Technology Against Terrorism: Structuring Security (January 1992)
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Technology Against Terrorism: Structuring Security January 1992 OTA-ISC-511 NTIS order #PB92-152529 Recommended Citation: U.S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment, Technology Against Terrorism: Structur- ing Security, OTA-ISC-511 (Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, January 1992). FOr sale by the U.S. Government Printing Office Superintendent of Documents, Mail Stop SS0p. Washington, D.C. 20402-9328 ISBN 0-16 -036061-7 Foreword Terrorism is not a new phenomenon, but it has become more prominent during the past two decades. Terrorist attacks have included not only political assassinations, but also large-scale attacks, often aimed at third parties, causing massive casualties. Two well-known examples are car bombings, employing hundreds of kilograms of high explosives, and attacks on commercial aircraft around the world. The U.S. Government and the American public became acutely aware of terrorism after the bombing of Pan American Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland in December 1988. The recent war in the Persian Gulf heightened fears of renewed terrorist attacks on U.S. targets, both overseas and at home. In 1989, because of growing concern over terrorist threats, several Senate Committees requested that OTA study the role of technology in fighting terrorism and the Federal effort in promoting related research and development. The requesting Committees were: Govern- mental Affairs; Foreign Relations (Subcommittee on Terrorism, Narcotics, and International Operations); and Commerce, Science, and Transportation, together with its Subcommittee on Aviation. The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence also endorsed the study. This report is the second and final one in response to these requests. The frost was transmitted to Congress in a classified version in September 1990. An unclassified summary was released to the public separately in February 1991, and an unclassified version of the full report was published in July 1991. This second report also has a classified annex with additional technical data. The first report concentrated on Federal funding for research and development in counterterrorist technology and on aspects of airline security, particularly explosives detection. This report is devoted primarily to three other topics: interagency coordination of efforts in counterterrorist research and development, integrated security systems, and the role of human factors in aviation security. In addition, it furnishes details on a number of technologies that play a role in counterterrorism. The help and cooperation of a large number of scientists and officials from the Departments of Defense, Justice, State, Transportation, and the Treasury are gratefully acknowledged. Special thanks are due to the Federal Aviation Administration. A&’ ‘ 2 ~f~ JOHN H. GIBBONS u Director ,.. 111 The Use of Technology in Countering Terrorism Advisory Panel Marvin Goldberger, Chairman Director, Institute of Advanced Study Peter F. Bahnsen James Jacobs Sr. Executive Vice President Director, Nuclear Security Systems MLI International, Ltd. Sandia National Laboratory Terry Bearce Brian Jenkins Manager, Program on Low Intensity Conflict Managing Director Los Alamos National Laboratory Kroll Associates Homer Boynton Michael K. Johns Managing Director for Security President American Airlines Johns and Bhatia Engineering Consultants, Ltd. L. Paul Bremer Donald Kerr Managing Director President Kissinger Associates, Inc. EG&G, Inc. Chris Chicles Joseph Krofcheck Security Managing Consultant President C.H. Chicles & Associates Yarrow Associates Arthur Donahue Robert Kupperman President of Marketing Senior Adviser Softworld, Inc. Center for Strategic and International Studies Lee Grodzins Joshua Lederberg (ex-officio) Department of Physics Rockefeller University Massachusetts Institute of Technology Vice Chairman Technology Assessment Advisory Council John (Chris) Hatcher Department of Psychiatry Richard Porter Center for the Study of Trauma Aerospace Services International, Inc. University of CA, San Francisco Billie H. Vincent Carolyn Imamura Aerospace Services International, Inc. Director of Planning and Programs Stanley Wiener Pacific Basin Development Council Professor of Internal Medicine Wilfred Jackson University of Illinois, Chicago Airport Operators Council, Intl. NOTE: OTA appreciates and is grateful for the valuable assistance and thoughtful critiques provided by the advisory panel members. The panel does not however, necessarily approve, disapprove, or endorse this report. OTA assumes full responsibility for the report and the accuracy of its contents. iv The Use of Technology in Countering Terrorism OTA Project Staff Lionel S. Johns, Assistant Director, OTA Energy, Materials, and International Security Division Alan Shaw, International Security and Commerce Program Manager Anthony Fainberg, Project Director Michael Callaham Kevin Dopartl Deborah L. Kyle2 Russell L. Maxwe113 Edith Page4 Peter H. Rose5 Administrative Staff Jacqueline R. Boykin Louise Staley Contractor Yonah Alexander Ion ~sipent from OTA’,S Science, Education, and Transportation Pm&Yam. ~epartment of Commerce Science and Technology Fellow, 1989-90. 3on ~siment from Sandia National ~hratories. gon ~si~ent from OTA’S Science, Education, and ‘f’ransportation ~gam. 5~s Fellow, 1989-90. Contents Page Chapter 1: Summary . .. 3 Chapter 2: The Terrorist Threat-1991 . 17 Chapter 3: Interagency and International Communication and Cooperation.. 47 Chapter 4: Aviation Security: Aspects of Integrated Security for Commercial Air Travel . 57 Chapter 5: Human Factors in Aviation Security . 79 Appendix A: The FAA Aviation Security R&D Program . 93 Appendix B: Explosives Detection: Dogs... 105 Appendix C: Electromagnetic Detection of Metal and Weapons . 115 Appendix D: Technologies To Protect Harbors, Ports, and Vessels . 120 Appendix E: Physical Protection Systems . 128 vi Chapter 1 Summary Contents Page INTRODUCTION . OUTLINE OF REPORT . 4: FINDINGS . .5 Chemical and Biological Terrorism . 5 Interagency Communication and Coordination . 6 Options . .7 Aviation Security . 8 Integrated Security Systems . 9 Human Factors . .. 10 FAA Research and Development Program . 11 Chapter 1 Summary INTRODUCTION often complicated operations that require a lot of time to plan and execute. In 1991, the Persian Gulf War drew the world’s attention once again to the threat of terrorism.l Fears Even apart from tensions in the Gulf and the arose that Iraqi agents, their surrogates, and their Middle East, terrorism has not been quiescent since allies would use the terrorist option as other options the start of this study in September 1989. The most became foreclosed to them. These concerns stimu- startling recent single event was the assassination of lated unprecedented security measures across the Rajiv Gandhi in the midst of Indian parliamentary world, at government and public buildings both in elections in May 1991. Other examples of continu- Washington and in the capitals of other coalition ing terrorism include the massacres of scores of rail states, at diplomatic sites, and at international passengers in separate incidents by terrorists in India airports on all continents. In the end, no major and in South Africa. In Europe, terrorists have been incidents occurred (although a number of minor ones active, particularly in Spain, Northern Ireland, and did take place), perhaps because of the intensive Germany. Single-issue terrorists (e.g., antiabortion security measures taken. In many countries, sus- zealots, animal rights extremists) are still active in pected Iraqi agents were either deported or detained, the United States and Western Europe. Other domes- which may have had a telling effect on efforts to tic terrorism in the United States, while currently at organize successful major attacks. Nevertheless, in a low level, may resurge periodically. The phenome- the first few weeks following the outbreak of non is global in scope and, unfortunately, continues hostilities in January 1991, the number of interna- to demand attention and protective action by the tional terrorist incidents against U.S. targets did civilized world. increase significantly over the same period in the previous year. Only one, however, was directly As terrorist tactics change, it will become traceable to Iraq: a failed attempt to blow up the U.S. increasingly important to be proactive rather Information Agency building in Manila. Another, than reactive in developing technologies to pro- possibly linked directly to the Gulf War, was an tect the public. Future threats should be antici- attempt to explode a bomb at the residence of the pated to the degree possible so that means for U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia in Jakarta. In general, dealing with them will be developed in a timely the increase in terrorist incidents appeared to be the manner. result of uncoordinated actions of solidarity with the This report concludes an examination of the Iraqi regime on the part of anti-U.S. elements in a role that technology may play in the effort to combat number of countries. terrorism. It is the second of two reports, which Although no major terrorist actions in connection together constitute an assessment of the role of with the Gulf War have yet occurred, such eventual- technology in combating terrorism. Requested by ities cannot be excluded in the near future. There three Senate committees in the summer of 1989,2 have often been lapses of months or years between and begun in September 1989, the first report of the an event and a