Book Description

Terrorists constantly present new challenges to law enforcement, emergency response teams, security planners, and others involved in counterterrorism. Since the last edition of this volume was published, additional atrocities have occurred and new threats have surfaced. The fourth edition of The Counterterrorism Handbook: Tactics, Procedures, and Techniques provides the latest developments and offers new insights on the War on Terror. Updated to reflect an increased focus on terrorism in public transportation, this volume provides an understanding of the strategies, tactics, and techniques required to tackle terrorism as it exists today. It illustrates essential topics such as the elements common to all terrorism, bomb threats, risk assessment, hostages, and weapons of mass destruction. It also presents case studies of some of the most notorious terrorist incidents, including both World Trade Center attacks, Oklahoma City, Centennial Olympic Park, the U.S. Embassy, the U.S.S. Cole, and attacks in Madrid, London, and Glasgow. The only way to effectively deal with terrorism is to have a thorough understanding of its present-day characteristics — who is involved and what weapons and tactics they are likely to use. In language friendly to first responders, this volume presents a comprehensive strategy of how to deal with a whole gamut of possible terrorist incidents. Covering everything from bombings and hostage-taking to nuclear terrorism, the book describes in specific detail what needs to be done before, during, and after an event. Armed with this information, those charged with protecting the public will be better equipped to face myriad threats.