Trends in Armed Attacks Kidnapping has proven to be a
consistently popular tactic of terrorist organizations.
Kidnapping can take several forms, including hijacking, hostage
taking/barricading, and the abduction of individuals or small
groups. Kidnapping offers strategic and tactical advantages to
terrorist organizations. First, the act of kidnapping can create
a continuing media story with increased coverage for the
terrorist group. Second, kidnapping can increase the leverage of
terrorist groups because the hostages, who are at the mercy of
the terrorists, are easy victims of additional violence or
threats of violence. These factors, combined with public
sympathy and humanitarian concerns for the hostages, often make
it more difficult for affected governments to deal with the
terrorists and their demands. Finally, ransoming victims for
money has become an important source of revenue for terrorist
groups of all ideological backgrounds. Kidnapping scenarios can
range from the spectacular, such as the 2002 sei