NCJ Number
57917
Date Published
1979
Length
19 pages
Annotation
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CHIEF TYPES OF TERRORIST MOVEMENTS (NATIONALIST, IDEOLOGICAL, EXILE, AND WORLD REVOLUTIONARY) ARE DESCRIBED, WITH A FOCUS ON STRATEGIES, TACTICS AND ORGANIZATION.
Abstract
TERRORISM CONSISTS OF THREE BASIC ELEMENTS: THE DECISION TO USE TERRORISM AS A SYSTEMATIC WEAPON, THE THREATS OR ACTS OF VIOLENCE THEMSELVES, AND THE EFFECTS OF THIS VIOLENCE UPON THE IMMEDIATE VICTIMS AND THE WIDER NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL OPINION. THERE ARE AT LEAST FOUR MAIN TYPES OF TERRORIST MOVEMENT CURRENTLY ACTIVE: (1) NATIONALIST, AUTONOMIST, OR ETHNIC MINORITY MOVEMENTS; (2) IDEOLOGICAL SECTS OR SECRET SOCIETIES SEEKING SOME FORM OF 'REVOLUTIONARY' JUSTICE OR SOCIAL LIBERATION; (3) EXILE OR EMIGRE GROUPS WITH IRREDENTIST, SEPARATIST, OR REVOLUTIONARY ASPIRATIONS CONCERNING THEIR COUNTRY OF ORIGIN; AND (4) TRANSNATIONAL GANGS GENERALLY SEEKING A REVOLUTIONARY GOAL BY DEPLOYING SUPPORT FROM TWO OR MORE COUNTRIES. THERE ARE NUMEROUS ALTERNATIVE TACTICAL USE OF TERRORISM WITHIN THE BROADER REVOLUTIONARY STRATEGY. TERRORIST MOVEMENTS CAN CREATE A GENERAL CLIMATE OF FEAR AND COLLAPSE AMONG TARGET COMMUNITIES, GOVERNMENTS, OR ELITE GROUPS. PROTRACTED TERRORISM MAY GRAVELY UNDERMINE PUBLIC CONFIDENCE, LOYALTY, AND ACTIVE COOPERATION WITH THE GOVERNMENT IN POWER. TERRORISM MAY ALSO BE USED TO INSPIRE EMULATION AMONG FOLLOWERS AND TO PROVOKE AND EXPLOIT A VICIOUS SPIRAL OF VIOLENCE AND COUNTERVIOLENCE. ALTHOUGH INDIVIDUAL TERRORISTS OFTEN AFFILIATE WITH BROADER MASS MOVEMENTS, THEIR OWN TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS ARE TYPICALLY VERY SMALL. THE OPTIMUM SIZE APPEARS TO BE BETWEEN 1,500 AND 2,500 OPERATIVES, AND THE MINIMUM FOR A VIABLE TERRORIST CELL IS 4 OR 5 MEMBERS. TERRORIST MOVEMENTS CONSTANTLY NEED A READY SUPPLY OF CASH, WEAPONS, AND AMMUNITION; TO THIS END, THE COLLABORATION OF FRIENDLY GOVERNMENTS CAN BE INVALUABLE. GROUPS SUCH AS THE BRETONS, BASQUES, AND THE KURDS, WHO HAVE GENERALLY LACKED A POWERFUL BACKER, HAVE THUS NOT HAD THE NECESSARY RESOURCES TO SUSTAIN PROLONGED INTERNAL WAR. IT IS ASSERTED THAT WESTERN LIBERAL COUNTRIES ARE NOT HARSH ENOUGH IN THEIR TREATMENT OF CAPTURED TERRORISTS. REFERENCES NOTES ARE PROVIDED. (PRG)