had sufficient connections to the wider
extremist movement to receive at
least rudimentary training in the tribal
areas of Pakistan. If al-Qaeda had any
awareness of the cell, it was only shortly
before their training and they had no
control over the operation. The lack of
training and support makes it harder to
detect the cell, but also reduces their
chances of success. Regardless, they
pose a significant threat to civil aviation
The independent cells can be
characterised by the likes of the
Oklahoma City bombers. While part of
the wider radical right in the US, neither
Timothy McVeigh nor Terry Nichols
was part of an organised group. Such
a small signature makes detection
almost impossible, but the lack of any It was an ethno-nationalist group, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, that was behind the initial use
external support lowers the probability of hijacking as a terror tactic. Here, the crew of the El Al flight hijacked to Algiers in 1968 return to Israel after the
of success in attacking aviation even hijacking that is regarded as the first international flight hijacked by a terrorist group.
further. These types pose a limited risk
to in-flight aviation, but a higher risk to that initiated attacks against civil issues (Army of God). These groups
ground infrastructure. aviation as a primary terrorist tactic. are advocating change in a single issue
Finally, the lone wolves; terrorists Revolutionary/Reactionary terrorism and are willing to engage in violence in
who act as individuals. The most famous is driven by a desire to change the order to achieve it. The former poses a
example is the Unabomber, who was current political orientation of a society potential threat to civil aviation.
caught after he threatened to attack either to the left (RAF-Germany,
US civil aviation unless his manifesto FARC-Colombia, NPA-Philippines) The Global Situation
was published. While these individuals to the right (Order Novo-Italy, Aryan The primary threat faced by international
may be difficult to detect, they are less Nations-US) or prevent change (AUS- civil aviation originates from the
likely to conduct a successful attack of Colombia, UDA-Northern Ireland). The so-called jihadi groups. Al-Qaeda’s
any significant scale and pose a minimal threat to civil aviation has, to date, ability to replenish and adapt makes
threat to civil aviation. come from left wing groups such as it the number one concern for the
the RAF and FARC. industry, a threat that will persist for at
The Ideological Threats Religio-Political terrorism presents least the next five years. Its’ key abilities
The key issue to remember is that the most pernicious threat today. The are to provide its’ affiliated groups
terrorism is a socio-political act using primary threat originates from so-called with the wherewithal to escalate from
violence to impose an ideology on a jihadi groups (al-Qaeda, AQAP-Yemen, locally focused organisations to ones
wider population. There are four AQIM-North Africa, and AQSEA- with global reach and, most critically,
primary ideological motivations for Indonesia) but also from Islamists the transmission of its ideology through
terrorism: Ethno-National, Revolutionary/ groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and a simple but powerful narrative. This
Reactionary, Religio-Political, and Single Lashkar-e-Toiba. The thereat is not allows for cells and individuals from a
Issue. Each ideology has dominated a limited to these groups. There is rising wider spectrum of society to become
particular historical period and with the militant Hindu fundamentalism in India, attracted to the call and hence enlarges
exception of Single Issue groups, all have Jewish fundamentalism in Israel and both the pool of potential operatives
impacted international civil aviation. even violent fringes within Christian and the number of targets. The key
Ethno-national terrorism is driven by fundamentalism. Additionally cults strategic shift in the jihadi movement
the desire to have an independent should not be forgotten. Irrespective of
ethnic state (Kurds, Tamils, Palestinians the faith of these movements, they all “...like Somalia and
or Basques) or leave an existing state share an extreme interpretation of their
to join their co-ethnics across the beliefs, possess a basic binary view of Pakistan, Yemen is a
border (Northern Ireland, Kashmir) or the world and, most critically, a moral
at least have wider autonomy (Moros obligation to use extreme violence. common destination
or Southern Thailand). It was an ethno- Finally, Single Issue groups usually
nationalist group, in the form of the focus on environmental (Earth for radicalised
Popular Front for the Liberation of Liberation Front or the Animal
Palestine (PFLP), being Marxist-leaning, Liberation Front) or extreme pro-life Westerners...”
February 2010 Aviationsecurityinternational www.asi-mag.com 45
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