Lessons Learned from Terrorist Investigation in the United Kingdom
Apr 2006, Vol. 151, No. 2
By Peter Clarke
The terrorist threat is global in origin, reach and ambition. The networks are large, fluid, mobile and incredibly resilient. Arrested leaders or key players are quickly replaced, and the group will re- form quickly. There has certainly been little in the way of determination to avoid capture, at least post-attack, and of course suicide has been a frequent feature of attack planning and delivery. There is no evidence of looking to restrict casualties. There are no warnings given and the evidence available to us suggests that, on the contrary, the intention is frequently to inflict mass casualties. We have seen both conventional and unconventional weaponry, and to date - although perhaps this is not for me to judge - there has not been an obvious political agenda around which meaningful negotiations can be built. It is no exaggeration to say that the investigation of terrorist networks in the UK since the early part of 2002 has given us new insights into terrorist methodology and aspirations in the United Kingdom. In turn, this appreciation of the evolving threat has led us to change completely the concept of operations that we use to interdict, arrest and prosecute terrorists.
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By Peter Clarke
The terrorist threat is global in origin, reach and ambition. The networks are large, fluid, mobile and incredibly resilient. Arrested leaders or key players are quickly replaced, and the group will re- form quickly. There has certainly been little in the way of determination to avoid capture, at least post-attack, and of course suicide has been a frequent feature of attack planning and delivery. There is no evidence of looking to restrict casualties. There are no warnings given and the evidence available to us suggests that, on the contrary, the intention is frequently to inflict mass casualties. We have seen both conventional and unconventional weaponry, and to date - although perhaps this is not for me to judge - there has not been an obvious political agenda around which meaningful negotiations can be built. It is no exaggeration to say that the investigation of terrorist networks in the UK since the early part of 2002 has given us new insights into terrorist methodology and aspirations in the United Kingdom. In turn, this appreciation of the evolving threat has led us to change completely the concept of operations that we use to interdict, arrest and prosecute terrorists.
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