Rifling Through the Terrorists' Arsenal: Exploring Groups' Weapon Choices and Technology Strategies

• NCJ Number: 224496
• Journal: Studies in Conflict & Terrorism Volume: 31 Issue: 7 Dated: July 2008 Pages: 583-604
• Author(s): Brian A. Jackson; David R. Frelinger
• Date Published: July 2008
• Length: 22 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Using a random sample of terrorist incidents from the RAND-MIPT Terrorism Incident Database, this study examined how terrorists in general used particular weapons technologies, as well as the variation in the technology choices of individual terrorist groups.

Abstract

The study found significant differences in the weapons choices of individual terrorist groups. At one extreme of the spectrum were groups like the Communist Combatant Cells or the Great Eastern Islamic Raiders, which used only a single weapon type (explosives). At the other extreme were groups such as Hizballah and al-Fatah, which used a majority of the weapons listed either singularly or in multi-technology operations. Many terrorist groups departed significantly from the “average terrorist weapons mix.” Only two groups chose to use incendiary devices. Hamas significantly departed from the average weapons use with very large numbers of mortar and rocket attacks. A number of groups used firearms significantly more than the average. The most frequently used weapons were firearms (79 percent of the 5,000 attacks examined) and explosives (39 percent of the attacks examined). This analysis of weapons choices of terrorist groups suggest two technology strategies being used. One strategy is to have many tools available in order to increase the chance an appropriate weapon will be available. One disadvantage of this strategy is the need to maintain a large number of personnel who remain skilled in the use of the various weapons in the group’s arsenal. A second strategy is to focus on weapons that can be used in different ways for a wide range of targets and types of attacks. The disadvantage of this strategy is the inevitable inability to attack a wide variety of targets and the likelihood that targets will be hardened against the limited number of weapons. 4 tables, 21 notes, and appended complete incident coding scheme