NCJ Number
60880
Journal
Terrorism Volume: 2 Issue: 3 AND 4 Dated: SPECIAL ISSUE (1979) Pages: 159-170
Date Published
1979
Length
12 pages
Annotation
AN ITALIAN OFFICIAL CLASSIFIES THE ACTIVITIES OF THE BEST-KNOWN ITALIAN TERRORIST GROUPS ACCORDING TO A STANDARDIZED TYPOLOGY WHICH CONSIDERS THE SEVERITY OF THE ACTIONS.
Abstract
IN ORDER TO ADEQUATELY CLASSIFY TERRORIST ACTIVITIES, A CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM MUST BE BASED ON SPECIFIC ASPECTS OF POLITICALLY VIOLENT EVENTS. AN ANALYSIS OF THE DIFFERENT 'INPUT SYSTEMS' BY THE ITALIAN GENERAL DIRECTORATE OF POLICE SHOWS THAT THE POLICE INCLUDE IN A SINGLE LIST EVENTS WHICH ARE CRIMES UNDER ITALIAN LAW, INCLUDE THE USE OF VIOLENCE, ARE POLITICALLY MOTIVATED, INVOLVE SMALL GANGS AND MOT MASSES, AND PROVOKE PUBLIC REACTION AND FEAR. DATA FROM OPERATIONAL TYPOLOGIES INDICATE THAT MERE 'DEMONSTRATIVE DAMAGES' SUCH AS VANDALISM DO NOT REACH THE LEVEL OF AGGRESSION IDENTIFIED AS TERRORISM. EVEN IN THE CASE OF THE MOST MILITANT ORGANIZATION, THE RED BRIGADE, SERIOUS VIOLENCE AGAINST PERSONS WAS INVOLVED IN ONLY 25 PERCENT OF THE REPORTED EVENTS; PHYSICAL VIOLENCE WAS INVOLVED IN ONLY 5 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF EVENTS INVOLVING ALL GROUPS. PREFERRED TERRORIST TARGETS ARE THE HEADQUARTERS OF RIVAL PARTIES, CARS BELONGING TO POLITICAL LEADERS, AND INTERMEDIATE FACTORY PERSONNEL. CLANDESTINITY, OR OPERATION OUTSIDE THE COMMON RULES OF POLITICS, IS THE PECULIAR ASPECT OF TERRORISM IN ITALY. PRACTICALLY ALL REPORTED EVENTS ARE CARRIED OUT BY SMALL GROUPS OPERATING UNDER STRICT INTERNAL SECURITY, RATHER THAN BY OPEN POLITICAL ORGANIZATIONS. SINCE 1977, THE LIST OF CLAIMS FOR EVENTS OF POLITICAL VIOLENCE HAS BEEN 'ENRICHED' BY HUNDREDS OF NEW NAMES AND ACRONYMS. DIFFERENT MOTIVES BEHIND TERRORISM INCLUDE BOTH PRIVATE REVENGE AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF 'COUNTERVAILING POWER' AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT. THE CONDITIONS FOR MASS VIOLENCE ARE NOT PRESENT IN ITALY, DESPITE THE ORGANIZATION OF THE TERRORISTS. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (TWK)