Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
CHAPTER 1
Target: Corporate
America
IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE ATTACKS on the World Trade Center
and the Pentagon by the Al Qaeda organization, it has become clear
that Western economic interests, particularly American corporations, have
become the most desirable target of terror groups seeking to further their
own varied political agendas. In the past, the prime targets of terrorist
groups were military bases and personnel and official U.S. government
facilities. Striking at the American military was the foremost priority, espe-
cially for radical Islamic fundamentalist groups. Recall the murder of 242
Marines in Lebanon and the attacks on the Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia
and the USS
Cole.
Governmental and diplomatic facilities were also pri-
mary targets of groups like Al Qaeda, which was responsible for the car
bomb attacks that destroyed the U.S. embassies in Tanzania and Kenya in
Africa. To be sure, there always were the occasional terror attacks that tar-
geted civilians. Kidnappings were frequent occurrences in many parts of
the world, and hostages were taken to be used as bargaining chips or for
ransom. The spate of airline hijackings in the 1970s and 1980s, the attack
on the
Achille Lauro,
and the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie,
Scotland, are examples of incidents specifically targeting civilians. However,
in the not too distant past, the largest and most well-financed operations
seemed to be reserved for attacks on official targets. This is no longer
the case. Today most experts on international terror organizations agree
that terrorists have changed their targeting priorities. Unquestionably, the
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