It’s arguably the most difficult type of attack to prevent. Because traditional terror attacks involve entire terror cells and multiple terrorists performing multiple tasks – recruitment, selection of target, securing of weapons, personnel, design of attack and so on – a number of opportunities exist for counter-terrorism intelligence personnel to enter the chain of command and thwart the attack. But true “lone wolves” are not ordered or dispatched by others. Rather, they are inspired and motivated to act – some spontaneously and some with forethought. But regardless, as solo actors there are few, if any, avenues of intervention for intelligence and counter-terrorism agents to act. Nevertheless, in the aftermath of Sunday’s homicide-by-vehicle attack in Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said efforts to thwart lone-wolf attacks would be stepped-up. This apparently means stopping and questioning drivers, checking parked cars and trucks, and increasing the number of ears-to-the-ground Israel and the Palestinian Authority have in neighborhoods with a history of residents embracing terror. Concrete barriers are being installed at bus stops along roadways where pedestrians congregate in order to prevent riders from being targeted by vehicles.
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