Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

This course is intended to provide the Emergency Management student with terms and definitions used in terrorism, as well as, descriptions of terrorists and organizations from within the U.S. and from around the world. The various chemical, biological, explosive and radiological agents and their many delivery systems are also described.

Students will be able to:

• Describe the breadth, depth and complexity of terrorism
• Identify acts of terrorism and distinguish between terrorism and simple criminal activity
• Distinguish between extreme advocacy groups and terrorists
• Identify the differences between industrial chemicals and weapons grade chemicals and how they are both used by terrorists
• Identify naturally occurring poisons and bio-weapons and how they can be used

Through lecture, reading and discussion:

• Discuss the breadth and depth of the terrorist threat
• Distinguish between terrorism and criminal acts
• Discuss international terrorists and organizations
• Distinguish between extreme advocacy groups and terrorists
• Identify the agents of weapons of mass destruction
• Discuss WMD agent weaponization and delivery systems

Grades and competencies will be determined by the student’s ability to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of terminology, theory, concepts, materials and systems through written assignments
• Analyze case studies
• Write a term paper profiling a terrorist and the support organization
• Written exams

• Terrorism defined
• International Terrorists and Organizations
• Domestic Terrorism
• Weapons of Mass Destruction

Biological
Chemical
Nuclear
Explosive
Incendiary
Radiological

• Weaponization of agents and delivery systems