START Background Report, January 2011 www.start.umd.edu Following the - PDF document

START Background Report, January 2011 www.start.umd.edu Following the ignition of two incendiary devicehas compiled background information from the activity involving incendiaries, the use of package and letter devices, attacks against TERRORISTSSE OF NCENDIARY EVICESAlthough initial indications suggested that the weapons in question were explosives, authorities report that the packages contrapidly than in an incendiary device--are the most common terrorist weapon. In fact, in 45% of all terrorist attacks worldwide attacks are a more common weapon in the d and are the second most common type of been used in over one-quarter of all U.S. attacks since 1970, compared to less than 10% worldwide. in terrorist attacks in the United States from over 60% in the 1970s to just under 25% in the 2000s. During the same time period the prevalence of incendiary 020305060 PercentWeaponType TypesWeaponsTerroristAttacksWorldwideUnitedStates, Worldwide UnitedStates GlobalTerrorism at Maryland Government Buildings START Background Report, January 2011 www.start.umd.edu more than 60%. TERRORISTSSE OF ETTERACKAGE EVICES IN THE NITED Typically, attacks using incendiaries are arsons or firebomb incidents involving the very rare, although not unprecedented in the United States. In December 1976 a series of four coordinated incidents claimed by both the Independent Armed Revolutionary Commandos (CRIA) and the Palestine Liberation Agency, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The devices were discovered York City. Much like those discovered inemitted a brief flare and caused only minor cendiary devices addressed to President in New York City and Puerto Rico and contained batteries and emitted smoke, but Attacks via packages or letters are moreincendiaries. In the weeks prior to the Maryland attacks, a series of such letter bombs were used in attacks against governpackage/letter bombs is rare, especially in States since 1970, only forty-three involved letter or package bombs. 1970s1980s1990s2000sWeaponsTerroristAttacksUnitedStates, GlobalTerrorism START Background Report, January 2011 www.start.umd.edu attacks against U.S. congressional offices and the U.S. Supreme Court and ricin attacks against the White House. Related to the recent Maryland case targeting state-level offices, on December 10, 2008 letters containing white powder were received at the Governor's Office of eight states (Missouri, Montana, Minnesota, Alabama, Mississippi, Michigan, Alaska, and Rhode Island). The powder was found to be harmless, and no perpetrator claimed responsibility for the letters, which were mailed from Texas. ATTACKS AGAINST ARGETS IN THE NITED TATESThe incendiary devices in the recent Maryland attack were delivered to the Maryland Department of Transportation Headquarters in Hanover and the Jeffrey Building, a state government office building in Annapolis in which the Governor’s mail is processed and which also houses the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security. Reports indicate that the former was aTransportation and the latter to Maryland States between 1970 and 2008 have been directed against government entities (excluthe January 6 attacks. Businesses are the most common targets, comprising over 25% of all attacks. Abortion-related targets and private citizens and property are also 11% of targets on United States soil. ets in the United States, only 16 were ions--the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, which killed 168 and wounded over 650, and the September 11, 2001, attacks on the Pentagon in Arlington, VA which killed 189. While the vast majority of attacks on government targets in the United States were against Federal offices, 25 have targeted state-level officials or offices--8% of the r which GTD includes target details. These 02030405070 TerroristAttacksagainstGovernmentTargetsUnitedStates, GlobalTerrorism START Back g www.start. s C i n s e B r a o f 9 M R c a o f Fe x O w i n i d L w e x START, b a disrupt t e society i n does not informati For addit i g td@star www.sta round Repor t u ince 1970. C alifornia in u stice offic e n 1989, an d e veral Gov e T ERRORIST etween 19 7 a nking 17th the Unite d 9 0%) occurr e M aryland du ecent terro h e Discover y a sualty wa s f ficials. Als o orces Recr u x plosive de v O nly six of th hich occur eological i n iberation F r w ing militan t x tremists. Th sed at the U e rrorist netw o n the face of t express the o n on STAR T i onal inform a t .umd.edu t.umd.edu/ , January 20 1 1971, New e s and offici a d Maryland i e rnors’ Offic A CTIVITY IN M 7 0 and 20 0 most frequ e d States in g e h ring the 19 9 rist activity y Communi c s the lone p e o , in Dece m u iting Cente v ice that h e e terrorist a r ed betwee n entities. P e n fluences a n r ont, the Je w t s, neo-Nazi s se data wer T www.star 000 terroris t d ated versio n e ased in Ma y U niversity of M o rks, reduce t he terrorist t official opini o T is available tion on this F or more ur g s tart/media 17 differe n gets have i n York in 19 7 a ls (in Calif o n 1989), t h es. ARYLAND 0 8, Marylan d e ntly attac k g eneral, the h e 1970s a n 9 0s, and o n in Marylan d c ations Buil e rpetrator ber 2010 a r in Catons v e attempted a ttacks bet w n 1970 and e rpetrators d include a w ish Commi t s , the Popu l e collected a t .umd.edu/ incidents t h n of the data y 2010. s Terro aryland, C o the incidenc t hreat. The m o n of the U. S at: release or t h g ent media r e / contact/ t states, wi t n cluded sta t 7 2, and Wa s o rnia in 19 7 h e Louisian a d has been t k ed among U vast majori t n d 1980s. T n ly two in 2 0 d includes t h ding in Silv ho was ulti uthorities i n v ille, MD, b to detonat e w een 1970 a 1981 and f terrorism a nti-abortio tee of Con c l ar Front fo r a nd compile d g td The GTD h at have occ u base, with i n s f r ism and Re s r tment of Ho o llege Park, a e of terroris m m aterial pres e S . Departme n r t.umd.edu e GTD, plea s e quests plea s t h Californi a t e-level De p s hington in 7 4, Massac h a State Capi t he locatio n U .S. states. t y of terrori s T here are n o 0 04 and 20 e Septemb e r Spring, M mately sho t n tervened i n y providing t e . nd 2008 i n t argeted bo t in Marylan d n activists, b c ern, the Je w r the liberat i d from the Gl contains in f u rred aroun d n formation o n f the Nation a s ponses to T e meland Sec u a ims to provi d m , and enha n e nted here i s n t of Homela n s e contact S s e use a experienc i p artments o f 1974), stat e h usetts in 1 tal building n for 31 terr o In a patter n s t attacks i n o recorded a 0 5. M D, in which by law enf o n a plot to b he perpetr a n Maryland t h United S t d represen t b lack extre m w ish Defen s i on of Pales o bal Terroris f ormation on d the world s i n incidents t h a l Consortiu m e rrorism (ST A u rity Center o d e timely gui n ce the resili s the produc t n d Security. TART at 301 i ng six atta c f Correctio n e -level crim 1 976, Alaba m in 1970, a n o rist attack s n similar to n Maryland ( a ttacks in stage- the only o rcement omb the Ar a tor with a f a were fatal, t ates and t a variety o f m ists, the E a s e League, l tine, and w h m Database more than i nce 1970. A h rough 200 8 m for the Stu d A RT), a U.S. o f Excellence o ence of U.S. t of START a n .405.6600 s (in at med all of f a , was d y of . w to n d START Background Report, January 2011 www.start.umd.edu © National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START),