Product Description

Many believe that pirates and other water-bound terrorists present a significant threat to international maritime security. Testing the validity of this claim, Martin N. Murphy scrutinizes recent incidents of maritime terrorism and locates the commonalities between pirates and maritime terrorists that enable them to commit their extensive crimes. Murphy's research opens up surprising sites of contact between pirates and wider criminal networks, organizations that pursue their corrupt agendas not only on sea but also on land. It is these relationships, Murphy argues, that bring about the destabilization of states and regions in which piracy occurs.

Murphy's most significant revelation is the way in which maritime criminality may disguise insurgent and terrorist activity, allowing such actors greater freedom to maneuver. Although these acts currently rank as a low-level threat, priacy feeds off of political upheaval. Before they can evolve into a truly powerful and dangerous force, however, maritime terrorists and insurgents will have to overcome significant operational and technical issues. They must also capture the attention of an international audience by committing atrocities at sea that are as devastating as those committed on land.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #253297 in Books
• Published on: 2009-04
• Released on: 2009-03-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 288 pages

Review

"A valiant effort... its sobriety and scope should make it essential for professionals in shipping, insurance, risk management, and security." -- Stephen Fidler, Financial Times

"Specialists and general readers alike will find Murphy's broad, systematic treatment of the subject an excellent starting point." -- J. Peter Pham, RUSI

Review

"There have been a number of books on modern piracy, yet no work compares to Martin N. Murphy's comprehensive and scholarly research. His will stand as the definitive reference on the subject for years to come." -- John S. Burnett, author of Dangerous Waters: Modern Piracy and Terror on the High Seas

About the Author

Martin N. Murphy is a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments (CSBA) in Washington D.C., where he specializes in maritime irregular warfare and is the inaugural research fellow at the Corbett Centre for Maritime Policy Studies at King's College, University of London. He has advised the U.K. Ministry of Defence on maritime irregular warfare and related criminal activity at sea and has published widely on both piracy and maritime terrorism.