NCJ Number
191038
Date Published
2000
Length
25 pages
Annotation
This chapter examined the pros and cons of state and religious sponsored terrorism, both internally and externally and those supported terrorist activities in seven countries.
Abstract
In this chapter the state of terrorism was examined both internally (against its own people or dissenters) or externally (using or funding outside terrorist groups or individuals). Internal terrorism can often inspire resistance movements to form and these movements can resort to terrorist tactics. External terrorism can result in the proliferation of terrorist attacks worldwide. With the exception of states such as Iran and Iraq, most states have attempted to keep their dealings with terrorists a secret. This chapter begins by examining the pros and cons of state or state-sponsored terrorism as a means to an end in today's world. Then, it examined the intricate weave of terrorist activities that were supported by what the U.S. Secretary of State referred to as the "big seven" in providing state sponsorship of terrorism in the 1970's to the end of the century. These were Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Sudan, and Syria. In summation, the death tolls from the acts of antigovernment terrorists were almost insignificant when compared with terrorism and genocide in the name of the state. State terrorism in this century has resulted in untold millions of deaths. The human rights movements have begun to shine on the depredations committed by nations against their own people. Power and religious fanaticism have driven the kinds of terrorism that resulted in the holocaust and the conflicts between the Irish Catholics and Protestants, the Jews and Arabs, and many other conflicts around the globe. 8 endnotes