HLS 615 DF4 Homeland Security

HLS 615 DL4
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Three Investigative Variables
In investigating terrorism information, there are three most important variables that should be used. These variables include: (i) behavioral, (ii) geographic, and (iii) temporal patterns of preparation before a terrorist attack. Initially, criminality and terrorism was characterized by spontaneity, personal or pecuniary objectives, and lack of planning (Bossé, Shahbazian, & Rogova, 2013). However, all this has changed in modern terrorism; terrorism is now characterized by significant planning, ideologies, and social or political motives that span beyond personal objectives.
The behavioral variable involves investigating behavioral patterns of different suspected terrorist groups prior to a main attack. It has been sufficiently noted that most modern terrorist groups will exhibit a variety of non-terrorist activities as well as criminal conduct before launching a major attack (Peleg & Kempf, 2006). The non-terrorist activities are usually carried out in order to perfect their planning process and ensure that the attack they carry out achieves its desired effects. The geographical variable is also critical in investigating terrorist activities. For example, modern terrorists have adopted the “think globally, act locally” ideology. This ideological principle enables terrorist groups to replicate other terror practices that exist in distant places from their residences (Smith, Damphous...