– What changed after September 11, was that we got a clearer picture of who a terrorist might be. Today, we would never think that a window breaker could be a terrorist. So the terror understanding we had in the early nineties, definitely became somewhat outdated after September 11, says Sissel Jore, who is working on a PhD in risk management and societal safety at the University of Stavanger.
Her research shows that since 1993, Norwegian authorities have renewed their view on terror, and upgraded the terror alert in accordance with the new, global understanding of terror. Before, they were liable to use terms like half criminal, window breaking, damage and political demonstrations when the terrorist threat against Norway was considered.
New forms of terrorism
After the year 2000, there was a change in our understanding of terrorism. Society could be threatened by new forms of terrorism, which would use new weapons, including weapons of mass destruction.
– You would think that Norwegian authorities got their new view on the term terrorism after September 11 2001. However, the new understanding came as early as the late 1990s. Both the EU's and NATO's new strategic concept from 1999 emphasised the threat from terrorism. However, some researchers also put forward theories suggesting that terrorism would change character, and that new, more lethal forms of terrorism would pose a threat in the future, Ms Jore explains.
In 2000, Committee for assessment of vulnerability set out to examine society's vulnerability with an aim to strengthen society's safety.
– With this committee, Norway changed their understanding of what a terrorist is. Earlier, there was a logical connection between the terrorist act and the goal. An attack on an embassy could be linked to, and understood on the basis of, various conflicts. A terrorist had an understandable reason. The committee moved the attention away from the motivation. Instead, they looked at the weapon and the threats, and at what a terrorist might be capable of doing. The committee introduced new concepts such as computer terrorism and atomic terrorism. These concepts give us a whole new understanding of what terrorism is, and what terrorists are capable of doing, says Ms. Jore.
More power to the authorities
With the old understanding of terror, there was no need for special legislation to protect society. With the new understanding of terror, it is a serious risk to the whole of society, especially terror linked to vital infrastructure – i.e. means of transport, roads, water supplies, and telecommunication.
She explains that the change in our understanding of terrorism has been part of the reason for the new legislation, and for maintaining a Norwegian terror alert.
– The new understanding of terror gives more power to the authorities, as most people feel the new terror as more serious, and a threat to the whole society. The Norwegian authorities do not emphasise the probability of terrorist attacks or the likelihood of threats when it comes to the implementation of counter-terrorism measures. Here, there's a desire for an alert based on the worst case scenario. This could mean an increased level of safety measures in society, says Ms Jore.
Text: Karen Anne Okstad
Translation: Linda Johnsen
From Blitz to bombs – The Norwegian authorities' understanding of terror
Our understanding of terrorism has changed radically over the last 15 years. The terrorist has gone from being a political window breaker to a ruthless mass murderer.
Research fellow Sissel Haugdal Jore at the University of Stavanger presented the article: «Changes in the Norwegian Authorities’ Discourses on the Terrorism Threat» at the ESREL conference in Spain 22.–25. September 2008.
The old understanding of terrorism: Terrorism is a politically motivated crime. The target is logically connected to the political aim of the terrorist. Examples of terrorist acts are fights, window breaking, demonstrations, tear gas attacks and bomb attacks. The new understanding of terrorism: Who the terrorist is, and their reasoning is not as important anymore. Increased attention paid to religiously motivated terror. Terror attacks are attacks on vital infrastructure and the mass murder of innocent people. Terrorists will use new forms of weapons, for instance, computerised weapons, chemical weapons and weapons of mass destruction.
SEROS - Centre for Risk Management and Societal Safety
SEROS is a multidiciplinary research centre at the University of Stavanger.
Our research and education activities focus on theoretical and methodological premises for societal safety, security and welfare.
