Reduce the Risk of Suicide Terrorism in the U.S. Through Technology by Bill Roggio

Iran and Hezbollah could strike preemptively anytime in the U.S. and Europe. So how can we prevent, or at least reduce the risk of, suicide bombings in the U.S.?

The recent experience with martyrdom operations in Iraq and elsewhere adds urgency to the search for innovative preventive solutions. In addition to cultivating sufficient intelligence, we have to employ technological innovation to defend areas against suicide terrorists. Of paramount concern will be critical infrastructure facilities, symbolic targets, and high-population density enclosures (such as office and government buildings) at which such attacks are most likely to occur.

While the tactical advantages of suicide terrorism ensure that successful attacks are never 100% preventable, striving to stay at least close to terrorists’ tactical innovations must be a priority. Currently, battlefield and non-military applied technologies in use in foreign countries to stop terrorists from entering a potential target area are underutilized in the U.S. For example, active millimeter wave technology, with no x-ray involved, is currently deployed across the world in both military and civilian capacities: at airports in Tel Aviv and London, the Baghdad courthouse where Saddam Hussein was tried, Israeli and U.S. military checkpoints, and border-crossings. This technology is a proven, safe and efficient methodology for detecting the variety of non-metallic components (i.e. “DEET” explosives) that comprise the modern suicide device, by generating holographic images of those screened. But, as yet, this technology hasn't been deployed in any U.S. airport.

U.S. authorities should also strongly consider the deployment of technologies which would automatically enable the extraction and collection of explosives residue from carry-on luggage during the airport security screening process. Over 4 billion pieces of carry-on and checked luggage are screened each year worldwide, but existing solutions are still labor-intensive, slow, and cannot handle the expected increase in the number of bags.

The movement of tactical explosives expertise from the Middle East to Europe and Southeast Asia proves that the attempted use of such hard-to-detect explosives here should be expected. It's imperative that U.S. counterterrorism and homeland security officials employ our technological expertise to leverage the input from the intel agencies.