STRATEGIC INTELLIGENCE MANAGEMENT

1. STRATEGIC INTELLIGENCE MANAGEMENT Chapter 7 - Promoting Public Resilience against Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Terrorism, Pg. 75 Chapter by Kristian Krieger, M. Brooke Rogers

2. Section 2: The public, Communication, Risk, and National Security 7. Promoting Public Resilience against Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Terrorism, Pg. 75 • Responding to the threats from terrorism has traditionally revolved around the notions of prevention and security. Responses therefore often target potential perpetrators, make extensive use of technology (e.g., surveillance), and are dominated by law enforcement and military activities. The prevention of numerous terror attacks vindicates the repeated focus on prevention and security. However, successful attacks, suggest that counterterrorism policies need to include measures that improve the resilience of societies and communities in order to enable them to respond and adapt in the instances where preventative measures fail to stop an attack. • Historically, security policies were primarily populated by the military and law enforcement agencies and targeted at the prevention of violent attacks, whether they originate from other countries or from within national borders. Counterterrorism policies were no exception. One case in point is the 1985 U.S. counterterrorism strategy in which the U.S. government promises to “resist the use of terrorism by all legal means” and “act in a strong manner against terrorists without surrendering basic freedoms or endangering democratic principles” (Bush, 1986, p. 7).

3. Section 2: The public, Communication, Risk, and National Security 7. Promoting Public Resilience against Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Terrorism, Pg. 75 • However, counterterrorism policies have undergone a notable evolution over the past two decades. The aforementioned UK CONTEST and EU counterterrorism policies, for instance, also include streams named “prepare” (where an attack cannot be stopped, to mitigate its impact) and “response” (mobilizing the EU civil protection mechanisms), respectively. Similarly, governments have revised emergency response policies against terrorism and other catastrophic events. • Both the role of the public as a terrorist target and as an actor in emergency management are particularly relevant in the context of CBRN terrorism. Scholarly literature and case studies suggest that members of the public are particularly strongly affected by CBRN threats in terms of mental well-being and behavioral responses, making the deployment of CBRN agents attractive to potential perpetrators.

4. Section 2: The public, Communication, Risk, and National Security 7. Promoting Public Resilience against Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Terrorism, Pg. 75 • Social psychological research has, in the past decades, identified characteristics of threats that trigger emotional responses (Weisaeth and Tonnessen, 2003). CBRN threats resonate with many characteristics that trigger negative associations and lead to strong adverse impacts on their mental and physical health outcomes and behavioral responses. • Promoting public resilience has become an integral part of counterterrorism strategies in many countries. This broadening in counterterrorism strategies acknowledges the limitations of approaches that focus too narrowly on prevention and security, and reflects the importance of thinking about the potential of extreme events to adversely affect the mental well-being of members of the public, as well as every day, economic and political life in a society.