Introduction To The Series………….
Protecting the public remains the highest priority of the Police Service but the growth of international terrorism over recent years has resulted in the publics’ protection being severely threatened. No community is immune from the global reach of international terrorism and the UK is a prime target for Al-Qaida and its affiliates. It is therefore necessary that police colleagues have an awareness of counter terrorism issues.
The way in which we police terrorism is developing in response to the enduring threat. This area of policing is no longer the sole responsibility of specialist departments, we all have a part to play. But what do you know and understand about terrorism? What do you know about terrorist organisations and how they operate? And how can you develop your policing skills to assist in countering terrorism?
In this series we aim to provide you with an awareness of the guiding principles used to police terrorism. We will be delving into a subject which was once shrouded in secrecy. We will not however be disclosing sensitive policing tactics but we will be sharing knowledge and expertise in this field which you may not have had regular access to before.
To counter terrorism effectively we need to broaden our knowledge and understanding of terrorism itself. In this first article of the series we therefore focus upon the concept of terrorism, looking specifically at its definition, classifications and key characteristics. These are the initial building blocks of knowledge we require to understand terrorism so that we are better prepared to counter its threats.
Concept of Terrorism
Defining Terrorism
Terrorism is nothing new, its origins can be traced back in time for centuries but it remains a much contested concept to this day. Academic opinions remain divided upon its most accurate definition. A