NCJ Number
59748
Date Published
1979
Length
15 pages
Annotation
FOCUSING ON THE EVOLUTION OF REVOLUTIONARY WARFARE FROM RURAL TO URBAN TERRORISM, THIS PAPER EXAMINES TERRORIST TACTICS, URBAN TERRORISM IN THE 1970'S, AND FUTURE TRENDS.
Abstract
CURRENTLY, REVOLUTIONARIES HAVE ABANDONED SERIOUS EFFORTS TO CREATE INSURGENT BASES IN THE COUNTRYSIDE AND HAVE TURNED, INSTEAD, TO THE URBAN AREAS AS THE FOCUS OF THEIR EFFORTS. THIS SHIFT HAS ARISEN OUT OF THE FRUSTRATIONS OF STUDENTS AND YOUNG INTELLECTUALS, FOUND IN ABUNDANCE IN THE CITIES, WHO CANNOT SUCCESSFULLY INTEGRATE INTO SOCIETIES WHICH NO LONGER DEMAND THEIR SKILLS. WHEN THE POLITICAL ACTIVISM AND DEMANDS FOR SOCIAL AND POLITICAL CHANGE OF THIS ARTICULATE GROUP ARE MET WITH GOVERNMENTAL INDIFFERENCE, THEY BECOME IDEAL CANDIDATES FOR TERRORIST RECRUITMENT. ALSO, CITIES ARE IDEAL TARGETS FOR TERRORIST ACTIVITIES DUE TO THE RICH SELECTION OF TARGETS, THE READY AVAILABILITY OF BANKS AND FOREIGN BUSINESS FIRMS TO SUPPLY FUNDS, THE EASY ACCESS TO FOOD SUPPLIES AND MEDICAL ASSISTANCE, THE CACHE OF WEAPONS AT THEIR DISPOSAL, AND THE FAMILY CONNECTIONS OF THE URBAN TERRORIST ELITE. THE EVOLUTION OF REVOLUTIONARY THINKING, FROM THE TACTICS OF HARRASSMENT BORROWED FROM MAO TO THE MODERN CONCEPT OF URBAN ZONES AS THE EPICENTER OF THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR AS DEVISED BY ABRAHAM GUILLEN, HAS LED TERRORISTS TO HARRASS AND TO SELECT INDIVIDUAL VICTIMS WHOSE FATE IS DISPLAYED BEFORE A MUCH BROADER AUDIENCE. MODERN TERRORISTS SELECT TARGETS THAT PROMISE MINIMAL RISK, WHILE PRODUCING FEAR IN THE POPULACE AND EMBARRASSMENT FOR THE GOVERNMENT. BECAUSE TERRORISTS TEND NOT TO REGARD ANY PERSONS AS INNOCENT VICTIMS, ALL HUMAN LIVES ARE HELD VICTIM THROUGH FEAR, INTIMIDATION, AND COERCION, AND THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN TERRORISTS AND CRIMINALS TENDS TO LIE NOT IN THE ACTS THEMSELVES, BUT IN THE MOTIVATION FOR THE DEED AND IN THE SELECTION OF THE VICTIMS. A GRAPH SHOWS THE HIERARCHY OF TERRORIST TACTICS, WHICH ARE LARGELY CONTINGENT ON ANY COMBINATION OF AREAS OF GROUP COMPETENCE (I.E., WEAPONS, CADRE EXPERIENCE, UNIQUE SKILLS), WITH KIDNAPING AS THE MOST DEMANDING AND PROMISING. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF URBAN TERRORISM IN THE 1970'S IS NOTED. TRENDS POINT TO INCREASING NUMBERS OF WOMEN, YOUNGER PERSONS, THE TECHNICALLY SKILLED, AND NONUNIVERSITY GRADUATES HOLDING LEADERSHIP AND OPERATIONAL ROLES IN TERRORIST GROUPS. THE INCREASED PARTICIPATION BY TECHNICALLY INCLINED PERSONS MAKES OPERATIONS AIMED AT MASS DESTRUCTION AND INDUSTRIAL SABOTAGE MORE PLAUSIBLE. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (WJR)