March 2012 e-newsletter available now

New study: Alliances and not religious ideology are key to forecasting CBRN pursuit
A newly published study by START researchers Victor Asal, Gary Ackerman and Karl Rethemeyer explores the factors influencing a terrorist group's organizational decision to pursue CBRN weapons. Using the available empirical data, they found that there is not a significant relationship between terrorist organizations’ pursuit of CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear) weapons and the mere possession of a religious ideology. Full Story…
 
START research informs Senate report on Chesser
START researchers assisted the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs in mapping out the connections of Zachary Adam Chesser, producing a link chart and an analysis of Chesser’s social network. Full Story…

 

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START NEWS 
 

Researcher Spotlight: Brandon Behlendorf
In this Q&A, START researcher Brandon Behlendorf opens up about the roundabout journey that led him from history and religious studies to the Ohio Department of Public Safety to criminology, and finally, to START and the field of terrorism studies. Full Story…
 
START students tour Pentagon
Thirty students enrolled in the terrorism studies minor visited the Pentagon during a trip designed to illustrate the impact of 9/11 on domestic security and foreign affairs. Full Story...

START research published in new book on the mobilization of right-wing extremism
Research funded through START takes center stage in a new book by a current consortium researcher and a former terrorism research awardee. The book, “Mobilizing on the Extreme Right,” describes the dialogue, action and organizational structures of the extreme right, explaining these in terms of the political opportunities available to the social movement as a whole. Full Story...

The tradeoffs between protecting against man-made and natural disasters
According to START researcher Jun Zhuang, society is faced with a growing amount of property damage and casualties from man-made and natural disasters. Zhuang addressed consortium headquarters this month with a discussion of “Strategic Interactions in Disaster Preparedness and Relief in the Face of Man-Made and Natural Disasters.” Full Story...

Policing terrorism in India
Distinguished terrorism scholar Jyoti Belur met with START students and researchers to discuss the Maoist-inspired Naxalite insurgency and preliminary findings from her work. Her current project “countering Naxalite Terrorism in India: Police Perspectives,” features 89-indepth interviews with IPA officers across three states. Full Story...
 
UMD president chairs inaugural DHS Academic Advisory Panel
University of Maryland President Wallace Loh chaired the inaugural meeting of the new DHS Homeland Security Academic Advisory Committee (HSAAC), which discussed international students and campus resiliency. Full Story…
 

Nepal: Little-known group claims responsibility for bombing and then denies it
The Samyukta Jatiya Mukti Morcha-Bishwokranti (SJMM), or United Ethnic Liberation Front, has claimed responsibility for a bombing at the front gate to the Nepal Oil Corporation’s office Feb. 27. The claim was later denied by the group. Full Story...

United States: Department of Homeland Security identifies sovereign citizen movement as ‘major threat’
The right-wing sovereign citizen movement has been deemed a “major threat” by the Department of Homeland Security and is on the FBI’s radar. Full Story...

Syria: Car bombs add to violence
Syria has been experiencing a violent revolt for more than a year now. However, outside of the violence between government and rebel force, a string of car bombs (apparently unrelated to either side of the conflict) has increased the level of insecurity in the country. Full Story...

Thailand: Bombs in Southern Province kill at least 5 this month
In the province of Narathiwat, seven people were injured and one was killed in an explosion in a riverside market and four soldiers were killed in a roadside bomb. Full Story...

Russia: ‘Black Widow’ suicide bomber kills 5 in Dagestan
On the evening of March 6, a woman carrying a bomb detonated it at a police traffic post outside of Karabudakhkent.  The explosion and subsequent gunfire killed five police officers and wounded two others. Full Story...
 

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Research Roundtable April 19: Energy Infrastructure Attack Database
Global security expert Jennifer Giroux will be on campus in April to discuss the approach and initial findings of the Energy Infrastructure Attack Database, a comprehensive open-source dataset that will systematically organize information on reported attacks to energy infrastructure that have been carried out by non-state actors. Full Story…

Maryland Day is April 28: Explore our world - START style
Come celebrate START April 28 at the University of Maryland’s 14^th annual Maryland Day. Visit our table to test your terrorism IQ and rock band knowledge, and learn more about START opportunities. Full Story...
 
Save the Date: Career Symposium May 4
START is teaming up with the Robert H. Smith School of Business to offer all University of Maryland students a chance to meet and network with industry experts during a career symposium May 4 on the topic of innovations in counterterrorism and homeland security. Full Story…

 

START IN THE NEWS
 

DHS Centers of Excellence – A Maturing initiative
START is featured in an article in the Defense Media Network for its status as a Department of Homeland Security Center of Excellence. Full Story...
 
Assembling an archive of terror
Security Management magazine recently wrote a feature story on START’s Global Terrorism Database and how it became “the nation’s premier archive of terror.” START Director Gary LaFree is quoted extensively throughout the story. Full Story...
 
Symposium examines religious freedom, extremism in the Arab world
START researcher and University of Maryland professor Johanna Birnir was featured by C-SPAN for discussing how repression breeds religious extremism. She was serving on a panel about “Religious Freedom and Extremism: Lessons from the Arab Spring.” Full Story...
 
A Handshake to kill
The Majalla, the leading Arab magazine, cited START research and quoted START researcher Arie Kruglanski in an article about the psychology behind collective violence. Full Story...