Methods and weapons used by terrorist
Terrorism has recently become a worldwide challenge. This is greatly influenced by the change of tactics in carrying out these attacks. For the last 25 years, terrorists have been changing their tactics hence making it difficult to stop them. One of the most popular tactics used by a terrorist is bombing. Most of the bombs used by terrorists are homemade chemical bombs. Such bombs are easily made using readily available chemical compounds. The internet has all the information needed by terrorists to learn how to make a bomb hence the rampant terrorists’ activities globally.
Suicide and Rocket/Mortar attacks
Another popular tactic used y terrorists to launch an assault is suicide bombing. Suicide bombers carry out an attack with a clear motive to cause maximum destruction and willingness to lose their lives in the process. Such attacks are commonly carried out in public spaces or near an intended target. On the other hand, Rocket and mortar attacks are also very common and they were mostly used in the late 90s (Combs, 2003). The use of these explosive projectiles reduced the rampant suicide bombing attacks.
Vehicle-based bombs and aircraft hijacking
Vehicle-based bombs are also very popular especially in the Middle East (Combs, 2003). Using a car to launch and detonate a bomb is easier than human suicide bombing. Vehicle-based bombing is also a suicide mission. This method also kills both the target and the perpetrator although not always. Aircraft attacks and hijacking is also common tactic. The 9/11 World Trade Center attack is a perfect example of aircraft hijacking. In this attack, two planes were hijacked and flown right into the buildings causing a big crash and explosions.
Biological attacks
Cases of biological attacks have also been reported and the most recent attack being the Sarin gas attacks that took place in a Japanese subway in Tokyo. All these are methods and weapons that have been used to unleash terror for the last 25 years. Biological attacks are the most effective since they are carried out undetected. Such attacks can easily wipe out an entire generation in a matter of hours (Combs, 2003). Stopping a biological terrorist attack is very difficult since in most cases the effects are contagious. It is difficult to tell whether a disease outbreak is a Biological terrorist attack or a natural pandemic. This makes it very difficult to contain such an attack when it happens. Terror is however not limited to these methods.
Terror threats in the state of California
A terror threat is an act of threatening to commit violence against other people. With the current al-Qaida’s threats all over the world, the city of California is at risk of either a suicide bomb or a biological attack. The city is highly protected technologically and its entire infrastructure is secured with the latest available technologies. All the loopholes that the terrorists can use are sealed. It is impossible to highjack an aircraft from Californian airspace. Similarly, to smuggle a car fitted with an explosive device into any building in the city is very unlikely considering the security measures taken by the government. Therefore, the only left viable option is the use of biological weapons which can be carried through a human body. This can be very difficult to trace or detect hence posing a real threat to the civilians.
Reference
Combs, C., C. (2003). Terrorism in the 21st Century (3rd ed.). Uppers Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.