In the aftermath of a terrorist attack like the one in Brussels this week, we naturally focus on the loss of life and the people seriously injured. But the damage is far more pervasive. Everyone in those communities—and beyond—are affected. Fear and uncertainty become the norm, at least in the near term. Our daily lives are impacted. Businesses, schools, and government are all disrupted. A trip on a subway or a ride to the airport takes on new meaning. Our way of life is challenged. And inevitably a sense of helplessness, frustration, and anger develops over why we are not safe, why our governments can’t do more to protect us.
A former senior British intelligence official, who asked not to be identified, told The Cipher Brief that the challenge for security officials is how to adapt to the changing threats and gain control of the situation. “What is damaging is when a feeling develops that a violent terrorist threat is not under control, and therefore, can occur at any time and take [a country or populace] by surprise,” the British official said.
We asked some of our network experts about what needs to be done to bring the situation under control. Today, we hear from former National Counterterrorism Center Director Matthew Olsen, who says protecting soft targets, like subways and airports, will always be difficult, because they are open to the public, therefore, “the key is intelligence, so that we can identify and disrupt attacks before they reach the execution stage.”
One of the trends in laws enforcement that Mitch Silber, the former director of intelligence analysis at the New York Police Department, sees is “a faster, more robust operational tempo.”
Silber expects more raids that will put “the terrorists back on their heels” and provide valuable intelligence that will help crack down on terrorist cells.
