deter ISIS but in fact increased the frequency of ISIS's attacks on civilians. Additional empirical analyses, combined with evidence from ISIS's publications and public statements, suggest that this effect resulted from a perceived credibility deficit. Extremists use terror attacks to signal that they have the capabilities and willingness to inflict pain and suffering on civilian targets. Government attempts to coerce extremist groups verbally, rather than militarily, reflect an underestimation of the group's capabilities and resolve. In an effort to solidify their reputations, extremists engage in further violence toward civilians, thus leading to worse humanitarian consequences. We extend the analysis to Al-Qaeda in Iraq and Boko Haram and find similar results.

Trauma reactivation 50 years later: Yom Kippur war veterans after the October 7 attack

Fifty years after the Yom Kippur War began with a surprise attack, the October 7 terror attack caught Israelis off guard in yet another surprise attack. The current study assessed the extent to which Yom Kippur War veterans thought about the linkage between the two wars, and whether such thoughts were associated with trauma reactivation and exacerbation of distress. A web-based random sample of 297 Yom Kippur War veterans (age range 68–88) completed questionnaires five months before (T1) and two months after the October 7 attack (T2). The results showed an increase in probable posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) rates due to the Yom Kippur War, rising from 5.4 % in T1 to 13.1 % in T2. Rates of clinical depression and anxiety also rose. The study found that a significant number of veterans experienced intrusive thoughts linking the two wars. These intrusive thoughts increased the risk for probable PTSD and clinical levels of depression and anxiety, even after accounting for pre-attack symptoms. The study is among the first to show that intrusive linkage is quite frequent among older veterans who confronted another event that resonates with their focal trauma. Supporting the stress resolution perspective, this linkage increased the risk for trauma reactivation.

Forensic Investigation and Legal Issues: Hiding Information through Steganography

Abstract: This paper presents information hiding, also known as data embedding, for transmitting secret information through a network. Data security is the prime aspect of conveying information through communication channels. The data hiding and information procedure can be done using several methods, i.e., cryptography, steganography, and digital watermarking. Most people need clarification about cryptography and steganography because both methods are used for hiding information, but there is a minor difference between them. In cryptography, the secret message is hidden, known as “Secret Writing”; in steganography, secret communication is known as “covered Writing”. This paper mainly focuses on steganography for data and information hiding. Steganography is used primarily on terrorism, where the terrorists secretly transmit their data to others globally. The existence of the steganography evaluation model is dominant for stronger development of preferable techniques and the way to cover the extant ones. Despite the ordinary parameters, they are generally acknowledged for the comprehensive assessment of the steganography technique, which is deficient. Nowadays there are many forensic investigations are ongoing on terrorist attacks, which are done through secret transmission of data or information. Many challenges are faced by steganography forensics during the analysis of embedded data. This paper urges digital forensics to be more forward than criminals who use data-hiding techniques that can take advantage of and obscure their criminal activities. This paper concludes the need to develop more robust tools and steganalysis techniques.

Effectiveness to the Emergency Management in Public Organizations: A Paradigm from a European Civil Protection Mechanism

Every state's priority is public safety. In the modern world, that often needs them to work with other States. This study assesses the role of civil protection mechanisms in effective emergency management operations in public organizations based on the European perspective. Data was collected from 392 different technocrats from government civil protection agencies in Greece using an online questionnaire. The study revealed that civil protection experts positively influence effective emergency management operations in public organizations. The results revealed that early warning systems have an influence on effective emergency management operations in public organizations. Disaster risk forecasting has a positive influence on effective emergency management operations in public organizations. According to the study, crises and catastrophes have compelled the EU to improve civil protection coordination throughout the continent and its ability to conduct operations both inside and outside of Europe. It's not clear whether these cooperative EU agreements are going to succeed because national civil defense organizations aren't always similar and there isn't always enough trust between the organizations involved. This is especially true in light of recent global crises in the EU, such as the refugee crisis, terrorist attacks, and natural. It is important for public organizations across Europe to focus on enhancing early disaster warning systems, the enhancing of civil protection experts and improving disaster planning to promote effective management of emergencies.

Multiple blast behavior of steel wire mesh reinforced geopolymer based high performance concrete (G‐HPC) slab: Experiment and numerical simulation

AbstractEngineering structures face the potential of encountering repetitive or multiple blast loads stemming from accidental explosions and terrorist attacks. However, current research in this field is still relatively limited, and further investigation is needed to understand the damage mechanisms of structures under multiple explosions. Therefore, this study explores the blast resistance of G‐HPC slabs reinforced with steel wire mesh (SWM) under multiple blast loads. The failure modes of the SWM‐reinforced G‐HPC slab were experimentally studied under two consecutive explosions (with explosive equivalents of 1.6 and 3.2 kg, both at a standoff distance of 0.4 m). The results revealed that, after two consecutive explosions, the slab exhibited bulging with minimal concrete spalling, showcasing overall integrity. Subsequently, a numerical model was established, followed by a comprehensive parameter analysis. The parameter analysis investigated the effects of SWM diameters and grid size, the arrangement of SWM, and the sequence of TNT equivalents on the performance of the slab under three consecutive blast loads. The findings revealed that increasing the SWM diameter or reducing the grid size significantly enhanced the blast resistance of the slab under three consecutive explosive loads. Strategically arranging the SWM in the tensile zone reduced damage and deflection. Furthermore, the sequence of TNT equivalents had a notable impact on the damage and energy absorption of the slab.

Investigation of Clinical Features and Comorbid Psychopathologies of Children with Sleep Terrors

Aim: In this study, it was aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics of children diagnosed with sleep terrors, including sleep environment and sleep habits, clinical features and comorbid psychiatric disorders. Method: Between 2020 and 2024, 51 children who were diagnosed with sleep terror according to DSM-5 diagnostic criteria in 3 different Child and Adolescent Psychiatry clinics were included in the study. The sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of the cases were examined retrospectively through the files. Results: Of the 51 participants, 30 (58.8%) were male, 21 (41.2%) were female and the mean age at the time of admission was 6.76±1.45 years. It was determined that 15 (29.4%) of the cases slept in a noisy environment and 41 (80.4%) of the cases had their sleep interrupted except for sleep terror attacks. At least one psychiatric disorder was detected in 17 (33.3%) patients, and the most common (9.8%) comorbid psychiatric disorder was attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. It was found that complete retrograde amnesia was significantly higher in preschoolers, and motor activity during the attack, physical injury and/or material damage, and full awakening during the attack were significantly higher in school-age children. It was determined that 64.7% of the parents intervened incorrectly during the episode, and in 29.4% of the cases, the wrong medication was applied in the treatment history. Conclusion: In sleep terrors, identification of triggering factors and comorbid psychiatric disorders during the diagnostic evaluation process, psychoeducation of parents in treatment, and selection of appropriate medication for medication are very important.

The economic impact of terrorism in South Asia

This study examines the economic impact of terrorism in South Asia. The region is currently home to 123 active terrorist/insurgent groups and is accountable for over 27 % of recorded global terrorist attacks. The annual data from the six most-terror-affected South Asian countries (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka) during the US-led war on terror (2001 - 2022) is used. For econometric estimation, the five models: fixed-effect, generalized least squares (GLS), generalized estimating equation (GEE), quantile regression (QR), and panel-corrected standard errors (PCSE) are applied. Terror-related death (a proxy for human capital loss) and per capita income (a proxy for purchasing power) are considered to measure terrorism and its economic impact. In addition, four economic indicators (military expenditure, population, official development assistance (ODA), and USAID) and three institutional indicators (electoral democracy index, political violence index, and mobilization for autocracy index) are taken into account as control variables. The result suggests that every additional 886 terror-related human capital loss across the region significantly reduces the purchasing power of each South Asian person by at least 9.800 US dollars. Moreover, among the control variables, military expenditure, political violence, and mobilization for autocracy negatively affect per capita income, while electoral democracy, population, ODA, and USAID positively impact it. This study will also help understand the implications of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda and achieving specific targets such as SDG 8 (promoting economic growth) and SDG 16 (promoting just, peaceful, and inclusive societies) based on the most terror-affected region.

What drives the frequency of terrorist attacks? Thematic analysis of a rapid evidence assessment

ABSTRACT Understanding how and why the frequency of terrorist attacks can change is clearly a critical issue and an increasing amount of research has focused on this subject. This article presents the results of a Rapid Evidence Assessment (REA) of research published from 2012 to 2022 on this area. A total of 50 articles were identified which met the review’s criteria thresholds. Thematic analysis identified eight core themes across the research which affected the frequency of terrorist attacks: Regime Type and Domestic Politics; Economic factors; Military Intervention and Foreign Fighters; Migration; Climate Change and Natural Disasters; Terrorist Organisational Qualities; Terrorist Target Selection Practices; and Media Coverage. The article also considers the research methods used across the studies and, in particular, reflects on the heavy reliance placed on the Global Terrorism Database (GTD). Potential implications in terms of policy as well as recommended avenues for future research are discussed.

Public concerns about terrorist threats amid Vietnam's high-tech boom

This study analyzed 1200 samples from the 2020 World Values Survey in Vietnam. Ordinal logistic regression and multinomial logistic regression were used to explore the impact of seven sociodemographic variables on concerns about terrorist attacks, including sex, age, education level, occupation group, social class, income level and religion. Additionally, the Spearman rank correlation test was employed to examine whether there is a significant relationship between concerns about terrorist attacks and perceptions of technological development. The results indicated that different gender, educational level, occupation, income, and religious beliefs significantly influence concerns about terrorism. Furthermore, there is a significant correlation between those who do not believe that technological development will lead to a better life and heightened concerns about terrorist attacks. Thus, when implementing policies to reduce the insecurity of Vietnam citizens, in addition to taking into account relevant demographic factors, it would be advisable to consider incorporating strategies that enhance positive perceptions of high technology.