Читать книгу Criminology For Dummies - Steven Briggs - Страница 21

Throughout the world, and here in the United States, organized groups are using violence and the threat of violence to achieve political and social goals. These groups are called terrorists, and, today, criminal justice professionals are on the front lines in the fight against terrorism. Most known terrorist plots in the United States have been first identified or foiled by local police. As a result, it’s standard practice for cops throughout the country to be trained in identifying signs of terrorist activity.

Terrorism experts generally categorize the terrorist threat into two groups: right-wing and left-wing. But, in reality, hundreds of international groups have many different agendas, and numerous domestic terrorist groups tout principles ranging from animal rights to white supremacy, that do not fit on a political spectrum.

While law enforcement tends to investigate terrorists using the same methods used to attack organized crime, a significant threat continues to be the “lone wolf” actor, who goes at it alone. Omar Maten killed 49 people and wounded 50 more when he entered an Orlando nightclub in 2016 and, in the name of the Islamic State, unloaded on the guests with two semi-automatic weapons. Such lone wolf attacks are very challenging to detect because the attackers don’t communicate their plans to accomplices.

In Chapter 10, I discuss the major terrorist threats that the United States faces today.