NCJ Number
53263
Date Published
1978
Length
8 pages
Annotation
CONSIDERATION IS GIVEN TO THE DANGERS TO CIVIL LIBERTIES THAT MAY OCCUR BY THE STATE'S ACTIONS TO QUELL TERRORISM AND DISTURBANCES.
Abstract
TO MAKE A COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF THE ISSUES SURROUNDING THE TOPIC OF TERRORISM IT IS FELT NECESSARY TO CONSIDER BOTH THE HARM CAUSED BY THE ATTACKS OF THE TERRORISTS AND THE DAMAGE INFLICTED ON CIVIL LIBERTIES BY THOSE WHO ACT IN THE DEFENSE OF THE ORGANIZED SOCIETY. INCREASED INCIDENTS OF TERRORISM ARE SEEN INEVITABLY TO INVITE COUNTERMEASURES, PARTICULARLY IN THE DESIRE FOR SWIFT ACTION BY THE MEMBERS OF THE ELITE WHO ARE THE LIKELY TARGETS OF TERRORISM. IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE COSTLIEST ASPECT OF TERRORISM IS NOT THE WEAKENING OF THE SOCIAL AND POLITICAL FABRIC UPON WHICH THE ENTIRE DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM RESTS. PROHIBITORY LEGISLATION AS A CURE FOR TERRORISM MAY BE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE, BECAUSE OPPRESSION MIGHT WORK TO THE ADVANTAGE OF TERRORISTS, AND BECAUSE OF THE VALID CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY LEGITIMATE OPPOSITION AND PROTEST WITHIN A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY. THE RATIONALITY OF INNOVATION IS PREFERRED OVER THE TOTAL MILITARIZATION OF THE NATION, EVEN THOUGH SOME ABUSES WOULD OCCUR IN THE FREE CULTURE AS A COST OF THE PEOPLE'S LIBERTY. THE EXAMPLE OF WATERGATE IS SHOWN AS EVIDENCE OF HOW THE COUNTERING OF PROTEST MAY ERODE CIVIL LIBERTIES, ALTHOUGH THE RESPONSE BY THE ISRALELIS TO THE ENTEBBE INCIDENT MAY HAVE MOTIVATED SENTIMENTS THAT STRENGTHENED THE POLITICAL SYSTEM THAT THE TERRORISTS AIMED TO DESTROY. SPECULATIONS MADE BY GOVERNMENTS IN THEIR EFFORTS TO PREDICT FUTURE TERRORIST ATTACKS MAY BE SELF-FULFILLING BY CREATING ANTITERRORIST FORCES WHICH BECOME TERRORIST TARGETS. THE SOLUTION TO TERRORISM IS SEEN TO BE BEYOND THE SCOPE OF ANTITERROR FORCES, AND RATHER TO BE PART OF THE STRENGTHENING OF THE SOCIAL FABRIC AS A WHOLE AND THE ECONOMIC ORDER SPECIFICALLY. NO REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (TWK).