British Policy on Terrorism: An Assessment (From The Threat of Terrorism, P 29-55, 1988, Juliet Lodge, ed. -- See NCJ-120913)

• NCJ Number: 120915
• Author(s): P Wilkinson
• Date Published: 1988
• Length: 27 pages
• Sale Source: Westview Press, Inc
• Publication Type: Historical Overview
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

After reviewing the history of terrorism in Great Britain before and after 1970, this chapter assesses the British approach for countering terrorism.

Abstract

The major terrorist threats in Britain since 1970 have been the Irish Republican Army, international terrorism spilling over into London and other major British centers, and terrorist attacks on British targets abroad. The principles of British policy to combat terrorism are the upholding of law and democratic government; no surrender to terrorist demands; the management of convicted terrorists as common criminals with no special privileges, pardons, or amnesty; and the minimizing of the rewards and the maximizing of the costs of terrorism. Major instruments for implementing these principles are the strengthening of the judiciary and the police; improved intelligence gathering, analysis, and coordination; and bilateral and multilateral cooperation with allies. This approach has been effective and consistent, but it has manifested weaknesses. Among them are inadequate intelligence coordination between the army and the police and the allowing of British businesses to maintain commerce with State sponsors of terrorism. 30 notes.