Appraising the Performance of Terrorist Organizations - Selected European Separatist Groups, Fall 1978 to Summer 1979 (From Clandestine Tactics and Technology - A Technical and Background Intelligence Data Service, Volume 5 - See NCJ-77151)

• NCJ Number: 76467
• Author(s): J B Wolf
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 26 pages
• Sale Source: International Assoc of Chiefs of Police
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Focusing on the activities of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), this article describes terrorist activities in Ireland, Spain, France, England, and the Soviet Union and presents a management-by-objective (MBO) assessment system for analyzing terrorist activity.

Abstract

The MBO system consists of analysis of five key areas and of a performance review. The antiterrorist analyst must determine and examine the following: the overall mission or purpose of the organization; key responsibility areas in which terrorist leaders must accomplish results; performance measures of quality, quantity, cost and timeliness of action; expected results of units and individuals; and action plans, the sequencing and timing of activities in order to achieve objectives. The performance review should be completed semiannually, and should be based on information about group activities collected daily. The analysis system is illustrated with a description of recent activities of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), focusing on the assassination of Lord Mountbatten. The analysis concludes that the IRA has made considerable progress in organizational development and in financial areas but has had difficulty in linking its actions to its 'united Ireland' mission statement and in cleaning up its image, tarnished by the retention of the practice of 'kneecapping' as an internal control method. In addition, the status and future activities of Basque separatist terrorists in Spain are uncertain pending the success of a movement to grant the provinces autonomy. Breton and Corsican terrorists operating in France have been responsible for a number of bombings and Welsh nationalists have seized radio and television facilities and transmitters in pressing for a Welsh-language television channel. Soviet dissidents have staged bombings and assassination activities in support of nationalistic efforts although these events have been under-reported in the Soviet media. Brief analyses of Basque, Breton, and Corsican terrorist activities are also provided. Charts and six references are included.