NCJ Number
51953
Journal
WORLD TODAY Volume: 34 Dated: (JANUARY 1978) Pages: 5-13
Date Published
1978
Length
9 pages
Annotation
TRENDS IN INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM, REASONS BEHIND THE INEFFECTIVE INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE TO TERRORISM, AND PRINCIPLES FOR A TOUGH-LINE RESPONSE IN WESTERN EUROPE AND ELSEWHERE ARE DISCUSSED.
Abstract
SINCE THE EARLY 1970'S THREE TRENDS IN INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM HAVE MADE IT POTENTIALLY A FAR MORE DANGEROUS THREAT. STATES HAVE BEGUN TO DEVELOP 'PROXY' TERRORISM AS A WEAPON OF COERCIVE DIPLOMACY AGAINST RIVAL STATES; I.E., THEY HAVE PROVIDED TERRORIST GROUPS WITH TRAINING, WEAPONRY, FUNDS, AND SANCTUARY. SECONDLY, TERRORISTS HAVE BEGUN TO ACQUIRE FAR MORE SOPHISTICATED MODERN WEAPONRY, GIVING REASON TO FEAR THAT IN DUE COURSE THEY WILL OBTAIN AND DEPLOY SOME KIND OF NUCLEAR WEAPON. THE THIRD TREND HAS BEEN THE GROWING INTERNATIONALIZATIN OF TERRORIST OPERATIONS, AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF BILATERAL AND MULTILATERAL COOPERATION BY MOVEMENTS FROM DIFFERENT COUNTRIES. THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY HAS NOT YET DEVELOPED AN ADEQUATE RESPONSE TO THE THREAT FROM INTERNATIONAL AND TRANSNATIONAL TERRORISM. GOVERNMENTS TEND TO REACT TO EVENTS, LIVING FROM CRISIS TO CRISIS. POLITICAL LEADERS NEVER STAND BACK FROM THE LATEST INCIDENTS TO DEVISE A LONG-TERM STRATEGY. THE BASIC REASON BEHIND THE INADEQUATE INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE HAS BEEN THAT THE WORLD COMMUNITY IS IDEOLOGICALLY DIVIDED FOR AND AGAINST TERRORISTS. AS LONG AS A HARD CORE OF ACTIVELY PRO-TERRORIST STATES REMAINS, ATTEMPTS AT UNIVERSAL CONVENTIONS AND TREATIES AGAINST TERRORISM ARE DOOMED TO FAIL. THIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT ATTEMPTS TO DEVELOP INTERNATIONAL LAWS TO COPE WITH TERRORISM SHOULD BE ABANDONED, BUT IT WOULD BE FOOLISH TO EXPECT MUCH SUCCESS FROM THIS APPROACH, AT LEAST IN THE NEAR FUTURE. IN THE MEANTIME, TOUGH NATIONAL ANTITERRORIST MEASURES ARE VITAL. THE FOLLOWING GUIDELNES ARE SUGGESTED: (1) THERE MUST BE THE POLITICAL WILL TO UPHOLD THE RULE OF LAW, PROTECT THE INNOCENT, AND DEFEAT TERRORISM; (2) GOVERNMENTS SHOULD FOLLOW A FIRM POLICY OF REFUSING TO ACCEDE TO TERRORIST DEMANDS, ESPECIALLY POLITICAL DEMANDS AND DEMANDS FOR THE RELEASE OF IMPRISONED TERRORISTS; (3) TERRORIST ACTS SHOULD BE TREATED AS COMMON CRIMES EVERYWHERE, AND APPREHENDED TERRORISTS SHOULD EITHER BE BROUGHT TO TRIAL OR EXTRADITED TO THEIR COUNTRY OF ORIGIN -WITH NO POLITICAL EXCEPTIONS, GOVERNMENT CONNIVANCE IN TERRORIST ESCAPES, OR SPECIAL TREATMENT FOR TERRORIST PRISONERS; AND (4) THE MYTHS OF TERRORISM MUST BE DESTROYED SO PEOPLE WILL RECOGNIZE IT AS THE SHEER BLOODY MURDER THAT IT IS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LKM)