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December 2007 Volume 76 Number 12 United States Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Investigation Washington, DC 20535-0001 Robert S. Mueller III Director Features Contributors’ opinions and statements should not be considered an endorsement by the FBI for any policy, program, or service. Countering Violent Working with communities and Islamic Extremism identifying patterns and trends of The attorney general has determined 3 extremist behavior in its early stages that the publication of this periodical By Carol Dyer, Ryan E. McCoy, is necessary in the transaction of the can help counter the spread of public business required by law. Use Joel Rodriguez, and extremist ideology. of funds for printing this periodical has Donald N. Van Duyn been approved by the director of the Office of Management and Budget. The FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin Words Make Worlds To effectively penetrate the extremist (ISSN-0014-5688) is published By Angus Smith world, the law enforcement and monthly by the Federal Bureau of 12 intelligence communities must Investigation, 935 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. understand extremist discourse. 20535-0001. Periodicals postage paid at Washington, D.C., and additional Operation Smokescreen SmallerThis case law illustrates enforcement that terroristsagencies can mailing offices. Postmaster: Send do not operate only in major cities address changes to Editor, FBI Law By Robert Fromme and 20 reap benefi ts from crime analysis reports Enforcement Bulletin, FBI Academy, Rick Schwein andbut alsomaps in similarsmall towns. to those derived by Madison Building, Room 201, larger ones. Quantico, VA 22135. Establishing state fusion centers Editor A Look at Fusion Centers John E. Ott By Bart R. Johnson has been a vital step toward sharing 28 information. Associate Editors Cynthia L. Lewis David W. MacWha Bunny S. Morris Departments Art Director Denise Bennett Smith Assistant Art Director 10 Book Review 26 Bulletin Reports Stephanie L. Lowe Bomb and Bombings Computer-Based Training Staff Assistants Crime Victims Cynthia H. McWhirt 18 Unusual Weapon Gabriel E. Ryan Juvenile Justice Plastic Spike Arlene F. Smith Education This publication is produced by 19 Leadership Spotlight members of the Law Enforcement Fellowship Communication Unit, Training Division. Issues are available online at http://www.fbi.gov. E-mail Address Editor’s Note: [email protected] Due to the special contents of this issue, the 2007 subject and author Cover Photo indexes, which usually would appear in the December issue, will be in our © Digital Stock January 2008 issue. Also, the second part of the article, “Program Evaluations: Send article submissions to Editor, Improving Operational Effectiveness and Organizational Effi ciency,” will be FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, moved to our January issue. FBI Academy, Madison Building, Room 201, Quantico, VA 22135. This issue includes our last book review. As of our January 2008 issue, we no longer will publish book reviews. ISSN 0014-5688 USPS 383-310 © Photos.com Focus on Terrorism or the past decade, al Qaeda has been the driving force of terrorism—moving thousands of people through training camps in Afghanistan and providing the F motivation, the money, and the management of worldwide attacks. Since the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, U.S. and foreign services have made tremen- dous progress in weakening al Qaeda. Yet, the group has been resilient at rebuilding its leadership and creating new safe havens, and, just as dangerous, its message of violence also has inspired followers with no formal links to the group. We have in- creasingly seen the emergence of individuals and groups inspired by al Qaeda that will carry out attacks on their own soil. Homegrown terrorists or extremists, acting in concert with other like-minded in- dividuals or as lone wolves, have become one of the gravest domestic threats we face. Largely self-recruited and self-trained, these terrorists may have no direct connection to al Qaeda or other terrorist groups. Identifying these individuals and groups is a tremendous challenge, and the role of our partners in state and local law enforcement is critical in these efforts. Local police offi cers, who are out on the streets, are on the frontline of the war on terrorism. They often may be the fi rst to detect potential terrorists. The vast jurisdiction of state, local, and tribal offi cers brings invaluable access to millions of people and resources, which can help protect the nation and its citizens. The information gathered on the street and in our communities is one of the most powerful tools we have. Understanding the radicalization process also proves vital to our efforts of iden- tifying terrorists. What are the early indicators of those who demonstrate a potential for violence? How does an individual become a radical extremist, and how does an extremist then become a terrorist? To help answer these questions, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Committee on Terrorism requested that this issue of the FBI Law Enforce- ment Bulletin be devoted to terrorism. With the foresight to focus on terrorism before it came to the forefront of American concerns, the committee fi rst undertook this ef- fort in the March 1999 issue of the magazine. Because the terrorist threat has evolved dramatically during the past 8 years—especially in the wake of September 11—the committee determined that it was time to publish another focus issue and enhance our understanding of emerging terrorist threats by focusing on homegrown terrorism and radicalization. We hope that these four articles, contributed by IACP Committee on Terrorism members, will give readers a clear understanding of the challenges posed by homegrown terrorism and the importance of a coordinated response to the terrorist threats we face. December 2007 / 1 “Countering Violent Islamic Extremism” provides law enforcement with a potential approach to identify indicators for extremists who pose the greatest danger to society. The article urges law enforcement to engage Muslim com- munities and dispel misconceptions that may foster extremism. Complementing this article, “Words Make Worlds: Terrorism and Language” offers insights to understand and accurately describe extremist rhetoric. The article asserts that such terms as jihadism and Islamic terrorism confl ate terrorism with mainstream Islam and erroneously cast all Muslims as terrorists or potential terrorists. Instead, the intelligence and law enforcement communities must understand extremist discourse and use this understanding to counteract extremist rhetoric. Two additional articles highlight the importance that collaborative efforts play in the war on terrorism. “Operation Smokescreen” details the multiagency investigation of a terrorist cell operating in North Carolina and raising money for Hizballah by smuggling cigarettes. This case not only illustrates how interagency partnerships can address terrorist threats but also shows the critical role local law enforcement plays in detecting criminal activity that may form part of a larger terrorist plot. Further emphasizing the importance of a multiagency approach to countering terrorism, “A Look at Fusion Centers” describes the integral role state fusion centers play in assisting intelligence and law enforcement agencies in sharing information and combining their resources to understand the threat environment and address terrorism. One consistent message resonates through each of the articles: our greatest weapon against terrorism is unity. That unity is built on information sharing and coordination among our partners in the law enforcement and intelligence com- munities. It is built on partnerships with the private sector and effective outreach to the public as our eyes and ears. It is built on the idea that, together, we are smarter and stronger than we are standing alone. In the past 6 years, the coopera- tive efforts of intelligence and law enforcement agencies have made substantial progress in detecting U.S. terrorist cells. Some notable successes this year alone include identifying and disrupting the plan to attack our military forces at Fort Dix and the plot against JFK Airport. These successes show that no one person, no one agency, no one police de- partment, and no one country has all of the answers. We may not always know where and when terrorists will attempt to strike. But, we do know they will try again, and we must combine our intelligence, our technology, and our resources to stop them. Willie T. Hulon Executive Assistant Director National Security Branch Federal Bureau of Investigation 2 / FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin Countering Violent Islamic Extremism A Community Responsibility By CAROL DYER, RYAN E. MCCOY, JOEL RODRIGUEZ, and DONALD N. VAN DUYN Russell Square, London, 2005 he disruption of ter- fi rst must understand and defi ne leadership as the primary terror- rorist plots in 2006 in it.1 What is Islamic extremism? ist threat to the United States. Al T the United Kingdom, Do radical beliefs always lead Qaeda’s infl uence has prolifer- Canada, and the United States, to terrorist activity? The ex- ated; its ideology and infl uence as well as the July 2005 attacks ploitation of religion by Islamic has spread beyond the Middle in London, generated signifi cant extremists to use violence both East and South Asia. It now attention to the concept of overseas and at home is one of has subsidiaries in Iraq, North homegrown radicalization. But, the gravest dangers facing the Africa,