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NGrossman81's profile
Nicholas Grossman
Nicholas Grossman
Nicholas Grossman
@NGrossman81

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Nicholas Grossman

@NGrossman81

International Relations prof at U. Illinois. Senior Editor @ArcDigi. Author “Drones and Terrorism.” Politics, national security, and occasional nerdery.

amazon.com/Drones-Terrori…
Joined April 2015

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    1. Nicholas Grossman‏ @NGrossman81 17 Aug 2017

      Early analysis of #Barcelona terrorist attack that killed at least 13. Who, why, and what it means. (THREAD) #BarcelonaTerrorAttackpic.twitter.com/cnvOt9VFrO

      3 replies 17 retweets 18 likes
      Nicholas Grossman‏ @NGrossman81 17 Aug 2017

      A van plowed into a crowd in Las Ramblas. Witnesses saw it swerve to hit as many as possible. Authorities label it terrorism. #Barcelona 2/x

      3:47 PM - 17 Aug 2017
      • 2 Retweets
      • 4 Likes
      • Roberta Reid Priv Kris Z. Massey Wada-Wooooo!!!™ Is my Nickname My 1st name is WILL Mothra 🐛🦋🗽🌊
      1 reply 2 retweets 4 likes
        1. New conversation
        2. Nicholas Grossman‏ @NGrossman81 17 Aug 2017
          Replying to @NGrossman81

          #ISIS claimed responsibility, but current evidence indicates a self-starter attack, rather than a professional operation. #Barcelona 3/x

          2 replies 4 retweets 3 likes
        3. Nicholas Grossman‏ @NGrossman81 17 Aug 2017
          Replying to @NGrossman81

          Vehicle attacks (Nice, Berlin, Westminster, #Charlottesville) are often individuals inspired by, rather than sent by groups. #Barcelona 4/x

          1 reply 4 retweets 3 likes
        4. Nicholas Grossman‏ @NGrossman81 17 Aug 2017
          Replying to @NGrossman81

          By contrast, professional operatives, trained and deployed by terrorist groups, often coordinate assaults, like Paris 2015. #Barcelona 5/x

          1 reply 2 retweets 3 likes
        5. Nicholas Grossman‏ @NGrossman81 17 Aug 2017
          Replying to @NGrossman81

          Explosives are another sign that an attacker is a pro, or at least linked to some, like Brussels or Manchester. #Barcelona 6/x

          2 replies 2 retweets 5 likes
        6. Nicholas Grossman‏ @NGrossman81 17 Aug 2017
          Replying to @NGrossman81

          But not always. Boston Marathon attackers were self-starters, and built their own bombs using information found online. #Barcelona 7/x

          1 reply 2 retweets 3 likes
        7. Nicholas Grossman‏ @NGrossman81 17 Aug 2017
          Replying to @NGrossman81

          #ISIS claimed #Barcelona attacker "carried out the operation in response to calls for targeting coalition states." 8/x

          1 reply 2 retweets 3 likes
        8. Nicholas Grossman‏ @NGrossman81 17 Aug 2017
          Replying to @NGrossman81

          That further suggests self-starter. #ISIS has tried to inspire sympathizers to launch their own attacks. #BarcelonaTerrorAttack 9/x

          1 reply 1 retweet 2 likes
        9. Nicholas Grossman‏ @NGrossman81 17 Aug 2017
          Replying to @NGrossman81

          Pros can be tracked as they travel or communicate online, but self-starters (eg San Bernardino) are very hard to anticipate. #Barcelona 10/x

          1 reply 1 retweet 2 likes
        10. Nicholas Grossman‏ @NGrossman81 17 Aug 2017
          Replying to @NGrossman81

          Self-starters usually do less damage (130 dead in Paris), but as the #BarcelonaTerrorAttack shows, they're still pretty devastating. 11/x

          1 reply 1 retweet 2 likes
        11. Nicholas Grossman‏ @NGrossman81 17 Aug 2017
          Replying to @NGrossman81

          However, it's still early, and it's possible others were involved. Also, the driver is still at large. #Barcelona 12/x

          1 reply 1 retweet 2 likes
        12. Nicholas Grossman‏ @NGrossman81 17 Aug 2017
          Replying to @NGrossman81

          Authorities suspect an explosion in Alcanar (about 100km from #Barcelona) may be linked. #BarcelonaTerroristAttack 13/xpic.twitter.com/ISEKTosL3K

          1 reply 1 retweet 2 likes
        13. Nicholas Grossman‏ @NGrossman81 17 Aug 2017
          Replying to @NGrossman81

          But they found 20 gas canisters, which is hardly a sophisticated explosive. If linked, it supports self-starter theory. #Barcelona 14/x

          1 reply 1 retweet 5 likes
        14. Nicholas Grossman‏ @NGrossman81 17 Aug 2017
          Replying to @NGrossman81

          Who did it and how linked they were to #ISIS will become clearer. But this we know: vehicle attacks are very hard to stop. #Barcelona 15/x

          2 replies 1 retweet 2 likes
        15. Nicholas Grossman‏ @NGrossman81 17 Aug 2017
          Replying to @NGrossman81

          My analysis of the Westminster vehicle attack (March 2016) applies to the #BarcelonaTerroristAttack as well. https://arcdigital.media/5-thoughts-on-the-westminster-attack-aeb29d4f9d85 … 16/x

          1 reply 1 retweet 1 like
        16. Nicholas Grossman‏ @NGrossman81 17 Aug 2017
          Replying to @NGrossman81

          Vehicles will drive near pedestrians in cities. No way around it, and we wouldn't want to stop normal urban activity either. #Barcelona 17/x

          1 reply 1 retweet 1 like
        17. Nicholas Grossman‏ @NGrossman81 17 Aug 2017
          Replying to @NGrossman81

          If someone really wants to hit pedestrians on purpose, they will have the opportunity. #BarcelonaTerrorAttack 18/x

          1 reply 1 retweet 1 like
        18. Nicholas Grossman‏ @NGrossman81 17 Aug 2017
          Replying to @NGrossman81

          Alert security services can respond quickly, but not before terrorists can do some damage. #BarcelonaTerroristAttack 19/x

          1 reply 1 retweet 1 like
        19. Nicholas Grossman‏ @NGrossman81 17 Aug 2017
          Replying to @NGrossman81

          I wish I could end on a more positive note, telling you how tragedies like the #BarcelonaTerrorAttack can be averted. But I can't. 20/x

          1 reply 1 retweet 5 likes
        20. Nicholas Grossman‏ @NGrossman81 17 Aug 2017
          Replying to @NGrossman81

          The reasons why #terrorist groups and self-starters want to use violence are big, complicated, and not about to go away. #Barcelona 21/x

          1 reply 1 retweet 4 likes
        21. Nicholas Grossman‏ @NGrossman81 17 Aug 2017
          Replying to @NGrossman81

          And vehicle attacks are an effective tactic that even prepared security services will have trouble stopping. #BarcelonaTerroristAttack 22/x

          2 replies 1 retweet 1 like
        22. Nicholas Grossman‏ @NGrossman81 17 Aug 2017
          Replying to @NGrossman81

          Intelligence can help anticipate, and alert police and individuals can help minimize the damage. But some will get through. #Barcelona 23/x

          1 reply 1 retweet 3 likes
        23. Nicholas Grossman‏ @NGrossman81 17 Aug 2017
          Replying to @NGrossman81

          Unfortunately, this reality won't stop some people, especially politicians, from promising easy solutions. #BarcelonaTerrorAttack 24/x

          1 reply 1 retweet 3 likes
        24. Nicholas Grossman‏ @NGrossman81 17 Aug 2017
          Replying to @NGrossman81

          But we can sympathize with victims and reject those who try to use the #BarcelonaTerroristAttack to advance their preconceived agendas (END)

          2 replies 1 retweet 5 likes
        25. Nicholas Grossman‏ @NGrossman81 17 Aug 2017
          Replying to @NGrossman81

          UPDATE 1: Spanish police killed 5 in Cambrils attempting a vehicle attack, who they're treating as connected to the #BarcelonaTerrorAttack.

          1 reply 3 retweets 8 likes
        26. Nicholas Grossman‏ @NGrossman81 17 Aug 2017
          Replying to @NGrossman81

          UPDATE 2: Reports say the 5 dead attackers were wearing explosive belts, casting doubt on the theory that the #BarcelonaAttack was amateur.

          1 reply 2 retweets 5 likes
        27. Nicholas Grossman‏ @NGrossman81 17 Aug 2017
          Replying to @NGrossman81

          UPDATE 3: Explosive belts usually indicate professional operations, or at least connection to a terrorist group. #BarcelonaTerroristAttack

          1 reply 1 retweet 6 likes
        28. Nicholas Grossman‏ @NGrossman81 17 Aug 2017
          Replying to @NGrossman81

          UPDATE 4: Explosive belts require a skilled bomb maker. They're not the sort of thing an amateur throws together with household material.

          1 reply 2 retweets 6 likes
        29. Nicholas Grossman‏ @NGrossman81 17 Aug 2017
          Replying to @NGrossman81

          UPDATE 5: This also means it was very fortunate the Cambrils attack didn't kill anyone. The police did well. #BarcelonaTerroristAttack

          1 reply 1 retweet 5 likes
        30. Nicholas Grossman‏ @NGrossman81 17 Aug 2017
          Replying to @NGrossman81

          UPDATE 6: It's odd one operative, without explosives, would attack a major location while 5 with explosives would target one less prominent.

          3 replies 1 retweet 6 likes
        31. Nicholas Grossman‏ @NGrossman81 17 Aug 2017
          Replying to @NGrossman81

          UPDATE 7: But, if Cambrils proves connected to #Barcelona, we're looking at a cell, quite possibly with one or more #ISIS members.

          1 reply 1 retweet 5 likes
        32. 12 more replies

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