Counterterrorism Training

Modern-day suicide bombers who strike fear into the heart of Western societies and warfighters are a recent phenomenon which broke on the national stage in the early 1980s.  This type of terrorist attack has continually morphed into more sophisticated martyr bombings and operations. 

This seminar explores the evolution of the tactics of terror from the first child martyrs of the Iran-Iraq war to the suicide bombings and suicide operations experienced on 9/11 and in Mumbai in November 2008.

The seminar explores the questions and answers to:  What are the common characteristics found among suicide bombers; and Why would anyone chose to end their life in such a violent and destructive way?

The ideology behind these operations is explored along with why the West calls these “Suicide Operations” and the terrorist call them “Martyr Operations” that assure the bombers’ salvation. 

The psychological drivers behind both men and women suicide operations are explored to identify the similarities and differences.

The course ends with a detailed discussion of the Mumbai Suicide Operation, exploring the new tactics employed, the ideology behind the attacks, and why, based on the terrorists’ own words, this attack has to be viewed as the “movie trailer” to be followed by bigger and more deadly attacks in the West in the future.