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Counterterror efforts aided by knowing enemy, says START researcher

 (Nov. 9, 2006)
     Understanding a terrorist group's origin and mission can inform counterterror efforts, says Brian Nussbaum, a pre-doctoral research fellow with the START Center of Excellence.
     Analyzing terror networks via social movement theory, basically framing them within both violent and nonviolent social movements, shows that groups such as Hezbollah, Al Qaeda and the Tamil Tigers use tactics similar to advocacy groups like the International Campaign to Ban Landmines.
     Knowing thy enemy is important to counterterrorism, and knowing thyself can be equally important. Brian and his research assistants, funded by START, are authoring a cross-national dataset of security intelligence agencies. He is also conducting a comparative case study of the New York City Police Department and London Metropolitan Police Services counter-terrorism efforts, with a focus on their international outreach.
     "While a lot of focus has been placed recently on studying terrorism empirically," says Brian, "far less effort has been focused on studying past counter-terrorism efforts systematically. The security intelligence data and case studies will hopefully make a small contribution to a discipline wide effort to correct this oversight."
     Brian looks to complete his PhD in political science at the State University of New York at Albany's Rockefeller College of Public Affairs in 2008. He is also a Project Assistant in the Office of the New York State WMD Task Force, aiding local jurisdiction preparedness throughout New York State.