TERRORISM - LOOSE NET LINKS DIVERSE GROUPS - NO CENTRAL PLOT (FROM CONTEMPORARY TERRORISM - SELECTED READINGS, 1978, BY JOHN D ELLIOTT AND LESLIE K GIBSON - SEE NCJ-48724)

• NCJ Number: 48737
• Author(s): D ANABLE
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 13 pages
• Corporate Author: International Assoc of Chiefs of Police
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: REPRINTED FROM THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR, 1977

Annotation

PATTERNS OF CONNECTION BETWEEN DIVERSE TERRORIST GROUPS ARE IDENTIFIED.

Abstract

ONE EXAMPLE CITED OF COOPERATION BETWEEN DIVERSE TERRORIST GROUPS INVOLVED THE SHARING OF M-26 GRENADES, STOLEN FROM A WEAPONS-STORAGE SITE IN GERMANY. THESE GRENADES HAVE BEEN USED AND FOUND IN THE POSSESSION OF A NUMBER OF TERRORIST GROUPS. IN 1972, THE ATTACK OF THE THREE JAPANESE RED ARMY TERRORISTS ON LOD AIRPORT IN ISRAEL DEPENDED ON TRAINING RECEIVED AT A CAMP IN LEBANON RUN BY THE POPULAR FRONT FOR THE LIBERATION OF PALESTINE. THE JAPANESE TERRORISTS GOT CZECHOSLOVAKIAN WEAPONS IN ROME, ITALY, PICKED UP FALSE PAPERS IN FRANKFURT, WEST GERMANY, AND DESCENDED ON LOD AIRPORT IN A FRENCH PLANE. THIS IS CITED AS THE FIRST OVERT EXAMPLE OF LINKS BETWEEN TERRORIST GROUPS. SINCE THAT TIME, IT IS BELIEVED TO HAVE BECOME MORE PERVASIVE. THE LINKAGES ARE CONSIDERED TO VARY FROM INNUMERABLE SHADOWY GATHERINGS OF TERRORIST, LEFTIST, RIGHTIST, AND NATIONALIST CLANS TO AN ESSENTIAL SYSTEM OF SUPPLIES THAT A CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY STUDY DESCRIBES AS A 'EUROPEAN-BASED TERRORIST SERVICE INDUSTRY.' ONE EUROPEAN MEETING IN 1974 BROUGHT TOGETHER A SCORE OF SEPARATIST AND TERRORIST EMISSARIES, INCLUDING MILITANT BASQUES AND IRISH, CROATS AND BRETONS, WELSH AND CATALANS, AS WELL AS MANY OTHERS. A GATHERING IN BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA, THE SAME YEAR BROUGHT TOGETHER FOUR LATIN-AMERICAN UNDERGROUND GROUPS FROM CHILE, BOLIVIA, URUGUAY, AND ARGENTINA TO SET UP A JUNTA FOR REVOLUTIONARY COORDINATION. A FOLLOWUP MEETING IN LISBON, PORTUGAL, A YEAR LATER CEMENTED THE PACT AND BROUGHT IN PARAGUAYANS, DOMINICANS, COLOMBIANS, AND VENEZUELANS. MONEY, WEAPONS, AND PERSONNEL FREQUENTLY FLOW BETWEEN TERRORIST GROUPS. LIBYA, IRAQ, AND SOUTH YEMEN ARE IDENTIFIED AS PROVIDING STRONG MONETARY AND WEAPONS SUPPORT, AS WELL AS SANCTUARY FOR A VARIETY OF TERRORIST GROUPS. WHILE IT IS REPORTED THAT MOST TERRORIST GROUPS HAVE LITTLE IN COMMON AND ARE FREQUENTLY SPLIT BY RAGING INTERNAL FEUDS; CONTACTS, COOPERATION, AND JOINT OPERATIONS ARE BECOMING MORE COMMON. INTELLIGENCE REPORTS ARE CONTINUOUSLY SURFACING ABOUT NEW TERRORIST OPERATIONS BEING PLANNED. A CHRONOLOGY OF TERRORIST ATTACKS FROM 1970-1977 IS INCLUDED. (RCB)