1st Edition
Jihadists and Weapons of Mass Destruction
Explores the Nexus Formed When Malevolent Actors Access Malignant Means
Written for professionals, academics, and policymakers working at the forefront of counterterrorism efforts, Jihadists and Weapons of Mass Destruction is an authoritative and comprehensive work addressing the threat of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in the hands of jihadists, both historically and looking toward the future threat environment. Providing insight on one of the foremost security issues of the 21st century, this seminal resource effectively:
- Documents current trends in the ideology, strategy, and tactics of jihadists as these relate to WMD
- Includes a section devoted to jihadist involvement with chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear weapons
- Explores the role of intelligence, law enforcement, and policymakers in anticipating, deterring, and mitigating WMD attacks
- Provides an overview of nonproliferation policies designed to keep WMD out of the hands of jihadists
- Conducts a groundbreaking quantitative empirical analysis of jihadist behavior
- Elicits leading experts’ estimates of the future WMD threat from jihadists
Leading international experts clearly differentiate between peaceful Muslims and jihadists, exploring how jihadists translate their extreme and violent ideology into strategy. They also focus on WMD target selection and the spread of WMD knowledge in jihadist communities. Devoid of sensationalism, this multidimensional evaluation adds a heightened level of sophistication to our understanding of the prospects for and nature of jihadist WMD terrorism.
About the Editors
Gary Ackerman is Research Director of the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START), a Department of Homeland Security National Center of Excellence based at the University of Maryland. His research work focuses on threat assessment and terrorism involving unconventional weapons.
Jeremy Tamsett is a consultant for Henley-Putnam University and an analyst at the Center for Terrorism and Intelligence Studies (CETIS), a research center dedicated to identifying, better comprehending, and accurately assessing the present and future security threats stemming from a variety of violence-prone extremists and their enablers. He has served as Project Manager for the U.S. Government funded Critical Infrastructure Terrorist Attack database and Global Terrorism Database (GTD).
THE JIHADISTS
Jihadist Ideology and Strategy and the Possible Employment of Weapons of Mass Destruction, Jeffrey M. Bale
Obedience to Divinity? The Psychology of Jihadi WMD Terrorism, Mark Dechesne
Jihadist Tactics and Targeting, James J.F. Forest and Sammy Salama
Jihadi Capabilities and the Diffusion of Knowledge, Sammy Salama and Edit Bursac
THE AGENTS OF HARM
Jihadists and Chemical Weapons, Markus Binder and Michael Moodie
Jihadists and Biological & Toxin Weapons, Cheryl Loeb
Radiological Weapons and Jihadi Terrorism, Charles Ferguson
Jihadists and Nuclear Weapons, Charles P. Blair
COUNTERING THE THREAT
Early Warning and Prevention of Jihadi WMD Terrorism:Law Enforcement and Intelligence, Randall S. Murch and Jeremy Tamsett
Deterrence and WMD Terrorism: Calibrating Its Potential Contributions to Risk Reduction, Brad Roberts, Ph.D.
Global and National Efforts to Prevent Jihadist Access to WMD, Brian Finlay and Jeremy Tamsett
When Prevention Fails: Mitigation as Counterterrorism Strategy, Patrick S. Roberts
THE ONCE AND FUTURE THREAT
Islamist Use and Pursuit of CBRN Terrorism, Victor H. Asal and R. Karl Rethemeyer
The Future of Jihadists and WMD: Trends and Emerging Threats, Gary Ackerman
Conclusion, Jeremy Tamsett and Gary Ackerman
Toward a Nuclear Weapon: Principles of Nuclear Energy Al-Qa’ida’s WMD Activities, Compiled by Erin McNerney and Matthew Rhodes
Selected Jihadist Statements and Discussion on WMD, Compiled by Erin McNerney
Appendix A: Experts Participating in Delphi Survey
Appendix B: Delphi Exercise Instructions: The Future of WMD and Jihadists: Trends and Emerging Threats
Biography
Jeremy Tamsett, Gary Ackerman
". . . a detailed, well thought out analysis of the situation as it exists today and is intended for the serious reader or researcher."
– Books-On-Line, 2009
". . . exceptionally authoritative and comprehensive . . . adds a heightened level of sophistication to our understanding of the prospects for and nature of jihadist WMD terrorism. The volume will become a guidepost to future research on the topic."
– In SirReadaLot.org, March 2009
"Providing insight on one of the foremost security issues of the 21st century, this seminal resource effectively documents current trends in the ideology, strategy, and tactics of jihadists as they relate to WMD. The book also provides an overview of nonproliferation policies designed to keep WMD out of the hands of jihadists, conducts a groundbreaking quantitative empirical analysis of jihadist behavior, and includes leading experts' estimates of the future WMD threat from jihadists."
– ASIS International
