NCJ Number
79682
Date Published
Unknown
Length
0 pages
Annotation
Three experts discuss crisis management in the Netherlands; threat assessment regarding political terrorism, bombing, assassination, and kidnapping; and terrorist activities and responses in Latin America and in Vietnam during the American involvement. The audience for these lectures includes police officers and attorneys preparing for the upcoming Pan American Games in Puerto Rico.
Abstract
Dick Mulder, psychiatric advisor to the Dutch Ministry of Justice and a colonel in the Dutch Army, describes the Dutch policy center set up to meet the terrorist threat as consisting of the General Attorney, the district attorney, the chief of police, a Government representative, a representative of the Queen, and two advisors (a psychiatrist and a press liaison officer). He emphasizes that terrorists are isolated people who were raised in unloving homes by parents often absent. He describes difficulties faced by Dutch officials when confronting South Moluccan terrorists and suggests that any terrorist action involves three stages: the first stage (the takeover) lasting 24 hours; the second stage (negotiation) lasting days, weeks, or months; and the third stage (the agreement) lasting 1 day. He suggests that during hostage negotiations the negotiator should monopolize communications and avoid contacts with the press, reject terrorists' requests for dangerous games or liquor, and avoid provoking terrorists' resistance by attempting to sympathize with their plight and gain their trust. Col. Richard Clutterbuck of the United Kingdom outlines the aims of political terrorists and criminal gangs and their plans for an attack. He suggests that the best deterrent to a terrorist action is the prospect of detection and conviction rather than punishment and that police must understand the terrorists' point of view in order to deter their operations. Finally, Jay Mallin, a specialist on terrorism from Los Angeles, looks at terrorist activities in Latin America and argues that the North Vietnamese conducted the worst terror campaign in modern history. Issues brought up during the question and answer session that follows the lectures include the legality of the Israeli operation to kidnap Adolph Eichmann and the usefulness of engaging members of terrorists' families in the negotiation process.