The future face of terrorism

The most ominous trend in terrorism is a matter of technology. With the end of the Cold War, weapons of mass destruction have slipped from their traditional controls. If nuclear, biological, or chemical weapons are not yet available to terrorist organizations and the states that support them, they s...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Futurist 1994-11, Vol.28 (6), p.10-15
Main Authors: Cetron, Mervin J, Davies, Owen
Format: Magazinearticle
Language:English
Subjects:
21st century
Anthrax
Biological & chemical terrorism
Biological & chemical weapons
Cold War
Cultural Background
Cultural heritage
Forecasts and trends
Foreign policy
Future
Futures (of Society)
Government (Administrative Body)
Innovations
International
Motivation
Murders & murder attempts
National security
Nuclear weapons
Political power
Politics
Predictions
Religion
Religious Cultural Groups
Scientific Concepts
Terrorism
Terrorists
Trends
Violence
War
Weapons
Weapons of mass destruction
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Summary:The most ominous trend in terrorism is a matter of technology. With the end of the Cold War, weapons of mass destruction have slipped from their traditional controls. If nuclear, biological, or chemical weapons are not yet available to terrorist organizations and the states that support them, they soon will be. Easy access to such technologies will bring many new players to the game of mass destruction. Organized crime, fanatical single-issue groups, and even individuals will be able to acquire weapons once limited to regional and world powers. And whereas most old-line terrorist organizations served political causes, in the early 21st century, they will be joined by a growing number of terrorist groups that are motivated by religious fervor or ethnic hatred. However, terrorism will remain a back-burner issue for Western leaders as long as the violence strikes in distant lands and has little impact on their fortunes or those of their constituents.
ISSN:0016-3317