Imagine that you are a counterterrorism analyst working for an intelligence agency in the country in which your selected terrorist attack occurred. Your director
has tasked you with conducting an alternative futures analysis on the attack. The purpose of your analysis is to present how the terrorist organization involved in
the attack might have become more or less of a threat to the world today if the country’s government had responded to the attack differently. You will also
evaluate the country’s current approach to terrorism and explain how a different approach could potentially impact future terrorist actions.
Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:
I. Introduction: Describe the details of the terrorist attack you selected. Be sure to include when, where, and how the attack took place, and the terrorist
group responsible.
II. Background on the Attack: In this section, you will discuss events that contributed to the attack’s occurrence, including the formation of the terrorist
organization involved. Limit your focus to historical events that occurred from the Cold War to the present.
A. Explain how the history of the geographic region where the terrorist organization originated contributed to the attack. In other words, how did
the region’s history create a volatile atmosphere or lead to tensions that contributed to the situation?
B. Describe the sequence of relevant historical events that set the stage for the terrorist attack. Events to consider might include government
policies or decisions, political elections, military actions, and other terrorist attacks.
C. Describe the evolution of the terrorist organization involved in the attack. Be sure to consider the global historical attacks, policies, or decisions
that led to its creation.
III. Analysis of the Attack: In this section, you will analyze the terrorist attack and determine how it impacted the field of global terrorism.
A. Explain why the event is considered a terrorist attack instead of an act of violence.
B. Explain the ideology and underlying motivation of the terrorist organization responsible for the attack.
C. Draw connections between the organization’s ideology and the global nature of the attack. Consider the following:
- What was the attack intended to draw attention to?
- How did the organization use the attack to further their global cause?
