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  • Book
  • © 2016

The Dynamics of a Terrorist Targeting Process

Anders B. Breivik and the 22 July Attacks in Norway

Palgrave Macmillan

Authors:

  1. Cato Hemmingby

    1. Norwegian Police University College, Norway

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  2. Tore Bjørgo

    1. Norwegian Police University College, Norway

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Part of the book series: Palgrave Hate Studies (PAHS)

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  • ISBN: 978-1-137-57997-3
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Table of contents (9 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-ix
    PDF

  2. Introduction

    • Cato Hemmingby, Tore Bjørgo
    Pages 1-11

  3. Theoretical Perspectives and Methodological Approaches

    • Cato Hemmingby, Tore Bjørgo
    Pages 12-18

  4. The Target Overview Dataset

    • Cato Hemmingby, Tore Bjørgo
    Pages 19-28

  5. Anders B. Breivik’s Targeting Process

    • Cato Hemmingby, Tore Bjørgo
    Pages 29-44

  6. From Thinking to Acting

    • Cato Hemmingby, Tore Bjørgo
    Pages 45-58

  7. The Attacks and the Consequences

    • Cato Hemmingby, Tore Bjørgo
    Pages 59-76

  8. The Trial and Sentencing

    • Cato Hemmingby, Tore Bjørgo
    Pages 77-86

  9. Breivik in a Comparative Perspective

    • Cato Hemmingby, Tore Bjørgo
    Pages 87-107

  10. Conclusion

    • Cato Hemmingby, Tore Bjørgo
    Pages 108-114

  11. Back Matter

    Pages 115-131
    PDF
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About this book

This book provides an in-depth analysis of probably the most horrific solo terrorist operation the world has ever seen. On 22 July 2011 Anders Behring Breivik killed 77 people when he bombed the Government District in Oslo, before he conducted a shooting attack against a political youth camp at Utøya. The main focus of the book is on the operational aspects of the events, particularly the target selection and decision-making process. Why did Breivik choose the targets he finally attacked, what influenced his decision-making and how did he do it? 

Using unique source material, providing details never published before, the authors accurately explain how even this ruthless terrorist acted under a number of constraints in a profoundly dynamic process. This momentous work is a must read for scholars, students and practitioners within law enforcement, intelligence, security and terrorism studies.

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Keywords

  • Terrorism
  • Anders B. Breivik
  • 22 July attacks
  • Utøya
  • lone actor
  • solo terrorist
  • target selection
  • targeting
  • modus operandi
  • terrorist tactics
  • counterterrorism
  • detection
  • intelligence
  • threat assessment
  • societal security
  • police response
  • active shooter
  • massacre
  • terrorist trial
  • criminology
  • police
  • terrorism
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Reviews

“Cato Hemmingby and Tore Bjørgo draw on 220 hours and 1,200 pages of classified interviews with Breivik to provide a rare glimpse into the ‘terrorist cycle’ of attack preparations and logistics. … intended equally for academics and law enforcement practitioners.” (Matthew Feldman, THE, timeshighereducation.com, December, 2015)

"[This book] is based on a large range of data that would be the envy of any researcher. The authors do this privileged access justice with a phenomenal book that merits re-reading because it is so full of intimate granular level of data . . . But it is not just the data access that makes this piece of work unique. There is a lot for the field of research to learn from in terms of methodological approach." - Paul Gill, Senior Lecturer in Security and Crime Science, University College London, UK

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Authors and Affiliations

  • Norwegian Police University College, Norway

    Cato Hemmingby, Tore Bjørgo

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About the authors

Cato Hemmingby is Research Fellow at the Norwegian Police University College, and senior advisor in the Norwegian Government Security and Service Organization. His academic background is in Middle East and Terrorism Studies. His doctorate research on terrorist targeting at the University of Stavanger, Norway, addresses solo terrorists, militant Islamists in Europe and the Provisional Irish Republican Army. 

Tore Bjørgo is Professor of Police Science at the Norwegian Police University College, and Adjunct Research Professor at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs. In addition to numerous articles, he has authored and edited thirteen books, including: Leaving Terrorism Behind (2009); Strategies for Preventing Terrorism (2013), and; Preventing Crime: A Holistic Approach (2015). 
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Bibliographic Information

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Access via your institution
eBook USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • ISBN: 978-1-137-57997-3
  • Instant PDF download
  • Readable on all devices
  • Own it forever
  • Exclusive offer for individuals only
  • Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout
Hardcover Book USD 69.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
Learn about institutional subscriptions