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Strategies to combat terrorism: proactive intelligence measures for assessing risks and preventing terrorism prior to transportation embarkation points

Author

Listed:
  • Maria Burns

    (University of Houston (UH) University Blvd)

  • John Wulu

    (University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC))

Abstract

Since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the N.Y. Trade Center, the world has seen an unprecedented string of both international and domestic terrorist attacks targeting crowded transportation and trade centers. In the U.S. alone, domestic terrorism cases have increased by 357% (GAO 2023). The common thread to the atrocities against civilian populations seems to be radical fanaticism, with the terrorists’ desire to instigate fear, social instability, and destruction. Mass transportation systems are among the most common terrorist targets, as they combine high concentrations of civilians (high likelihood targets) with large-scale destruction (high impact targets). Terrorists increasingly organize coordinated, concurrent attacks in the same town to disable law enforcement and emergency responders while attracting more media coverage. This research paper seeks to support a terrorism-free transportation system by proposing preventive measures at both government and industry levels. A qualitative statistical analysis will trace terrorists’ mobility from origin to attacks. Finally, analytical findings will discuss implications for security policies and systems. It provides a comprehensive table of global terrorist attacks from 2010 to 2024, providing a wealth of information worthy of systematic gathering and interpretation. A SWOT analysis of terrorists’ travel patterns and the U.S. transportation sector will identify vulnerabilities, while dealing with the two main aspects of transportation-related terrorism: (1) Terrorism travel and immigration patterns: This section will examine the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats pertinent to terrorist travel and immigration patterns. (2) Transportation Security: This section will examine the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats pertinent to public and private sector security professionals to safeguard transportation systems as a whole and as individual potential targets. The recommendations and conclusions can be transferred and applied to all countries with comparable transport security threats.

Suggested Citation

  • Maria Burns & John Wulu, 2025. "Strategies to combat terrorism: proactive intelligence measures for assessing risks and preventing terrorism prior to transportation embarkation points," Journal of Transportation Security, Springer, vol. 18(1), pages 1-22, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jtrsec:v:18:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s12198-025-00293-z
    DOI: 10.1007/s12198-025-00293-z
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