NCJ Number
126893
Journal
Terrorism Volume: 12 Issue: 43 Dated: (1989) Pages: 249-296
Date Published
1989
Length
48 pages
Annotation
The definition, statistics, and historical roots of terrorism in Italian society from the 1940's to the 1980's are reviewed.
Abstract
Terrorism is always a form of psychological propaganda by deeds, and the "television age" has made it especially effective. The aspect of political violence or State repression is reinforced by the media's unwitting complicity to convey the impression that behind the terrorist onslaught there exists a vast, well-organized revolutionary group that is bent on mobilizing the population against the regime by exploiting political chaos and State weaknesses. Political violence and terrorism have long been a part of Italy's history, even back to Machiavelli's era. However, terrorism was never so uncontrolled and widespread in Italy as it was between 1969-1982. Regardless of the importance of foreign connections in exacerbating domestic violence, Italy's terrorism remained essentially an internal phenomenon with its own original politico-ideological and socioeconomic roots and domestic complicities. The structural and organizational traits of Italian terrorism are discussed in comparison to its German and Latin American counterparts. The various types of terrorism seen throughout this period are presented in light of their political and social context, i.e. separatist and anarchist terrorism, black terrorism, red terrorism, and the international connections and financial backing of this terrorism. The conclusion discusses how to counteract terrorism using examples from Italy's experiences. 68 notes and 1 figure