NCJ Number
100375
Date Published
1984
Length
14 pages
Annotation
Libya, Iran, and at least six other nations are using various terrorist surrogates against U.S. citizens, property, and national interests.
Abstract
By the early 1970's, it was clear the Soviet Union and its allies were supporting various terrorist groups with training and weapons. The patron states of terrorism remained in the background, however, rarely managing their surrogates in a direct and consistent manner. In the late 1970's, some nations adopted terrorist tactics for their own national purposes. Having proved the effectiveness of terrorism by obtaining concessions from the United States through the hostage crisis, the Iranian Government has mounted repeated terrorist attacks against the United States and other Western nations, notably in Lebanon and Kuwait. Libya has openly and directly used terrorist tactics against its adversaries, sponsoring approximately 26 terrorist acts in 1984. Syria uses the Abu Nidal group (Black June) to conduct terrorist operations against moderate Arab and Palestinian leaders. The effectiveness of these terrorist tactics makes it likely they will continue and probably increase. Nations targeted for terrorist acts by sponsoring states are justified in for terrorist acts by sponsoring states are justified in waging defensive war against these states.