 |
|
Social networking for terrorists
May 05, 2009A new approach to analyzing social networks, reported in the current issue of the International Journal of Services Sciences, could help homeland security find the covert connections between the people behind terrorist attacks. The approach involves revealing the nodes that act as hubs in a terrorist network and tracing back to individual planners and perpetrators.
Dr Yoshiharu Maeno, Founder Management Consultant of the Social Design Group and Dr Yukio Ohsawa, Associate Professor at the School of Engineering, University of Tokyo, Japan, explain that their analytical approach to understanding terrorist networks could ultimately help prevent future attacks.
Terrorist attacks can cause significant loss of life, have intense social and environmental impacts, and large economic losses. Maeno and Ohsawa explain that responding to a terrorist attack is akin to dealing with a natural disaster, with one important difference. Disaster recovery management is required with both, but in the case of a terrorist attack there is the added pressure of short-term responses to the terrorists themselves and in the long-term the need to identify and weaken the covert foundation underpinning an organized attack.
The team explains that by combining the prior understanding of expert investigators with graph theory and computational data processing, it should be possible to analyze a terrorist network and reveal latent connections and patterns. The researchers have carried out such an analysis of the network responsible for the 9/11 attacks in 2001 in order to evaluate the performance of their approach.
Fundamentally, their technique is a mathematical one involving "node" discovery. The nodes of a network are the hubs at which different members of the network are connected. Usually, ordinary members have one or two connections, nodes can have several and the critical nodes, the hubs, have many more.
The scheme is analogous to the structure of the world-wide web where individual web pages may have one or two connections, small organizations may have a few more. Major hubs, such as the big search engine companies, such as Google and Yahoo, news sources like CNN and the BBC, and social media networks such as Facebook and MySpace have many, many more. These big nodes act as the hubs through which individual and smaller sites are interconnected.
The team's computational analysis of the terrorist network associated with the 9/11 attacks revealed nodes that were not apparent to security experts in advance of the attacks. Such latent nodes appear to have been critical to the attacks but superficially do not appear to be particularly important individuals acting as hubs.
The analysis revealed a connection not known in advance of 9/11 between Waleed Alshehri and Mohand Alshehri, who share a name but are unrelated, which indicated the existence of Mustafa Ahmed Al-Hisawi as an important individual in the network.
In retrospect the connections seem obvious, but they were not seen initially, but the Japanese team's analysis could have unearthed them much sooner. Mohand Alshehri helped Mohammed Atta hijack the AA11 and fly it into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Mohand Alshehri hijacked the AA175 and flew it into the South Tower of the World Trade Center. Waleed Alshehri had six links and is, the researchers demonstrate, the keystone person.
Having such network insights sooner rather than later would allow investigators to gather information on associates, friends, and relatives of a suspect terrorist and so bring the perpetrators to justice that much sooner or perhaps even unravel a network plotting future attacks.
"If the investigators had had a warning information on the 19 hijack planners (including WA and MA) before 9/11, our analysis could have aided the investigators in quickly understanding the complete picture of the organized attack including the covert foundation (like MAAH)," Yoshiharu says, "I am not sure, however, whether even a very quick investigators' understanding and action could have prevented the attack. Our analysis seems more suitable to satisfying the long-term need than the short-term need."
Inderscience Publishers
The team explains that by combining the prior understanding of expert investigators with graph theory and computational data processing, it should be possible to analyze a terrorist network and reveal latent connections and patterns. The researchers have carried out such an analysis of the network responsible for the 9/11 attacks in 2001 in order to evaluate the performance of their approach.
Fundamentally, their technique is a mathematical one involving "node" discovery. The nodes of a network are the hubs at which different members of the network are connected. Usually, ordinary members have one or two connections, nodes can have several and the critical nodes, the hubs, have many more.
The scheme is analogous to the structure of the world-wide web where individual web pages may have one or two connections, small organizations may have a few more. Major hubs, such as the big search engine companies, such as Google and Yahoo, news sources like CNN and the BBC, and social media networks such as Facebook and MySpace have many, many more. These big nodes act as the hubs through which individual and smaller sites are interconnected.
The team's computational analysis of the terrorist network associated with the 9/11 attacks revealed nodes that were not apparent to security experts in advance of the attacks. Such latent nodes appear to have been critical to the attacks but superficially do not appear to be particularly important individuals acting as hubs.
The analysis revealed a connection not known in advance of 9/11 between Waleed Alshehri and Mohand Alshehri, who share a name but are unrelated, which indicated the existence of Mustafa Ahmed Al-Hisawi as an important individual in the network.
In retrospect the connections seem obvious, but they were not seen initially, but the Japanese team's analysis could have unearthed them much sooner. Mohand Alshehri helped Mohammed Atta hijack the AA11 and fly it into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Mohand Alshehri hijacked the AA175 and flew it into the South Tower of the World Trade Center. Waleed Alshehri had six links and is, the researchers demonstrate, the keystone person.
Having such network insights sooner rather than later would allow investigators to gather information on associates, friends, and relatives of a suspect terrorist and so bring the perpetrators to justice that much sooner or perhaps even unravel a network plotting future attacks.
"If the investigators had had a warning information on the 19 hijack planners (including WA and MA) before 9/11, our analysis could have aided the investigators in quickly understanding the complete picture of the organized attack including the covert foundation (like MAAH)," Yoshiharu says, "I am not sure, however, whether even a very quick investigators' understanding and action could have prevented the attack. Our analysis seems more suitable to satisfying the long-term need than the short-term need."
Inderscience Publishers
Terrorist Attacks Current Events and Terrorist Attacks News RSSGround Zero-scale trauma can prompt psychological growth, says UB researcher
People who live through an extreme traumatic experience such as the 9/11 terrorist attacks or an airplane crash often have the capacity to bounce back or even grow to a higher level of functioning and personal strength, according to a University at Buffalo researcher and expert in the effects of horrifying trauma.
MU Engineers Develop Safer, Blast-Resistant Glass
To protect from potential terrorist attacks, federal buildings and other critical infrastructures are made with special windows that contain blast-resistant glass. However, the glass is thick and expensive.
Stories We Tell About National Trauma Reflect Our Psychological Well-Being
A new study by psychologists at the University at Buffalo and the F. W. Olin College of Engineering finds that in the aftermath of national trauma, the ability to make sense out of what happened has implications for individual well-being and that the kinds of stories people tell about the incident predict very different psychological outcomes for them.
Social support buffers adolescent depression after terrorist attacks: Ben-Gurion University
Researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) have conducted a "before and after" study of depression and terrorist attacks in adolescents, demonstrating that strong social support from friends is a buffer from depression in terrorism-related stress.
High self-reported asthma rates in Chinatown, N.Y.
Research conducted seven years after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center (WTC) in New York City (NYC) found that children attending the socioeconomically and ethnically homogeneous elementary school closest to Ground Zero have high rates of self-reported asthma and airway obstruction.
'Information agents' for faster, better emergency response
'Information agents' have been developed that could prove invaluable in decision-making and directing the actions of the emergency services in the immediate aftermath of natural disasters or terrorist attacks.
Are women more generous? New study sheds light on donation behavior
Why would women give more to the victims of Hurricane Katrina than to the victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami? A new study in the Journal of Consumer Research sheds light onto the way gender and moral identity affect donations.
Survey samples life scientists' views on 'dual use' research and bioterrorism
Rapid advances in the biological sciences over the last several decades have yielded great benefits such as medical therapies and vaccines. But some of these same scientific advances could also be used for malicious purposes, a threat that has become more salient to the science and policy communities since the terrorist attacks of 2001.
Driving Under the Influence (of Stress): Regional Effects of 9/11 Attacks on Driving
The September 11 terrorist attacks had a profound impact on this country's psyche. Eight years after the attacks, we are still learning how those terrible events affected us.
India Terrorism By the Numbers: Statistics from UM's Global Terrorism Database
A long history of terrorism in India precedes the recent coordinated attacks in Mumbai. The Global Terrorism Database (GTD), maintained at the University of Maryland by the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) counts more than 4,100 terrorist attacks in India since 1970.
More Terrorist Attacks Current Events and Terrorist Attacks News Articles
 |
Creating Young Martyrs: Conditions That Make Dying in a Terrorist Attack Seem Like a Good Idea (Contemporary Psychology) by Alice LoCicero (Author), Samuel J. Sinclair (Author) The authors explain how and why we must understand the conditions that spur youths to become martyrs by making them think suicide bombings and other acts of self-destructive terrorism are a good way to die. LoCicero and Sinclair present cutting-edge research and theory about the political, social, and living conditions that raise the risk of children deciding to join organizations that use terrorist tactics, and, having joined, to volunteer for missions in which they intentionally die while causing death and destruction, in order to make an impact. Equally important, LoCicero and Sinclair offer concrete suggestions about how ordinary Americans can help reduce and prevent terrorism around the globe. |
![Surviving Terrorist Attacks [VHS]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51eaf0atigL._SL160_.jpg) |
Surviving Terrorist Attacks [VHS] Starring: Blinking Eye Media |
 |
Terrorist Attack Survival Kit hosted by Kelly Perdew by American Family Protection In this CD you will have access to the exact same multimedia materials used to train the teams of the federal government and military. You can count on the quality and accuracy of these government-approved modules. We’ve also added to that expertise a wide range of tools and publicly-available information along with web site links that will help you become prepared to understand and survive terrorist WMD attacks. |
 |
The Terrorist Starring: Ayesha Dharker, K. Krishna, Sonu Sisupal, Vishwas, Anuradha Directed By: Santosh Sivan Inspired by the events surrounding the assassination of Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Ghandi, The Terrorist focuses on the making of a suicide bomber marching towards the end of her life. |
|
Terrorist Attack Through the Eyes of a Child Adam K. Brandley (Performer), Adam K. Brandley (Performer), Hannah L. Brandley (Performer), America the Beautiful" (Performer), America the Beautiful" (Performer) Understanding the Terrorist Attack of September 11th, 2001 is difficult for all of us. This poem captures the experience as see through the eyes of the child in all of us. Hannah, my sweet nine year old narrates the following poem, with "America the Beautiful" playing in the back ground. We also have it available on a matted print, for $4. You can call 1-801-488-7381. "I guess I'm just too young - I don't un'erstan' it at all Why people would crash the pen'agon - an' make two towers fall. Daddy says they stole some planes - then all the passengers died. Mommy says the whole world mourned - but all I did was cry. Brother bragged about real brave guys - tacklin' the evil men. who were plannin' to hurt other folks - by flyin' into them. Sister gave... | |
|
Terrorist Attacks and Nuclear Proliferation Strategies for Overlapping Dangers by Demetrios Caraley (Other Contributor) | |
 |
Londoners Contemplate Damage Caused by Fenian Terrorists' Dynamite Attack on Scotland Yard Art Giclee Poster Print, 24x18 by AllPosters.com AllPosters.com is the world's #1 seller of posters, prints, photographs, specialty products and framed art. We're dedicated to bringing our customers the best selection of high quality wall décor that is perfect for their home or office. Browse our catalog of over 300,000 items that include entertainment and specialty posters, decorative prints, and art reproductions. Whether you're looking for your favorite movie or music poster, a framed Monet reproduction, or a print of the Eiffel Tower you will find it at AllPosters.com. Visit our Amazon store today at www.amazon.com/allposters to find Special Offers and search by subject category or artist. AllPosters.com provides unmatched service with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. We ship internationally to over 80 countries. Decorate your... |
 |
Mayday Family Package I - Emergency Safety Preparedness 72 Hour Kit And Pet Survival Kit For Dogs - Disaster Survival Gear Kits For Home, Work, School, And Office And Prepare For Hurricane Storm, Flood Evacuation, Fire, Or Terrorist Attack by MayDay Industries Prepare the entire family, you and your pets, with this combo package for a four person household and the family dog. This Combo package the deluxe 4 Person Emergency Kit AND the Pet Survival Kit for Dogs. The deluxe emergency Honey Bucket kit has everything you need for 72 hour emergency relief and comes in this convenient bucket that is easy to store. Kit is equipped for 4 people. Includes: 1Honey Bucket w/Lid, 42400 Calorie Food Bar, 4Solar Blanket, 24Pouches of Water, 4-Dust mask, 4- Ponchos, 12- Liners &Chemicals, 6- Wet Naps, 1 12 hour light stick, 154 Piece First Aid Kit, 1 radio/flashlight/siren, 1- Gas & Water Shut Off Tool, 1 Pair Leather Palm Gloves, 1- T-5 Chemical Disinfectant, 50 Water Purification Tablets, 50 Waterproof matches, 1-Utility Knife, 1- 5 N 1 Whistle, 1-... |
 |
Dancing Lessons Also With: CBS (Producer) |
 |
A Possible Terrorist Attack The Daniel May Orchestra (Primary Contributor) |
| © 2009 BrightSurf.com |