Weapons of Mass Destruction are diverse and pose unique challenges to governments attempting to keep them out of the wrong hands and preparing to respond to an attack. This text analyzes Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) weapons and terrorist groups with a known interest in them. It presents accessible information about the technical challenges posed by each type of weapon, assesses the threats, and reviews the US governmental responses. It provides structured CBRN case studies and allows for easy comparison of threats, challenges, and responses. The text combines weapons and policy information in one comprehensive and comparative resource for researchers and students interested in key issues in modern terrorism and international security.

Examines the class of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) for terrorist use. The authors have found that their (terrorist) effects range from serious nuisance value up to catastrophic destruction of a large urban area.

Master's Thesis from the year 2012 in the subject Politics - Topic: Peace and Conflict, Security, grade: 95, , course: Master's Capstone in Intelligence Studies, language: English, abstract: From 2006 to 2011, al-Shabaab has conducted over 300 attacks and has become Africa’s most feared militant group. Because this organization is highly unpredictable, it is crucial to assess the likelihood of al-Shabaab deploying weapons of mass destruction against the U.S. or U.S. interests worldwide. This qualitative case study explores the likelihood of al-Shabaab obtaining or creating weapons of mass destruction and theorizes on which type of WMD it would likely consider deploying. After analyzing the power of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) materials; al-Shabaab’s probability of attainability of these materials; and the complexity of building CBRN weapons, among other factors, it was assessed that al-Shabaab is likely to, and has the resources and support, to deploy chemical weapons of mass destruction.

There is a widely held belief in the imminent probability of nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons of mass destruction being used by terrorists against civilian targets. This edited volume critically assesses the suggestion that one safeguard against this possibility would be to strengthen existing international prohibitions against state- level acquisition of such weapons. A glimpse of the possible potential of terrorist use of weapons of mass destruction has been seen through the actions of the Tokyo Aum group, and through the use of chlorine by insurgents in Iraq. However, the extent of the real threat posed is as yet unclear, and safeguarding against it in developing countries will not be easy. This book assembles specialists in each category of WMD in order to examine the potential of expanding the three ‘classical’ arms control treaties in order to combat the threat posed by smaller terrorist groups, and draws conclusions as to the strengths and weaknesses of this suggestion.

This revised edition is a comprehensive account of the technological and political possibilities and dangers presented by weapons of mass destruction in the wake of September 11th, 2001. The technical and organizational sophistication of the attacks on September 11th heralds a new era in the age-old war against terrorism. After these attacks, attention became focused on the activities and capacities of Islamic extremist groups, such as Osama bin Laden' s al-Qa' eda organization, but the reality is that terrorist threats could come from almost any quarter.

Explores the Nexus Formed When Malevolent Actors Access Malignant MeansWritten for professionals, academics, and policymakers working at the forefront of counterterrorism efforts, Jihadists and Weapons of Mass Destruction is an authoritative and comprehensive work addressing the threat of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in the hands of jihadists,

The twenty-nine articles explore the issue of WMD and key questions raised about terrorism, its definition, objects, motivation, whether there is a different species of it emerging in the aftermath of the close of the Cold War, preparedness and the means of prevention.The conventional, low-technology terrorism of the past has exercised a social and political impact far out of proportion with the casualties it has caused. The massive, indiscriminate destruction caused by an act of WMD terrorism similarly would have disproportionate social, political, economic and strategic effects.