August 29, 2017
The Threat of Small-Dollar Terrorism
The recent ISIS terrorist attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils likely cost no more than a few thousand dollars—little more than the cost of renting vehicles and housing and feeding operatives for a few weeks. These attacks fit a pattern of high-impact, low-cost terrorism across Europe. Even the Paris attacks in November 2015, which killed 130 revelers, likely cost no more than $10,000.
It’s not clear whether the terrorists in Spain received money from abroad or raised funds locally to carry out the attacks. But we know that even as coalition military forces have scored victories against ISIS in Iraq and Syria, ISIS operatives and terrorists have turned to these kinds of low-cost attacks across the West. Just since the beginning of January, we have seen horrific examples in London, Paris, Manchester and Stockholm, in addition to the attacks in Spain.
Read the full article in Politico.
More from CNAS
-
Sharper: Day One
Commentary
The Biden-Harris administration will confront a range of national security challenges from the moment it takes office....
By Chris Estep
-
How the Defense Budget Could Actually Increase (Slightly)
Commentary
Once all is said and done, it is more likely that defense spending will end up growing rather than shrinking....
By Diem Salmon
-
The President (Probably) Isn’t Going To Nuke Anything This Week
Commentary
The idea that presidents are able to use nuclear weapons in any way they personally desire is not correct....
By Tom Shugart
-
A Joint Warfighting Concept for Systems Warfare
Commentary
Future combat between peer and near-peer adversaries will be characterized, dominated, and decided by the collision of opposing systems of systems....
By Robert O. Work
