TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2009

Keynote Session – Terrorist Attack Tactics and Techniques
Mr. Howard Linett, Esq
You need to understand the how, what, why, and where of terrorists and
their attacks, if we are going to defeat them. This presentation is designed
to heighten your consciousness, raise your level of awareness and kindle a
survival instinct within you for terrorist attacks. First, we must identify the
terrorists, their mindset and motivation. Linett will describe the terrorist cell’s
organizational structure, division of labor, tools and techniques and target
selection criteria, pre-attack planning and preparation. He will provide a
detailed review of the terrorists’ playbook of tried and true attacks, practiced and perfected in Israel, Iraq and around the globe. Covered are attacks with firearms, explosives and non-conventional means.

To ensure a resilient homeland in a post 9/11 society, the United States must
have a homeland security strategy that (1) understands the threat, (2) effectively
counters the threat while preserving American values, (3) establishes a system
of accountability, and (4) creates public-private and federal-state partnerships
facilitating intelligence sharing and the continuity of society in the aftermath of
an attack. It is necessary to work with clear definitions of the terms and concepts that frame this strategy. As I have previously articulated, “one of the greatest hindrances to a cogent discussion of terrorism and counterterrorism has been that the terms lack clear, universal definitions.” For this reason, I will provide clear, concrete definitions of all key terms relevant to articulating strategy necessary for a resilient homeland. Post 9/11 and in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, one of the most important lessons learned by the United States was the dire consequences of the break-down in communications between governmental agencies amongst themselves and with the private sector. Ineffective communication directly led to hesitation, confusion, lost time, and ultimately lost property and lives. Effective cooperation and coordination between governmental agencies within, and among, the federal, state, and local governments is essential to achieving a successful homeland security strategy. However, in order to realize resiliency, it is paramount that there is clear cooperation and coordination between the public sector and the private sector.
A necessary component to establishing a resilient homeland, therefore, is a
viable public-private sector partnership that is based on (1) defined roles and
responsibilities, (2) articulating a coordinated prevention-response plan, and
(3) repeated training or simulation exercises using the prevention-response plan
against realistic disaster/terror scenarios.

Meet and greet your peers and new partners in the exhibit area. Visit M-STEP.com for updates on debriefing sessions.