NCJ Number
84465
Date Published
1982
Length
266 pages
Annotation
This account of the history, leadership, and funding of contemporary terrorism focuses on the impact of military technology with its smaller and more deadly weapons on terrorists' skills and tactics.
Abstract
An overview of terrorism from the 19th century to the present identifies technical advances that have influenced modern terrorists, such as the jumbo jet, lightweight but powerful rifles, and missiles. Motives of terrorists and terrorist groups are examined, followed by profiles of major leaders, including Hans-Joachim Klein, Ulrike Meinhof, Andreas Baader, and Renato Curcio. The book then details the indoctrination and technical training that terrorist organizations give recruits, as well as their financial resources. Guns, missiles, and grenades preferred by terrorists are described, and their effectiveness is assessed. Drawings with specifications are included. Bomb construction methods are also detailed, with attention to sources of explosives, fuses, and bomb types preferred by individual terrorist groups. The review of U.S. and European efforts to combat terrorism considers international agreements, police and military anti-terrorist units, and psychological methods for negotiating with terrorists. These tactics have impeded left-wing revolutionaries, but right-wing terrorists have emerged as a new threat in the 1980's. The final section is a who's who of the most active international terrorist organizations, covering their history, leadership, aims, international links, and capabilities. The book contains a glossary, a chronology of terrorist activities from 1968 through 1981, an index, and 39 references.