NCJ Number
79678
Date Published
Unknown
Length
0 pages
Annotation
These two reels of videotape document the opening session of an international conference on terrorism held in Puerto Rico in 1978. Three substantial lectures are given by representatives from the United States, the United Kingdom, and West Germany.
Abstract
Aaron Katz, Chairman of the Center for the Study of Human Behavior welcomes the participants, who have come to establish a global dialogue on the international threat of terrorism beyond the immediate context of the upcoming Pan American Games in Puerto Rico. The topics to be covered at the meeting include terrorist propaganda, response to terrorism, development of denial systems, threat assessment, hostage negotiations, the media, and legislation. The official representative of the U.S. Government, Ambassador Anthony Quainton, Director of the Office for Combating Terrorism at the Department of State, cites the distressingly high and destructive incidence of international terrorism, in which innocent citizens are both the weapons and the targets. He urges the need to identify points of vulnerability in society and to plan at the Federal Government level for an adequate response capability. He emphasizes that any Government response must honor civil rights and reiterates the categorical American policy of permitting no concessions to terrorists. In addition to outlining legislation proposed in the U.S. Congress and the consensus achieved in international agreements against terrorism, Quainton assures Puerto Rico of the Federal Government's commitment to support antiterrorist efforts in the Commonwealth. The presentation of Richard Clutterbuck from the United Kingdom comprises an outline of notorious terrorist incidents of the past 5 years. His analysis of these identifies numerous instances where indigenous sympathizers provided outside terrorists with cars, local currency, shelter, or food. The speaker urges law enforcement officers to be sensitive to signs of local conflict or dissatisfaction that an external terrorist movement might exploit at a critical moment. Reinhart Rupprecht, Vice President of the Bundeskriminalamt of the Federal Republic of Germany reviews the emergence of anarchistic terrorist groups in his country, their ideological commitment to the destruction of capitalistic social injustice, and the brutality and ruthlessness of their tactics. He characteristizes the present generation of terrorists as operating in revolutionary cells, small hit groups that specialize in brutal surprise strikes at numerous sites throughout the country. This series of presentations concludes with audience questions to the three main speakers. For subsequent lectures in the series, see NCJ 79679-85.