terrorism Archives - Talking Guns


Jonathan GilliamSeptember 10, 20153min9510

Al Qaeda is once again in the news with death threats to CEOs of large companies.

It is interesting how Al Qaeda is still drawn towards the bigger, more dramatic threats and attacks in their quest to spread terror globally.  Al Qaeda still seems to be focused on the idea that big grandiose attacks breed massive terror. This says a lot about how little the mindset of Al Qaeda’s leadership has changed over the years since September 11, 2001. In comparison, ISIS has figured out that carrying out simple bloody killings on obscure individuals thousands of miles away from the United States seems to be working just as well when spread quickly worldwide on the Internet.

When it comes to mitigating the threats here at home inside the U.S. most CEOs have some sort of security, however most of this security is smoke and mirrors.

Because these CEOs are also public figures, they and their security tend to compromise a lot in order to sustain their image.

What most security professionals fail to realize is that simply avoiding the public is the greatest way to ensure safety from potential attackers that are targeting their public figure clients specifically.

In contrast to the CEOs public image, many celebrities try and hide when not performing as to have some kind of a normal life. This is a simple technique that power CEOs can also incorporate in their daily security routines.

Utilizing obscure entrances and exits, avoiding large uncontrolled areas, and not telegraphing where and when they will be are tactics that are often neglected.

This day and age unfortunately has produced a high price for fame, fortune and notoriety.  A normal life for those people that have these things can be somewhat obtainable but they have to be lived with some focus of tactics and a firm grasp on reality.



Jonathan GilliamJune 20, 20152min9620

With the recent attack on NYPD officers showing how quickly and easily, and unconventionally an attack can be carried out, local authorities as well as Federal agencies should realize the nature of what is actually confronting us.

Unconventional warfare does not subscribe to uniforms, specific tactics, or well-defined battle lines.

Unconventional warfare is the practice of thinking as far outside of the box as possible in order to carry out attacks.

Often in unconventional warfare, the message is the biggest thing being emphasized. Not necessarily tactical destruction or specific targets. This is why terrorism fits in unconventional warfare so well.

Terrorism is the cheapest and easiest tactic to carry out. It doesn’t matter if you are shooting up a parliament, or if you are attacking a police officer with a hatchet, the goal of terrorism is to affect fear on a population in an attempt to change their political views. It doesn’t matter how big the attack or what technique you use.

I do believe the attack yesterday on NYPD officers was terrorism, whether directly related to any Islamic group or not.

If a mad man kills 20 people in a mass murderer and we find evidence that he did not like people of a certain race, that person is identified as a crazy person that committed a hate crime. Similarly, if an individual is crazy and he shoots up a public space or hits a police officer in the head with a hatchet, and his motivation is Islamic Jihad, he is an Islamic warrior using terrorism.