Mercyhurst Professor & Intelligence Student Reacts To Deadly Terror Attacks

At Erie's Mercyhurst University, the Intelligence Studies program will use Tuesday's deadly terror attacks, in the classroom.

Students are learning straight from the experts about the attacks, and more importantly, how to help prevent them.

Tuesday's deadly terror attacks in Brussels are being used as immediate case studies for intelligence students at Mercyhurst University.

Dozens of people are killed, nearly 200 wounded in the coordinated terror attacks in Brussels, Belgium.

Dr. James Breckenridge is the Dean of the Tom Ridge School for Intelligence Studies and Information Science, at Mercyhurst University.

He says these terrorists are continuing their trend of striking soft targets, "What the terrorists have learned is that what's convenient should be struck, rather than large symbolic targets," said Dr. Breckenridge. "So that's what you're seeing at train stations, airports, bus stations, things like that," Breckenridge added.

And while Dr. Breckenridge believes this attack was planned for some time, he says there's likely a connection to the recent arrest in Brussels, of the ringleader of the Paris terror attacks.

And as far as our security here in America, Dr. Breckenridge says we're more geographically isolated, so we can more easily restrict terrorists from entering our country.

The European Union has open borders, allowing for free access and much easier immigration, but with the rise of the Islamic State, that's now something being debated around the world, "The European Union has to make a decision just as we do; do we become more secure and less free? Do we balance that freedom with restrictions? So what they have to debate, is what we have to debate as well," said Dr. Breckenridge.

So while we shouldn't live in fear of an attack, Dr. Breckenridge adds that doesn't mean we should become complacent, "We shouldn't let down our guard, this is another signal that where targets present themselves, they will be struck," said Dr. Breckenridge. "We have to be consciously aware of our environment, and where we see anomalies, deviations, things that look strange we out to report and be aware," Breckenridge added.

Dan Irwin, of Canada, is a first-year graduate student at Mercyhurst University. He's studying Applied Intelligence, and hopes to pursue a career in government security.

Some professors will use Tuesday's deadly attacks in Brussels, as immediate case studies in the classrooms. Irwin says he hopes to learn from it, "The professors work to integrate it into what we're talking about. So, I'm in the right place to discuss these types of issues," said Irwin.

For Irwin, terror attacks like the ones Tuesday in Belgium, and the deadly October 2014 attack on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, are his motivation for wanting to make his country, and the world, a safer place, "Coming here, I had seen recent attacks in Canada as well as the United States, and that was part of the reason I thought this would be a worthwhile field to get in to," said Irwin. "So seeing what's going on and the need for intelligence professionals, it drives me to work hard here," Irwin added.