[Solved] VII

Assignment Prompt & Instructions

see attached.

– ## VII.docx

– ## UnitVII.pdf

**## VII.docx**

For your project, you will assume the information below.

You are employed in an emergency management function in your local community. The act of terror takes place in your community with little to no warning. There are mass casualties and damage to local infrastructure.

Your plan must address the components listed below.

· Determine the type of terrorism that has occurred.

· Detail the act of terror that your plan addresses. Be sure to summarize the full scope and impact of the event.

· Evaluate the effectiveness of preparedness activities for your local community.

· Briefly summarize operational considerations of your response plan and post recovery plan.

· At a minimum, address the following components: command and control, communications, public information, protective measures at the scene, mass care, resource management, multiagency coordination and interoperability, search and rescue, and recovery.

Utilize compelling or persuasive evidence from appropriate sources to support your plan. Incorporate course concepts by identifying national plans, policies, systems, or departments that guide and support your plan.

**Length**: Your project submission must be a minimum of five double-spaced pages, not counting the title and reference pages.

**References**: You are required to use at least five high-quality sources, such as current government (federal or local) policy, academic articles, or empirical studies. At least one source should be from the CSU Online Library. Sources such as Wikis, blog posts, opinion pieces, or other unverified and/or biased contributions must not be used. All sources used must have APA Style citations and references.

Course Textbook(s)

Oliver, W. M., Marion, N. E., & Hill, J. B. (2021). Introduction to homeland security: Policy, organization, and administration (2nd ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning. https://online.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781284205213

**## UnitVII.pdf**

HLS 3303, Terrorism Response Operations 1

Course Learning Outcomes for Unit VII

Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:

6. Develop a plan for post-terrorism recovery.
6.1 Discriminate between international and domestic terrorism.
6.2 Create a response and recovery plan for a terrorist attack.

Required Unit Resources

Chapter 3: Modern Terrorism and Natural Disasters

Unit Lesson

Does terrorism stay the same, or does it evolve? Terrorism is an ever-changing threat, and it is essential for
the proper authorities to understand past, present, and current threats. Oliver et al. (2021) discussed
coordinated attacks that occurred in Kenya and Tanzania on August 7, 1998. These coordinated attacks killed
over 200 people and caused a myriad of injuries. Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri were behind
these attacks. Oliver et al. (2021) state that if these attacks occurred in 1998, three years prior to 2001, then
why was the United States not prepared for 9/11?

Terrorism is not a new phenomenon, and terrorism has been around since 32 A.D. There are a variety of
motivations for terrorism that range from religious beliefs, sociopolitical objectives, animal rights, or abortion
(Oliver et al., 2021). Although there are other reasons that one may initiate such acts of terrorism, there are
many said objectives for why one may cause such harm.

Additionally, it is important to discern the differences between international terrorism and domestic terrorism.
International terrorism begins from outside the borders of the country where the attacks occur. Domestic
terrorism occurs from within the country where the terrorist attacks occur (Oliver et al., 2021). Let’s examine
two terrorist attacks—one involving the international terrorism and one involving a domestic or homegrown
terrorism.

Naval Air Station Pensacola: Terrorism Conducted by International Cooperative

On December 6, 2019, Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani, a Saudi national who was attending flight training at
Pensacola Naval Air Station, Florida, shot and killed three U.S. service members. Through the course of the
investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was able to correlate a link between Alshamrani and
Al Qaeda. Contacts between Alshamrani and operatives of Al-Qaeda were discovered after the FBI was able
to access cellphone data on phones that the shooter attempted to destroy before he was killed by law
enforcement (Tucker, 2020).

As of this writing in 2021, the full investigative report has not been released by the U.S. Department of
Defense, and the extent of coordination between Alshamrani and Al-Qaeda is unknown. The power of social
media coupled with the rise and fall of organizations such as Al-Qaeda in the Islamic state make the
possibility of foreign entities conducting acts of terror within the American homeland a great area of concern
for homeland security professionals.

Las Vegas Concert Shooting: Domestic or Homegrown Terrorism

Additionally, when discussing evil acts such as terrorism, it is important to discuss homegrown terrorism.
What is homegrown terrorism? Homegrown terrorism occurs when an individual who lives or resides in that

UNIT VII STUDY GUIDE
Terrorism as an Evolving Threat

HLS 3303, Terrorism Response Operations 2

UNIT x STUDY GUIDE
Title

territory initiates an attack against his or her homeland. Homegrown terrorism is a concern because the attack
is initiated by someone within that country. Thus, detecting a potential terrorist from within makes it that much
more challenging.

On October 1, 2017, at an open-air country music concert on the Las Vegas Strip, Stephen Paddock
murdered 61 and wounded over 850 concertgoers (Hutchinson et al., 2018). While the Islamic State of Iraq
and the Levant (ISIL) claimed responsibility and stated that he had converted to Islam 6 months prior to the
shooting, U.S. law enforcement officials have given no evidence of a connection between Paddock and ISIL
(Blake, 2017).

Terrorism as a Mindset

Defining terrorism has been a complex task. The definition has varied amongst many professionals and
scholars. Why are there so many definitions as it relates to terrorism? Since there are many reasons why
terrorist acts are committed, this makes identifying one unified definition as it relates to terrorism problematic,
not to mention the wide scope of terrorism as it relates to domestic terrorism and international terrorism.
Additionally, it is often said that there is a global war on terrorism. If it is difficult finding a unified definition for
terrorism, then how coordinated can a global war on terrorism be?

Terrorists may engage in such activity if they are interested in political, social, or religious change. If such
change is warranted, why would someone choose to promote harm and terror? Are there other options to
impact change? Understanding the mindset of terrorists is complex and not what this course is intended to do.
Thus, understanding the totality of the situation is warranted.

As we have discussed the various threats, such as domestic and international threats, it is important to keep
in mind that at the root, any perpetrator of terrorism intends to cause harm and make a statement. Terrorist
organizations and lone terrorists are a serious threat and they will utilize all means possible, to include social
media, to spread their propaganda, terror, and hate.

Mitigating the Threat

How do the U.S. government and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) intend to mitigate and
subsequently defeat this threat? Oliver et al. (2021) indicated that the objective of the Homeland Security Act
was to realign government resources into one organization. The Department of Homeland Security consists of
23 agencies, including the U.S. Coast Guard, the Secret Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and
the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). How can 23 separate agencies focus on a single mission of
protecting the homeland? Is this achievable? For a listing and overview of all components that make up the
DHS, visit the webpage Operational and Support Components.

In 2003, Congress passed a homeland security appropriation bill in the amount of $30.4 billion for fiscal year
2004. The 2013 Presidential Request for the DHS grew to $59 billion (Oliver et al., 2021). Within a decade,
the budget for the DHS doubled. This shows that the DHS has grown exponentially in approximately a
decade. Over the years, the budget has grown as illustrated in the table.

Since the terror acts of September 11, 2001, terrorism is becoming mainstream topic within the United States.
Unfortunately, it does not appear that this trend will decrease in the future. The 9/11 Commission highlighted
the vulnerabilities within the U.S. government to address potential terrorist activities. This report coupled with
legislation such as the USA PATRIOT Act and the USA FREEDOM Act have greatly improved the arsenal of
tools both for law enforcement and intelligence professionals in preventing acts of terror.

References

Blake, S. (2017, October 8). Stephen Paddock had recently been on a cruise to the Middle East.

News.com.au. https://www.news.com.au/world/north-america/stephen-paddock-had-recently-been-
on-a-cruise-to-the-middle-east-as-experts-say-dont-discount-islamic-states-potential-
involvement/news-story/4846b116c77f95140968c4cf967f0319

[https://www.dhs.gov/operational-and-support-components](https://www.dhs.gov/operational-and-support-components)

HLS 3303, Terrorism Response Operations 3

UNIT x STUDY GUIDE
Title

Hutchinson, B., Chang, J., Brown, J., Margolin, J., Muldowney, K., & Eamon, M. (2018, December 23). The
anatomy of the Las Vegas mass shooting, the deadliest in modern US history. ABC News.
https://abcnews.go.com/US/anatomy-las-vegas-mass-shooting-deadliest-modern-
us/story?id=59797324

Oliver, W. M., Marion, N. E., & Hill, J. B. (2021). Introduction to homeland security: Policy, organization, and

administration (2nd ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781284205213

Tucker, E. (2020, May 18). FBI: Shooter at Pensacola Navy base coordinated with al-Qaida. Military Times.

https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2020/05/18/official-fbi-finds-link-between-pensacola-
gunman-al-qaida/

Suggested Unit Resources

In order to access the following resources, click the links below.

The following PowerPoint presentation provides a summary of the material in this unit’s chapter reading. The
PowerPoint and PDF versions are provided for your convenience.

Chapter 3 PowerPoint Presentation (Chapter 3 PDF)

[https://online.columbiasouthern.edu/bbcswebdav/xid-135305360_1](https://online.columbiasouthern.edu/bbcswebdav/xid-135305360_1)

[https://online.columbiasouthern.edu/bbcswebdav/xid-135305359_1](https://online.columbiasouthern.edu/bbcswebdav/xid-135305359_1)

– Course Learning Outcomes for Unit VII
– Required Unit Resources
– Unit Lesson

– Naval Air Station Pensacola: Terrorism Conducted by International Cooperative
– Las Vegas Concert Shooting: Domestic or Homegrown Terrorism
– Terrorism as a Mindset
– Mitigating the Threat
– References

– Suggested Unit Resources

**## UnitVII.pdf**

HLS 3303, Terrorism Response Operations 1

Course Learning Outcomes for Unit VII

Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:

6. Develop a plan for post-terrorism recovery.
6.1 Discriminate between international and domestic terrorism.
6.2 Create a response and recovery plan for a terrorist attack.

Required Unit Resources

Chapter 3: Modern Terrorism and Natural Disasters

Unit Lesson

Does terrorism stay the same, or does it evolve? Terrorism is an ever-changing threat, and it is essential for
the proper authorities to understand past, present, and current threats. Oliver et al. (2021) discussed
coordinated attacks that occurred in Kenya and Tanzania on August 7, 1998. These coordinated attacks killed
over 200 people and caused a myriad of injuries. Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri were behind
these attacks. Oliver et al. (2021) state that if these attacks occurred in 1998, three years prior to 2001, then
why was the United States not prepared for 9/11?

Terrorism is not a new phenomenon, and terrorism has been around since 32 A.D. There are a variety of
motivations for terrorism that range from religious beliefs, sociopolitical objectives, animal rights, or abortion
(Oliver et al., 2021). Although there are other reasons that one may initiate such acts of terrorism, there are
many said objectives for why one may cause such harm.

Additionally, it is important to discern the differences between international terrorism and domestic terrorism.
International terrorism begins from outside the borders of the country where the attacks occur. Domestic
terrorism occurs from within the country where the terrorist attacks occur (Oliver et al., 2021). Let’s examine
two terrorist attacks—one involving the international terrorism and one involving a domestic or homegrown
terrorism.

Naval Air Station Pensacola: Terrorism Conducted by International Cooperative

On December 6, 2019, Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani, a Saudi national who was attending flight training at
Pensacola Naval Air Station, Florida, shot and killed three U.S. service members. Through the course of the
investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was able to correlate a link between Alshamrani and
Al Qaeda. Contacts between Alshamrani and operatives of Al-Qaeda were discovered after the FBI was able
to access cellphone data on phones that the shooter attempted to destroy before he was killed by law
enforcement (Tucker, 2020).

As of this writing in 2021, the full investigative report has not been released by the U.S. Department of
Defense, and the extent of coordination between Alshamrani and Al-Qaeda is unknown. The power of social
media coupled with the rise and fall of organizations such as Al-Qaeda in the Islamic state make the
possibility of foreign entities conducting acts of terror within the American homeland a great area of concern
for homeland security professionals.

Las Vegas Concert Shooting: Domestic or Homegrown Terrorism

Additionally, when discussing evil acts such as terrorism, it is important to discuss homegrown terrorism.
What is homegrown terrorism? Homegrown terrorism occurs when an individual who lives or resides in that

UNIT VII STUDY GUIDE
Terrorism as an Evolving Threat

HLS 3303, Terrorism Response Operations 2

UNIT x STUDY GUIDE
Title

territory initiates an attack against his or her homeland. Homegrown terrorism is a concern because the attack
is initiated by someone within that country. Thus, detecting a potential terrorist from within makes it that much
more challenging.

On October 1, 2017, at an open-air country music concert on the Las Vegas Strip, Stephen Paddock
murdered 61 and wounded over 850 concertgoers (Hutchinson et al., 2018). While the Islamic State of Iraq
and the Levant (ISIL) claimed responsibility and stated that he had converted to Islam 6 months prior to the
shooting, U.S. law enforcement officials have given no evidence of a connection between Paddock and ISIL
(Blake, 2017).

Terrorism as a Mindset

Defining terrorism has been a complex task. The definition has varied amongst many professionals and
scholars. Why are there so many definitions as it relates to terrorism? Since there are many reasons why
terrorist acts are committed, this makes identifying one unified definition as it relates to terrorism problematic,
not to mention the wide scope of terrorism as it relates to domestic terrorism and international terrorism.
Additionally, it is often said that there is a global war on terrorism. If it is difficult finding a unified definition for
terrorism, then how coordinated can a global war on terrorism be?

Terrorists may engage in such activity if they are interested in political, social, or religious change. If such
change is warranted, why would someone choose to promote harm and terror? Are there other options to
impact change? Understanding the mindset of terrorists is complex and not what this course is intended to do.
Thus, understanding the totality of the situation is warranted.

As we have discussed the various threats, such as domestic and international threats, it is important to keep
in mind that at the root, any perpetrator of terrorism intends to cause harm and make a statement. Terrorist
organizations and lone terrorists are a serious threat and they will utilize all means possible, to include social
media, to spread their propaganda, terror, and hate.

Mitigating the Threat

How do the U.S. government and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) intend to mitigate and
subsequently defeat this threat? Oliver et al. (2021) indicated that the objective of the Homeland Security Act
was to realign government resources into one organization. The Department of Homeland Security consists of
23 agencies, including the U.S. Coast Guard, the Secret Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and
the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). How can 23 separate agencies focus on a single mission of
protecting the homeland? Is this achievable? For a listing and overview of all components that make up the
DHS, visit the webpage Operational and Support Components.

In 2003, Congress passed a homeland security appropriation bill in the amount of $30.4 billion for fiscal year
2004. The 2013 Presidential Request for the DHS grew to $59 billion (Oliver et al., 2021). Within a decade,
the budget for the DHS doubled. This shows that the DHS has grown exponentially in approximately a
decade. Over the years, the budget has grown as illustrated in the table.

Since the terror acts of September 11, 2001, terrorism is becoming mainstream topic within the United States.
Unfortunately, it does not appear that this trend will decrease in the future. The 9/11 Commission highlighted
the vulnerabilities within the U.S. government to address potential terrorist activities. This report coupled with
legislation such as the USA PATRIOT Act and the USA FREEDOM Act have greatly improved the arsenal of
tools both for law enforcement and intelligence professionals in preventing acts of terror.

References

Blake, S. (2017, October 8). Stephen Paddock had recently been on a cruise to the Middle East.

News.com.au. https://www.news.com.au/world/north-america/stephen-paddock-had-recently-been-
on-a-cruise-to-the-middle-east-as-experts-say-dont-discount-islamic-states-potential-
involvement/news-story/4846b116c77f95140968c4cf967f0319

[https://www.dhs.gov/operational-and-support-components](https://www.dhs.gov/operational-and-support-components)

HLS 3303, Terrorism Response Operations 3

UNIT x STUDY GUIDE
Title

Hutchinson, B., Chang, J., Brown, J., Margolin, J., Muldowney, K., & Eamon, M. (2018, December 23). The
anatomy of the Las Vegas mass shooting, the deadliest in modern US history. ABC News.
https://abcnews.go.com/US/anatomy-las-vegas-mass-shooting-deadliest-modern-
us/story?id=59797324

Oliver, W. M., Marion, N. E., & Hill, J. B. (2021). Introduction to homeland security: Policy, organization, and

administration (2nd ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781284205213

Tucker, E. (2020, May 18). FBI: Shooter at Pensacola Navy base coordinated with al-Qaida. Military Times.

https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2020/05/18/official-fbi-finds-link-between-pensacola-
gunman-al-qaida/

Suggested Unit Resources

In order to access the following resources, click the links below.

The following PowerPoint presentation provides a summary of the material in this unit’s chapter reading. The
PowerPoint and PDF versions are provided for your convenience.

Chapter 3 PowerPoint Presentation (Chapter 3 PDF)

[https://online.columbiasouthern.edu/bbcswebdav/xid-135305360_1](https://online.columbiasouthern.edu/bbcswebdav/xid-135305360_1)

[https://online.columbiasouthern.edu/bbcswebdav/xid-135305359_1](https://online.columbiasouthern.edu/bbcswebdav/xid-135305359_1)

– Course Learning Outcomes for Unit VII
– Required Unit Resources
– Unit Lesson

– Naval Air Station Pensacola: Terrorism Conducted by International Cooperative
– Las Vegas Concert Shooting: Domestic or Homegrown Terrorism
– Terrorism as a Mindset
– Mitigating the Threat
– References

– Suggested Unit Resources

**## VII.docx**

For your project, you will assume the information below.

You are employed in an emergency management function in your local community. The act of terror takes place in your community with little to no warning. There are mass casualties and damage to local infrastructure.

Your plan must address the components listed below.

· Determine the type of terrorism that has occurred.

· Detail the act of terror that your plan addresses. Be sure to summarize the full scope and impact of the event.

· Evaluate the effectiveness of preparedness activities for your local community.

· Briefly summarize operational considerations of your response plan and post recovery plan.

· At a minimum, address the following components: command and control, communications, public information, protective measures at the scene, mass care, resource management, multiagency coordination and interoperability, search and rescue, and recovery.

Utilize compelling or persuasive evidence from appropriate sources to support your plan. Incorporate course concepts by identifying national plans, policies, systems, or departments that guide and support your plan.

**Length**: Your project submission must be a minimum of five double-spaced pages, not counting the title and reference pages.

**References**: You are required to use at least five high-quality sources, such as current government (federal or local) policy, academic articles, or empirical studies. At least one source should be from the CSU Online Library. Sources such as Wikis, blog posts, opinion pieces, or other unverified and/or biased contributions must not be used. All sources used must have APA Style citations and references.

Course Textbook(s)

Oliver, W. M., Marion, N. E., & Hill, J. B. (2021). Introduction to homeland security: Policy, organization, and administration (2nd ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning. https://online.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781284205213

**## UnitVII.pdf**

HLS 3303, Terrorism Response Operations 1

Course Learning Outcomes for Unit VII

Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:

6. Develop a plan for post-terrorism recovery.
6.1 Discriminate between international and domestic terrorism.
6.2 Create a response and recovery plan for a terrorist attack.

Required Unit Resources

Chapter 3: Modern Terrorism and Natural Disasters

Unit Lesson

Does terrorism stay the same, or does it evolve? Terrorism is an ever-changing threat, and it is essential for
the proper authorities to understand past, present, and current threats. Oliver et al. (2021) discussed
coordinated attacks that occurred in Kenya and Tanzania on August 7, 1998. These coordinated attacks killed
over 200 people and caused a myriad of injuries. Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri were behind
these attacks. Oliver et al. (2021) state that if these attacks occurred in 1998, three years prior to 2001, then
why was the United States not prepared for 9/11?

Terrorism is not a new phenomenon, and terrorism has been around since 32 A.D. There are a variety of
motivations for terrorism that range from religious beliefs, sociopolitical objectives, animal rights, or abortion
(Oliver et al., 2021). Although there are other reasons that one may initiate such acts of terrorism, there are
many said objectives for why one may cause such harm.

Additionally, it is important to discern the differences between international terrorism and domestic terrorism.
International terrorism begins from outside the borders of the country where the attacks occur. Domestic
terrorism occurs from within the country where the terrorist attacks occur (Oliver et al., 2021). Let’s examine
two terrorist attacks—one involving the international terrorism and one involving a domestic or homegrown
terrorism.

Naval Air Station Pensacola: Terrorism Conducted by International Cooperative

On December 6, 2019, Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani, a Saudi national who was attending flight training at
Pensacola Naval Air Station, Florida, shot and killed three U.S. service members. Through the course of the
investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was able to correlate a link between Alshamrani and
Al Qaeda. Contacts between Alshamrani and operatives of Al-Qaeda were discovered after the FBI was able
to access cellphone data on phones that the shooter attempted to destroy before he was killed by law
enforcement (Tucker, 2020).

As of this writing in 2021, the full investigative report has not been released by the U.S. Department of
Defense, and the extent of coordination between Alshamrani and Al-Qaeda is unknown. The power of social
media coupled with the rise and fall of organizations such as Al-Qaeda in the Islamic state make the
possibility of foreign entities conducting acts of terror within the American homeland a great area of concern
for homeland security professionals.

Las Vegas Concert Shooting: Domestic or Homegrown Terrorism

Additionally, when discussing evil acts such as terrorism, it is important to discuss homegrown terrorism.
What is homegrown terrorism? Homegrown terrorism occurs when an individual who lives or resides in that

UNIT VII STUDY GUIDE
Terrorism as an Evolving Threat

HLS 3303, Terrorism Response Operations 2

UNIT x STUDY GUIDE
Title

territory initiates an attack against his or her homeland. Homegrown terrorism is a concern because the attack
is initiated by someone within that country. Thus, detecting a potential terrorist from within makes it that much
more challenging.

On October 1, 2017, at an open-air country music concert on the Las Vegas Strip, Stephen Paddock
murdered 61 and wounded over 850 concertgoers (Hutchinson et al., 2018). While the Islamic State of Iraq
and the Levant (ISIL) claimed responsibility and stated that he had converted to Islam 6 months prior to the
shooting, U.S. law enforcement officials have given no evidence of a connection between Paddock and ISIL
(Blake, 2017).

Terrorism as a Mindset

Defining terrorism has been a complex task. The definition has varied amongst many professionals and
scholars. Why are there so many definitions as it relates to terrorism? Since there are many reasons why
terrorist acts are committed, this makes identifying one unified definition as it relates to terrorism problematic,
not to mention the wide scope of terrorism as it relates to domestic terrorism and international terrorism.
Additionally, it is often said that there is a global war on terrorism. If it is difficult finding a unified definition for
terrorism, then how coordinated can a global war on terrorism be?

Terrorists may engage in such activity if they are interested in political, social, or religious change. If such
change is warranted, why would someone choose to promote harm and terror? Are there other options to
impact change? Understanding the mindset of terrorists is complex and not what this course is intended to do.
Thus, understanding the totality of the situation is warranted.

As we have discussed the various threats, such as domestic and international threats, it is important to keep
in mind that at the root, any perpetrator of terrorism intends to cause harm and make a statement. Terrorist
organizations and lone terrorists are a serious threat and they will utilize all means possible, to include social
media, to spread their propaganda, terror, and hate.

Mitigating the Threat

How do the U.S. government and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) intend to mitigate and
subsequently defeat this threat? Oliver et al. (2021) indicated that the objective of the Homeland Security Act
was to realign government resources into one organization. The Department of Homeland Security consists of
23 agencies, including the U.S. Coast Guard, the Secret Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and
the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). How can 23 separate agencies focus on a single mission of
protecting the homeland? Is this achievable? For a listing and overview of all components that make up the
DHS, visit the webpage Operational and Support Components.

In 2003, Congress passed a homeland security appropriation bill in the amount of $30.4 billion for fiscal year
2004. The 2013 Presidential Request for the DHS grew to $59 billion (Oliver et al., 2021). Within a decade,
the budget for the DHS doubled. This shows that the DHS has grown exponentially in approximately a
decade. Over the years, the budget has grown as illustrated in the table.

Since the terror acts of September 11, 2001, terrorism is becoming mainstream topic within the United States.
Unfortunately, it does not appear that this trend will decrease in the future. The 9/11 Commission highlighted
the vulnerabilities within the U.S. government to address potential terrorist activities. This report coupled with
legislation such as the USA PATRIOT Act and the USA FREEDOM Act have greatly improved the arsenal of
tools both for law enforcement and intelligence professionals in preventing acts of terror.

References

Blake, S. (2017, October 8). Stephen Paddock had recently been on a cruise to the Middle East.

News.com.au. https://www.news.com.au/world/north-america/stephen-paddock-had-recently-been-
on-a-cruise-to-the-middle-east-as-experts-say-dont-discount-islamic-states-potential-
involvement/news-story/4846b116c77f95140968c4cf967f0319

[https://www.dhs.gov/operational-and-support-components](https://www.dhs.gov/operational-and-support-components)

HLS 3303, Terrorism Response Operations 3

UNIT x STUDY GUIDE
Title

Hutchinson, B., Chang, J., Brown, J., Margolin, J., Muldowney, K., & Eamon, M. (2018, December 23). The
anatomy of the Las Vegas mass shooting, the deadliest in modern US history. ABC News.
https://abcnews.go.com/US/anatomy-las-vegas-mass-shooting-deadliest-modern-
us/story?id=59797324

Oliver, W. M., Marion, N. E., & Hill, J. B. (2021). Introduction to homeland security: Policy, organization, and

administration (2nd ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781284205213

Tucker, E. (2020, May 18). FBI: Shooter at Pensacola Navy base coordinated with al-Qaida. Military Times.

https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2020/05/18/official-fbi-finds-link-between-pensacola-
gunman-al-qaida/

Suggested Unit Resources

In order to access the following resources, click the links below.

The following PowerPoint presentation provides a summary of the material in this unit’s chapter reading. The
PowerPoint and PDF versions are provided for your convenience.

Chapter 3 PowerPoint Presentation (Chapter 3 PDF)

[https://online.columbiasouthern.edu/bbcswebdav/xid-135305360_1](https://online.columbiasouthern.edu/bbcswebdav/xid-135305360_1)

[https://online.columbiasouthern.edu/bbcswebdav/xid-135305359_1](https://online.columbiasouthern.edu/bbcswebdav/xid-135305359_1)

– Course Learning Outcomes for Unit VII
– Required Unit Resources
– Unit Lesson

– Naval Air Station Pensacola: Terrorism Conducted by International Cooperative
– Las Vegas Concert Shooting: Domestic or Homegrown Terrorism
– Terrorism as a Mindset
– Mitigating the Threat
– References

– Suggested Unit Resources

**## VII.docx**

For your project, you will assume the information below.

You are employed in an emergency management function in your local community. The act of terror takes place in your community with little to no warning. There are mass casualties and damage to local infrastructure.

Your plan must address the components listed below.

· Determine the type of terrorism that has occurred.

· Detail the act of terror that your plan addresses. Be sure to summarize the full scope and impact of the event.

· Evaluate the effectiveness of preparedness activities for your local community.

· Briefly summarize operational considerations of your response plan and post recovery plan.

· At a minimum, address the following components: command and control, communications, public information, protective measures at the scene, mass care, resource management, multiagency coordination and interoperability, search and rescue, and recovery.

Utilize compelling or persuasive evidence from appropriate sources to support your plan. Incorporate course concepts by identifying national plans, policies, systems, or departments that guide and support your plan.

**Length**: Your project submission must be a minimum of five double-spaced pages, not counting the title and reference pages.

**References**: You are required to use at least five high-quality sources, such as current government (federal or local) policy, academic articles, or empirical studies. At least one source should be from the CSU Online Library. Sources such as Wikis, blog posts, opinion pieces, or other unverified and/or biased contributions must not be used. All sources used must have APA Style citations and references.

Course Textbook(s)

Oliver, W. M., Marion, N. E., & Hill, J. B. (2021). Introduction to homeland security: Policy, organization, and administration (2nd ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning. https://online.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781284205213

**## UnitVII.pdf**

HLS 3303, Terrorism Response Operations 1

Course Learning Outcomes for Unit VII

Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:

6. Develop a plan for post-terrorism recovery.
6.1 Discriminate between international and domestic terrorism.
6.2 Create a response and recovery plan for a terrorist attack.

Required Unit Resources

Chapter 3: Modern Terrorism and Natural Disasters

Unit Lesson

Does terrorism stay the same, or does it evolve? Terrorism is an ever-changing threat, and it is essential for
the proper authorities to understand past, present, and current threats. Oliver et al. (2021) discussed
coordinated attacks that occurred in Kenya and Tanzania on August 7, 1998. These coordinated attacks killed
over 200 people and caused a myriad of injuries. Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri were behind
these attacks. Oliver et al. (2021) state that if these attacks occurred in 1998, three years prior to 2001, then
why was the United States not prepared for 9/11?

Terrorism is not a new phenomenon, and terrorism has been around since 32 A.D. There are a variety of
motivations for terrorism that range from religious beliefs, sociopolitical objectives, animal rights, or abortion
(Oliver et al., 2021). Although there are other reasons that one may initiate such acts of terrorism, there are
many said objectives for why one may cause such harm.

Additionally, it is important to discern the differences between international terrorism and domestic terrorism.
International terrorism begins from outside the borders of the country where the attacks occur. Domestic
terrorism occurs from within the country where the terrorist attacks occur (Oliver et al., 2021). Let’s examine
two terrorist attacks—one involving the international terrorism and one involving a domestic or homegrown
terrorism.

Naval Air Station Pensacola: Terrorism Conducted by International Cooperative

On December 6, 2019, Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani, a Saudi national who was attending flight training at
Pensacola Naval Air Station, Florida, shot and killed three U.S. service members. Through the course of the
investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was able to correlate a link between Alshamrani and
Al Qaeda. Contacts between Alshamrani and operatives of Al-Qaeda were discovered after the FBI was able
to access cellphone data on phones that the shooter attempted to destroy before he was killed by law
enforcement (Tucker, 2020).

As of this writing in 2021, the full investigative report has not been released by the U.S. Department of
Defense, and the extent of coordination between Alshamrani and Al-Qaeda is unknown. The power of social
media coupled with the rise and fall of organizations such as Al-Qaeda in the Islamic state make the
possibility of foreign entities conducting acts of terror within the American homeland a great area of concern
for homeland security professionals.

Las Vegas Concert Shooting: Domestic or Homegrown Terrorism

Additionally, when discussing evil acts such as terrorism, it is important to discuss homegrown terrorism.
What is homegrown terrorism? Homegrown terrorism occurs when an individual who lives or resides in that

UNIT VII STUDY GUIDE
Terrorism as an Evolving Threat

HLS 3303, Terrorism Response Operations 2

UNIT x STUDY GUIDE
Title

territory initiates an attack against his or her homeland. Homegrown terrorism is a concern because the attack
is initiated by someone within that country. Thus, detecting a potential terrorist from within makes it that much
more challenging.

On October 1, 2017, at an open-air country music concert on the Las Vegas Strip, Stephen Paddock
murdered 61 and wounded over 850 concertgoers (Hutchinson et al., 2018). While the Islamic State of Iraq
and the Levant (ISIL) claimed responsibility and stated that he had converted to Islam 6 months prior to the
shooting, U.S. law enforcement officials have given no evidence of a connection between Paddock and ISIL
(Blake, 2017).

Terrorism as a Mindset

Defining terrorism has been a complex task. The definition has varied amongst many professionals and
scholars. Why are there so many definitions as it relates to terrorism? Since there are many reasons why
terrorist acts are committed, this makes identifying one unified definition as it relates to terrorism problematic,
not to mention the wide scope of terrorism as it relates to domestic terrorism and international terrorism.
Additionally, it is often said that there is a global war on terrorism. If it is difficult finding a unified definition for
terrorism, then how coordinated can a global war on terrorism be?

Terrorists may engage in such activity if they are interested in political, social, or religious change. If such
change is warranted, why would someone choose to promote harm and terror? Are there other options to
impact change? Understanding the mindset of terrorists is complex and not what this course is intended to do.
Thus, understanding the totality of the situation is warranted.

As we have discussed the various threats, such as domestic and international threats, it is important to keep
in mind that at the root, any perpetrator of terrorism intends to cause harm and make a statement. Terrorist
organizations and lone terrorists are a serious threat and they will utilize all means possible, to include social
media, to spread their propaganda, terror, and hate.

Mitigating the Threat

How do the U.S. government and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) intend to mitigate and
subsequently defeat this threat? Oliver et al. (2021) indicated that the objective of the Homeland Security Act
was to realign government resources into one organization. The Department of Homeland Security consists of
23 agencies, including the U.S. Coast Guard, the Secret Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and
the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). How can 23 separate agencies focus on a single mission of
protecting the homeland? Is this achievable? For a listing and overview of all components that make up the
DHS, visit the webpage Operational and Support Components.

In 2003, Congress passed a homeland security appropriation bill in the amount of $30.4 billion for fiscal year
2004. The 2013 Presidential Request for the DHS grew to $59 billion (Oliver et al., 2021). Within a decade,
the budget for the DHS doubled. This shows that the DHS has grown exponentially in approximately a
decade. Over the years, the budget has grown as illustrated in the table.

Since the terror acts of September 11, 2001, terrorism is becoming mainstream topic within the United States.
Unfortunately, it does not appear that this trend will decrease in the future. The 9/11 Commission highlighted
the vulnerabilities within the U.S. government to address potential terrorist activities. This report coupled with
legislation such as the USA PATRIOT Act and the USA FREEDOM Act have greatly improved the arsenal of
tools both for law enforcement and intelligence professionals in preventing acts of terror.

References

Blake, S. (2017, October 8). Stephen Paddock had recently been on a cruise to the Middle East.

News.com.au. https://www.news.com.au/world/north-america/stephen-paddock-had-recently-been-
on-a-cruise-to-the-middle-east-as-experts-say-dont-discount-islamic-states-potential-
involvement/news-story/4846b116c77f95140968c4cf967f0319

[https://www.dhs.gov/operational-and-support-components](https://www.dhs.gov/operational-and-support-components)

HLS 3303, Terrorism Response Operations 3

UNIT x STUDY GUIDE
Title

Hutchinson, B., Chang, J., Brown, J., Margolin, J., Muldowney, K., & Eamon, M. (2018, December 23). The
anatomy of the Las Vegas mass shooting, the deadliest in modern US history. ABC News.
https://abcnews.go.com/US/anatomy-las-vegas-mass-shooting-deadliest-modern-
us/story?id=59797324

Oliver, W. M., Marion, N. E., & Hill, J. B. (2021). Introduction to homeland security: Policy, organization, and

administration (2nd ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781284205213

Tucker, E. (2020, May 18). FBI: Shooter at Pensacola Navy base coordinated with al-Qaida. Military Times.

https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2020/05/18/official-fbi-finds-link-between-pensacola-
gunman-al-qaida/

Suggested Unit Resources

In order to access the following resources, click the links below.

The following PowerPoint presentation provides a summary of the material in this unit’s chapter reading. The
PowerPoint and PDF versions are provided for your convenience.

Chapter 3 PowerPoint Presentation (Chapter 3 PDF)

[https://online.columbiasouthern.edu/bbcswebdav/xid-135305360_1](https://online.columbiasouthern.edu/bbcswebdav/xid-135305360_1)

[https://online.columbiasouthern.edu/bbcswebdav/xid-135305359_1](https://online.columbiasouthern.edu/bbcswebdav/xid-135305359_1)

– Course Learning Outcomes for Unit VII
– Required Unit Resources
– Unit Lesson

– Naval Air Station Pensacola: Terrorism Conducted by International Cooperative
– Las Vegas Concert Shooting: Domestic or Homegrown Terrorism
– Terrorism as a Mindset
– Mitigating the Threat
– References

– Suggested Unit Resources

– 1
– 2