NCJ Number
67345
Date Published
1978
Length
119 pages
Annotation
THE NATURE OF TERRORISM AND TERRORIST TECHNIQUES DIRECTED AGAINST THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY ARE ANALYZED.
Abstract
TERRORISM, WHICH PITS GOVERNMENT FORCE AGAINST RESISTANCE BY A TERRORIST COUNTERFORCE, IS A FRONTAL ATTACK AGAINST THE VALUES OF WEST GERMAN SOCIETY AND AGAINST THE BASIC CONSENSUS ON WHICH DEMOCRACIES ARE FOUNDED. TERRORISTS SEEK TO PROVOKE OVERREACTION BY THE STATE, THUS UNDERMINING THE EXISTING ORDER AND MAKING POSSIBLE ITS REPLACEMENT WITH TOTALITARIAN RULE. TERRORIST TACTICS INCLUDE CAREFULLY PLANNED LOGISTICS FOLLOWING MARIHELLAS 'MINIHANDBOOK' AND FINANCING THROUGH BANK ROBBERIES AND EXTORTION; A HIGH DEGREE OF MOBILITY; USE OF ACTION PROPAGANDA I.E., COMMISSION OF SPECTACULAR OFFENSES TO ATTRACT PUBLIC ATTENTION; AND PARTICIPATION IN AN INTERNATIONAL TERRORIST NETWORK TO OBTAIN WEAPONS, TRAINING, LOGISTICAL ASSISTANCE, AND SAFE REFUGE. TERRORISTS EFFECT NOT ONLY CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO LIFE AND PROPERTY, BUT ALSO DISTURB BASIC GERMAN VALUES AND SECURITY GUARANTEES, AS WELL AS REKINDLE DISTRUST OF GERMAN SOCIETY ABROAD. WITH THE AID OF LAWYER COLLABORATORS AND SUPPORT GROUPS, TERRORISTS HAVE SOUGHT TO GAIN PUBLIC SYMPATHY FOR THEIR CAUSE, USING SUCH RADICAL MEASURES AS SELF-IMPOSED ISOLATION, HUNGER STRIKES, AND EVEN SUICIDE, FOR WHICH THE MASS MEDIA HAVE BEEN ESSENTIAL AVENUES OF PUBLICATION. THE TERRORISM MOVEMENT IS ATTRIBUTED TO THE RELATIVE NEWNESS OF WEST GERMAN DEMOCRATIC TRADITIONS, AND TO THE INDIVIDUAL NEUROSES AND FEELINGS OF REDUCED PERSONAL WORTH IN A PROSPEROUS ENVIRONMENT WHERE ONLY MATERIAL NEEDS ARE SATISFIED. FURTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTORS ARE FEMALE TERRORISTS' DESIRE FOR EMANCIPATION, INDIVIDUAL TENDENCIES TO IDEALISTIC INVOLVEMENT, FEAR OF CONFORMITY, REJECTION OF THE STATUS QUO, AND INTOLERANCE AND LACK OF SELF-CONTROL. ANTITERRORISM LAWS HAVE BEEN PASSED, BUT CONTRARY TO TERRORIST CLAIMS, THE GERMAN LAWS REMAIN LESS RESTRICTIVE THAN THOSE OF OTHER EUROPEAN STATES. OFFICIAL STATEMENTS SUMMARIZING THE POLITICAL PARTIES' VIEWS OF THE STATE'S ROLE AND APPENDIXES WITH TEXTS OF SPEECHES ON TERRORISM BY GOVERNMENT, UNION, CHURCH, AND SCHOOL LEADERS AS WELL AS A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE SUPPLIED. --IN GERMAN. (KMD)