Terrorism

InteliOrg ™ Terrorism Book recommendations

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	Teaching Terror: Strategic And Tactical Learning in the Terrorist World In the world of terrorism, knowledge is a critical asset. Recent studies have revealed that, among international terrorists, there is a global sharing of ideas, tactics, strategies, and lessons learned. Teaching Terror examines this sharing of information in the terrorist world, shaping our understanding of, and response to, the global threat of terrorism. Chapters cover various aspects of individual and organizational learning, some using a general level of analysis and others presenting case studies of individual terrorist groups. These groups teach each other through a variety of means, including training camps and the Internet. Terrorist networks are also learning organizations, drawing on situational awareness, adapting their behavior, and, to give one example, improving not just their use of improvised explosive devices, but also rendering technology such as unmanned aerial vehicles and satellite phones ineffective. This book provides a wealth of insights on the transfer of knowledge in the world of terrorism, and offers policy implications for counterterrorism professionals, scholars, and policymakers
	Terrorism: An Investigator's Handbook by William E. Dyson This useful handbook introduces law enforcement professionals to the important field of terrorism investigation. Describing how terrorists operate and how they differ from other criminals, it provides a complete outline of how terrorism investigations should be conducted.
	Principles of Forecasting - A Handbook for Researchers and Practitioners (International Series in Operations Research & Management Science) Principles of Forecasting: A Handbook for Researchers and Practitioners summarizes knowledge from experts and from empirical studies. It provides guidelines that can be applied in fields such as economics, sociology, and psychology. It applies to problems such as those in finance (How much is this company worth?), marketing (Will a new product be successful?), personnel (How can we identify the best job candidates?), and production (What level of inventories should be kept?). The book is edited by Professor J. Scott Armstrong of the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. Contributions were written by 40 leading experts in forecasting, and the 30 chapters cover all types of forecasting methods. There are judgmental methods such as Delphi, role-playing, and intentions studies. Quantitative methods include econometric methods, expert systems, and extrapolation. Some methods, such as conjoint analysis, analogies, and rule-based forecasting, integrate quantitative and judgmental procedures. In each area, the authors identify what is known in the form of `if-then principles', and they summarize evidence on these principles. The project, developed over a four-year period, represents the first book to summarize all that is known about forecasting and to present it so that it can be used by researchers and practitioners. To ensure that the principles are correct, the authors reviewed one another's papers. In addition, external reviews were provided by more than 120 experts, some of whom reviewed many of the papers. The book includes the first comprehensive forecasting dictionary.
	Understanding Terrorism and Managing the Consequences is the only comprehensive book for the emergency community and the first to: * Discuss tactical violence and information warfare as a significant emergency responder threat. * Address weapons of mass effect — how weapons that may not cause mass destruction can cause massive disruption of society and services. * Direct emphasis on consequence re* Include simulations that can be assigned as student projects.
	Lou Michel and Dan Herbeck's American Terrorist is not only the most illuminating book on the April 19, 1995 bombing of the Murrah building, but stands as one of the few books about a terrorist incident where the perpetrator expounds point by point on his crime. The authors were able to spend over 78 hours interviewing McVeigh, and countless days with over 150 others regarding the bombing. McVeigh's confession is brutal in honesty and lack of remorse. There will never be another book on the OKC bombing with this much detail, or McVeigh's own words. This is a book that all in the field of counter terrorism should read.
	The World's Most Dangerous Places, 4th Edition by Robert Young Pelton is one of the most fascinating books I've added to my library this year. Pelton provides an overview of the world's hot-spots (over 30 countries) that is so unique it has earned this book a spot on the CIA's required reading list. Pelton's insights are humorous, educational, and may just save your life should you ever find yourself face-to-face with terrorists, third-world rebels, or armed bandits. At over 1000 pages, you won't read this book in on sitting, but you will find yourself constantly referencing it, especially if you follow the news from some of the world's least popular places.
	No One a Neutral: Political Hostage Taking in the Modern World by Norman Antokol and Mayer Nudell is an essential read on the topic of political hostage taking. While this book was published several years ago, one need only look at today's headlines to determine the need for insights into this continuing phenomenon. Please note that while Amazon says this book may take 6-8 weeks, it is still in stock and should be available to you within 1-2 weeks after ordering.
	Toxic Terror : Assessing Terrorist Use of Chemical and Biological Weaponsf Chemical and Biological Weapons, edited by Jonathan B. Tucker is an excellent work on past cases of chemical and biological terrorism. Separate authors take on the task of analyzing in depth one of twelve cases (Aum Shinrikyo, Alphabet bomber, Rajneeshees, etc.), and do so by utilizing many primary sources. Toxic T provides a clear and unambiguous look into what has happened in the past and then looks to the future based on this realistic view of history. This book is a must for anyone who is studying the potential use of weapons of mass destruction by terrorists.
	Origins of Terrorism : Psychologies, Ideologies, Theologies, States of Mindogies, Theologies, States of looks at the causes of terrorism. Two possibly conflicting thoughts on the origins of terrorism are proposed at the beginning of the book in the form of two essays: 1) Terrorism is a product of strategic choice, and 2) Terrorism is a product of psychological forces. The rest of the book uses essays and case studies to follow up on these two positions. This is not only a classic in the realm of terrorism research, but is also an interesting piece of work on what causes the phenomenon of terrorism.
	America's Achilles' Heel: Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Terrorism and Covert Attack examines the potential NBC terrorism threat faced by the united States. The book presents the threat without hype, and provides policy recommendations. U.S. Senator Richarc Lugar said of the book, "I know of no more incisive, detailed assessment of the growing threat of mass destruction terrorism than America's Achilles' Heel. This outstanding book is essential reading for anyone with serious interest in American national security."
	Destroying the World to Save It is an examination of cults, specifically as they relate to terrorism and apocalyptic violence. A Booklist review states that "psychiatrist and National Book Award^-winner Lifton comes this astonishingly intimate portrait of Aum Shinrikyo, the Japanese cult that became world-famous when it released a nerve gas called sarin into the Tokyo subway. Lifton, who has written extensively both on Japan and on terrorism and genocide, interviewed former members of the cult, and his profile of Aum's leader, the charismatic con man Shoko Asahara, is extremely detailed and rather creepy. But the book is much more than a story of a single cult. It's an exploration of the idea of cults: how they grow, who joins them, who leads them."
	The New Jackalsan class="style7">The New Ja chronicles the activities of terrorists Ramzi Yourself and Osama bin Laden and the U.S. efforts to apprehend them. The book also details current terrorist activities and future trends. The book reads well and provides useful insights for those interested in the future of terrorism.
	Countering the New Terrorism is a compilation of articles from some of the best and brightest analysts at RAND. Bruce Hoffman, one of the foremost authorities on terrorism, describes his views on terrorism trends and prospects, while the authors of "netwar," Arquilla, Ronfeldt, and Zanini discuss networks, netwar, and information-age terrorism. The editor, Ian Lesser, details implications for strategy to counter the new terrorism. This book is full of fresh new ideas, and is a must read in considering the future of terrorism.
	Walter Laqueur's latest book, The New Terrorism: Fanaticism and the Arms of Mass Destruction fits the mold of his past works-detailed and descriptive. Laqueur is one of the best known names in counter terrorism analysis, and The New Terrorism continues along his strong tradition of well-written books. If you are looking for a comprehensive book that will help explain the historical, cultural, and behavioral aspects of terrorism and the direction it may go in the future, then Laqueur's book is for you.
	Biological Weapons: Limiting the Threatical Weapons: Limiting the Threat, edited by Joshua Lederberg, is a superb collection of essays covering a wide spectrum of issues (threat, history, detection, policy for response, biological terrorism, etc.) concerning biological weapons. The news media lately has been filled with tremendous amounts of speculation and hype concerning biological weapons-this volume is a welcomed voice of credibility in the wilderness of "so called" experts. The majority of the essays (13 of the 18 chapters) are adaptations of articles that have recently appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Associ, which lends this collection a high level of respect. An additional stamp of credibility is the forward by Secretary of Defense, William S. Cohen. If you are looking for a single and reliable source on biological weapons, this is easily the best book available.
	No Heroes - Inside the FBI's Secret Counter-Terror Force by Danny O. Coulson is an interesting account of the creation of the FBI Hostage Rescue Team which may be of interest to many TRC visitors. While not the best written book, it does provide a down and dirty look at counter-terrorism from a seasoned federal agent's perspective. Amazon Reviews writes: "In No Heroes, Coulson opens a long-locked door into the secretive world of the HRT, the civilian equivalent of the U.S. military's elite Delta Force. Coulson's stories spring to life with nerve-jangling electricity as he discloses the tactics and teamwork of HRT snipers, operators, negotiators, and experts in assaults, electronics and explosives."
	The 5%"> The Histo by Sean Anderson and Stephen Sloan provides a ready reference into the multifaceted topic of terrorism. The authors literally go through the breadth of terrorism from A to Z--including informative entries on groups, concepts, individuals. The work includes an extensive bibliography that is helpful in continuing research on the listed topics. The Dictionary also contains a chronology of significant incidents, ideas and personalities pertaining to terrorism from A.D. 66 to 1994. This 450 page work is an essential reference tool for academics and practitioners in the realm of terrorism research.
	Preparing for Terrorism: An Emergency Services Guiderism: An Emergency Services , by George Buck, provides first responders an excellent resource in gaining an understanding of the phenomenon of terrorism and how best to respond. The book lays out a brief, but adequate, framework of terrorism, and then sketches out how to prepare and respond to a terrorist attack. Buck includes valuable resources, such as the Federal Response and Planning Guidelines to Terrorism, information on chemical and biological agents, and several incident management tools. This book is a great place to start for first responders interested in learning how to prepare for a terrorist attack.
	Terrorism: An Introduction by Jonathan R. White is a first-rate textbook on terrorism. White, a former police officer and presently a professor, provides a criminal justice perspective to the study of terrorism--yet the book is applicable to those with a political science or military orientation. White offers chapters on definitions, typologies, motivations, structures of terrorist organizations, policies of countering terrorism, the media, and the future of terrorism. The book examines different regions of the world and details the major terrorist groups and activities within those areas. White presents the viewpoints and theories of the leaders in the realm of terrorism research, which makes his book a rich resource. Terrorism: An Introduction further appeals as a textbook, since White gives suggestions for further reading after each subject.
	Terrorism and America: A Commonsense Strategy for a Democratic Society (Philip B. Heymann) Heymann, a former Deputy Attorney General of the United States, provides practical advise in the on-going battle to counter terrorism. Protecting human lives and civil liberties, according to the author is not only feasible, but can be done without changes to our legal system. Heymann suggests fostering a greater cooperation with our allies and increasing the usage of intelligence, which will reduce the loss of life in the future and bring terrorist to justice. This book is ideal for individuals with an interest in the legal aspects of countering terrorism, as well as those searching for a "commonsense strategy" to fight terrorism.
	Bruce Hoffman's book "Inside Terrorism" is one of the best books concerning the fundamentals of terrorism available. The book is detailed and academic, yet highly readable. While dealing with terrorism of the past, "Inside Terrorism" also looks at new methods and motivations that are changing face of terrorism. "Inside Terrorism" should be required reading for anyone with an interest in the field.ne with
	Rumors inside the beltway indicate that Richard Preston's new book, The Cobra Event, scared the President so much that it served as a catalyst for Presidential Decision Directives 62 and 63. Despite the rumors, this book is an interesting read for all those interested in ChemBio terrorism. While the TRC rarely recommends works of fiction, this book makes great airplane reading and offers some interesting insights on organizing in response to ChemBio attacks.
	Cybershock: Surviving Hackers, Phreakers, Identity Thieves, Internet Terrorists and Weapons of Mass Disruption by Winn Schwartau is an enlightening look at the dangers of the Internet from a consumer/ general user perspective. If I had one book to give friends and family that demonstrates the types of threats they need to be aware of in the information age, it would be Schwartau's Cybershock. Winn wrote this book for the mass market and he never strays from his target audience. He makes no apologies to those who are familiar with technology and security when he provides real-life examples of information security horror stories involving fraud or identity theft that many might label as fear mongering. Winn's stories are personal because he has been a victim and many of his friends and relatives have been targeted as well. One of Winn's major objectives in writing this book was to advance ideas on privacy and Internet rights, and many of the examples point the reader in a specific direction. However, Winn doesn't hide the fact that he is trying to be somewhat controversial to raise awareness on specific issues. The book, after all is entitled Cybershock, not Cybercalm. As an added bonus, the book also provides some interesting historical perspectives as Winn describes and interviews individuals who were visionaries offering information security services or predicted new threats before they emerged.
	Information Warfare and Security>Information Warfare and Security by Dorothy Denning provides one of the most comprehensive overviews on information warfare ever written. Denning's strength is in her expertise and comfort with the subject (she teaches a class on Information Warfare at Georgetown University) which she conveys to the reader chapter after chapter. A review in Dr. Dobbs Journal noted that "... part of what Denning has done in Information Warfare and Security is chronicle what seems to be just about every breach in computer security over the past few years. Page after page of hacks, cracks, phreaks, and psyopts by everyone from teenagers and thrill seekers to spies and nuts. Credit card numbers, passwords, bank accounts -- they're all fair game for anyone who is bright, persistent, online, and so inclined. Not that it was Denning's intent simply to titillate us with one interesting or exciting story after another. Instead, her goal is to provide us with a comprehensive overview of what's become known
	Cyberwar 2.0 : Myths, Mysteries & Reality by Alan D. Campen, Douglas H. Dearth is a compilation of essays by some of the most influential thinkers on information warfare and cyberterrorism.
	Information Security Policies Made Easy by Charles C. Wood is a required bookshelf item for anyone involved in the development, maintenance or analysis of information security policies within a government or commercial organization.
	Information Security Management Handbook ion Security Management Handbooby Micki Krause and Harold F. Tipton (Editors). Since 1993, the Information Security Management Handbook has served not only as an everyday reference for information security practitioners but also as an important document for use by practitioners to conduct the intense review necessary to prepare for the Certified Information System Security Professional (CISSP) examination.
	Ever wonder what the electronic frontier was like prior to the introduction of the World Wide Web. Sterling's book is one of the greatest books ever written that documents the challenges of an electronic society as seen through the eyes of its first explorers. Sterling track's hackers, law enforcement and civil libertarians as their worlds merge and they are forced into a mutual coming of age via a chaotic conflict over right and wrong in cyberspace.
	Defending Your Digital Assets is a comprehensive volume providing a detailed analysis of information security and information warfare threats, countermeasures and policies. It is hard to think of a relevant item in the information security field that isn't covered in this book.
	Winn Schwartau is one of the earliest architects of the information warfare concept. In this second edition of his most popular title "Information Warfare", Schwartau supplements his own thoughts and experiences in the fields with those of numerous other security professionals. This book is a must-read introduction to the topic.
	Adams book is a comprehensive overview of information warfare and its many faces. The National Review notes: " [Adams] has done a commendable job of sketching the changes that the information age might bring to U.S. defense planning. This eminently readable volume should take its place alongside George and Meredith Friedman's The Future of War and Alvin and Heidi Toffler's War and Anti-War."

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