Over the past decades, threats facing humanity such as kidnappings, terrorism, war, hunger, and diseases like COVID-19, among others, increased considerably. In recent years, terror attacks in different countries worldwide increased, causing considerable damages, injuring scores, and killing thousands. Terrorism is the use of violence in an unlawful way with religious and political aims towards the public. Terrorism activities are carried out with terrorists from terror groups like the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS), al-Qaida, and al-Shabaab, among others. All across the globe, some places are vibrant and are thus potential targets for terrorism.
There are many potential targets for terror attacks; some are critical thus more vulnerable. Some of these vulnerable places may include shopping malls, worshiping places and religious sites, transport systems such as metro/subway and rail systems, and terminuses, and urban and trading centers. These places are known to have many people flowing in and out of to shop, transit, and worship. These places also attract many different groups of people, including dignitaries and top religious leaders who, if successfully attacked terrorists, will have a lot to celebrate.
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Terrorists may employ similar or different kinds of mechanisms in their attacks at these places. Mechanisms used in attacks may include bombs, guns, suicide bombers, and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), among others. For instance, in most of these places, such as metro/subway, rail systems, and terminuses, terrorists may prefer to use bombs as they will cause more damage once and thus hurt many people. At places like trade centers and urban centers, as much as they may also employ the use of bombs and suicide bombers, they may prefer the use of UAS, which would have severe damage to the infrastructure and the people (U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 2020). UAS may also be used in other places such as public gatherings, i.e., religious sites and worship places. The use of guns may be preferred at all locations, especially in shopping malls, and gatherings.
These places are just a few of the most vulnerable to terror plots. Other vulnerable sites may include schools, stadiums, political congregations, military bases (entrances/exits are not usually heavily guarded), chemical plants, bio labs, and dams. All the same, terrorism may have some locations as their preferred area to inflict more damage; they may change and pick the most unexpected places such as hospitals, among others.
References
U.S. Department of Homeland Security. (2020). Homeland Threat Assessment . U.S. Department of Homeland Security. https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/2020_10_06_homeland-threat-assessment.pdf
