TERRORISMVehicle-Ramming Attacks

Vehicle-ramming attacks have emerged as a significant terrorist tactic in Europe and, to a lesser extent, in the United States.

The motivations behind these attacks have predominantly been linked to extremist ideologies, particularly Islamist extremism, with attackers often targeting crowded public spaces to maximize casualties.

From the perpetrator’s perspective, ramming attacks have several advantages:

·  Ease of execution: Vehicles are accessible and require minimal preparation.

·  High casualties: Crowded areas make it easy to cause significant harm.

·  Global attention: The scenes of carnage, shown on TV screens across the world, instill fear and anxiety in the population of the targeted country.

A 2019 study by Brian Michael Jenkins and Bruce R. Butterworth, Smashing into Crowds? —an Analysis of Vehicle Ramming Attacks, examined ramming as a terrorist tool. Here is the study’s Executive Summary:

·  Vehicle ramming attacks are not a new tactic, but the volume and lethality of vehicle ramming attacks has increased over the long run, although based upon the first nine months, it appears that the number of attacks will significantly decline in 2019.

·  MTI’s latest tally shows 184 vehicle ramming attacks since 1963; 128 (70% of the these) have occurred since January 1, 2014.

·  Unlike other forms of terrorist attack, most of which occur in conflict zones in the developing world, most vehicle ramming attacks occur in developed countries—Europe and the United States account for more than half of the recent attacks.

·  Mentally unstable individuals—people who did not get the help and intervention they needed in time—account for 91 of the 184 attacks (49%) and also account for 209 (43%) of the 481 fatalities, the largest share of any attacker group. Attackers motivated by Jihadist sentiments or ideology account for only 19 (10%) of the attacks and 144 (30%) of the fatalities.

·  Not counting the drivers, vehicle rammings average 2.6 fatalities per attack.

·  Vehicle ramming attacks are not the most lethal terrorist tactic, but for those who cannot get guns or bombs, vehicles are a readily available “weapon”and easily accessible targets are just around the corner.

·  Terrorists did not invent the tactic of ramming vehicles into crowds of people. Like kidnappings and airline hijackings, they adopted into their repertoire a tactic that had already appeared in earlier incidents.