RAND: Little evidence of terrorist-pirate collusion

RAND: Little evidence of terrorist-pirate collusion Acts of piracy and terrorism at sea are on the rise, but there is little evidence to support concerns from some governments and international organizations that pirates and terrorists are beginning to collude with one another, according to a RAND Corp. study issued today.
   The think tank said the objectives of the two crimes remain different — piracy is aimed at financial gain while the goal of terrorism is political.
   It added that piracy is growing much faster and remains far more common than seaborne terrorism.
   “The maritime environment will likely remain a favorable theater for armed violence, crime and terrorism given its expanse, lack of regulation and general importance as a critical conduit for international trade,” said Peter Chalk, author of the study and a senior political scientist at RAND, a nonprofit research organization.
   “While there is no quick fix for eliminating all of this, we can rationally manage the threats within acceptable boundaries.”
   Chalk said the study’s findings suggest U.S. policymakers focus too much on responding to worst-case terrorist scenarios rather than crafting policies to combat lower consequence — but more probable — attacks that could strike cruise ships or passenger ferries.
   It said the U.S. government has paid comparatively little attention to combating piracy, despite its proven cost in terms of human lives, political stability and economic disruption.
   The study concludes that there are at least four policy-level contributions that U.S. policymakers can make to help better safeguard the world’s oceans:
   ' Expand the post-9/11 maritime security regime.
   ' Conduct regular, focused threat assessments.
   ' Redefine the mandates of multilateral security arrangements to make sure they provide for a greater role in countering maritime threats.
   ' Encourage the maritime industry to make greater use communication and defensive technologies, while accepting more transparency in its corporate structures.
   The full report, Piracy and Terrorism at Sea: A Rising Challenge for U.S. Security, is available at www.rand.org.