NEW YORK CITY—The low-key opening earlier this week of One World Trade Center represented a long-delayed triumph over the terrorism which brought down the two towers that once stood where the newly opened skyscraper now does. However, the world has not remained the same since 9/11, and accordingly the nature of terrorism has changed, a BOMA New York audience learned Thursday morning.

“Theatricality and spectacle” is no longer a prerequisite of successful acts of terrorism as far as Al-Qaeda is concerned, keynote speaker John Gordon of the New York City Police Department Counterterrorism Bureau's Terrorism Threat Analysis Group told the BOMA audience. Making a large-scale impression is still preferred, but “low-tech tactics” represent an emerging threat both globally and domestically, said Gordon.

For one thing, such tactics require little training while producing a high impact, as the recent firearms attacks in Quebec and Ottawa illustrate. Closer to home, last month's hatchet attack in Queens, which the NYPD has classified as an act of terrorism, resulted in two police officers receiving serious injuries and the assailant being killed—all in the space of seven seconds.

For another thing, the advent of social media means that small-scale attacks can be trumpeted online and used as recruitment tools, Gordon said. Furthermore, such dissemination through social media can inspire copycat incidents following isolated attacks. The “demonstration killing” terror plot that was foiled in Australia, for example, may have inspired the attacks in Canada, he said.

Along with Al-Qaeda's stance on terror, the organization itself has evolved over time. “It's no longer centralized, but rather an affiliate organization of groups that are both allies and foes,” said Gordon. And each of these groups, regardless of whether they're acting in cooperation with Al-Qaeda, represents a potential threat to the US and to American interests overseas.

While the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant may be the highest-profile group at the moment—and, bankrolled by $2 billion in petroleum dollars, the wealthiest—“We must not let tunnel vision limit our focus to ISIL alone,” Gordon warned. Nor are counterterrorism groups setting their sights strictly on groups that have explicitly threatened the US and its allies. Although a group such as Boko Haram, best known for the mass kidnapping of Nigerian schoolgirls this past April, may not pose an immediate threat domestically, “We look at these groups with the long view,” said Gordon.

Gordon's colleagues at NYPD also provided insights on what the department is doing to address potential threats. Police presence was stepped up dramatically at this year's New York Marathon, for example, and will be as well for the Thanksgiving parade. Although the ebola virus to date has resulted in only one local case, the NYPD is working with the Department of Health and the Fire Department on preparedness.

And while drones have become popular among hobbyists recently, “There are also some people thinking about how you can weaponize a drone,” said deputy chief Salvatore Dipace. He later added, “It doesn't take the Al-Qaeda A-team anymore.”

With that in mind, BOMA New York members were invited to participate in the NYPD's SHIELD program, a partnership with private-sector security managers to help protect the city from terrorism, foreign or home-grown. Free counterterrorism training is provided to participating organizations.

Instant Insights /

NYPD Experts: Terror Tactics Have Evolved

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