The Dual face of CB-terrorism

Authors

• Tiina Tarvainen

Keywords:

CBRN, terrorism, chemical weapons, biological weapons, politics, security, threat

Abstract

From the Western perspective, CBRN-terrorism (chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear) forms one of the main security threats of the contemporary world. The phenomenon is often analyzed as a homogenous threat even though these weapons differ largely in their nature. Chemical and biological weapons, CB-weapons, are the most potential option for terrorist use due to their invisible and strong psychological characters. CB-terrorism, as such, is a dangerous, although overestimated, combination of both complex technical and political incentives. After the 9/11 terrorist attacks speculations regarding possible terrorist use of ‘weapons of mass destruction’ have dominated the Western security agenda. CBRN-terrorism is seen as a ‘new threat of threats’ indicating to some kind of fundamental transformation in security affairs, which, for its part, alters options for answering to this challenge. The ‘New Terrorism’ theorists, or supporters of the ‘Fourth-Generation Warfare’, as an example, highlight the claimed change in the nature of terrorism and its countering. They see that CBRN-interests, religious motives, grown desire to destruct masses together with external factors, like globalization and rapid technological development, have changed the threat so strongly that this contemporary form of terrorism differs largely from its predecessors and, therefore, requires a change in counterterrorist practices and strategies as well. Combating these non-state threats have weakened, or even crashed, the role of the state and its use of force. The article rejects this view and emphasizes, that the core of terrorism has not changed at all. Finally, in a Clausewitzian sense, it is all about politics: the non-state use of violence and/or its threat in order to raise fear for political goals. The CB-terrorism is nothing new, both chemical and biological weapons have been used for terrorist and warfare purposes through history. While technical challenges for CB-use are somewhat eroding and motivations for their use have slightly increased, this is still natural evolution, not revolution. It is clear that terrorism evolves together with this naturally altering security environment, but, it is only logical adaptation, not transformation. Across time, technical and material barriers and political motivations may and will change and vary, but the core of terrorism, ‘the Human Factor’, remains untouched. States are still the final supporters for security of their citizens and the growing security cooperation promotes their national interests. The full article is in Finnish and available only in printed form Tiede ja ase (Science and Weapon) Vol. 65 (price 20 €). Orders should be sent by e-mail [e-mail] or through web site www.tiedekirja.fi