NCJ Number
63591
Date Published
1977
Length
18 pages
Annotation
THIS PAPER, PRESENTED AT AN INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON RESEARCH STRATEGIES FOR STUDYING INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM, EXAMINES THE CRISIS MANAGEMENT APPROACH AS WELL AS OTHER TYPES OF DEFENSES.
Abstract
OTHER POSSIBLE DEFENSES INCLUDE ELIMINATING TERRORISM'S ROOT CAUSES, INTELLIGENCE COLLECTION, AND PHYSICAL SECURITY. INTELLIGENCE GATHERING IT IS CONCLUDED, IS SUBJECT TO ABUSES BY THE GOVERNMENT, WHILE PHYSICAL SECURITY IS TOO EXPENSIVE AND TOO RESTRICTIVE TO BE WIDELY APPLICABLE. CRISIS MANAGEMENT, THE LAST AND MOST DIFFICULT LINE OF DEFENSE, GETS TOO LITTLE ATTENTION FROM GOVERNMENTS. CRISIS MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES ARE APPROPRIATE TO THOSE SITUATIONS (HOSTAGE TAKING, POLITICALLY MOTIVATED HIJACKINGS, SEIZURE OF ECONOMIC ASSETS AND INSTITUTIONS, AND THREATS OF MASS DESTRUCTION) IN WHICH THE TERRORISTS HAVE NOT YET ACTIVATED THEIR FULL DESTRUCTIVE POTENTIAL AND IN WHICH BARGAINING IS STILL POSSIBLE. GOVERNMENTS MUST AVOID THE EXTREMES OF GRANTING SUBSTANTIVE CONCESSIONS TO TERRORISTS OR ADOPTING PURE NO-CONCESSIONS POLICIES. COMMUNICATION WITH TERRORISTS IS IMPORTANT. YIELDING MINOR POINTS TO GAIN TIME IS DESIRABLE. NEGOTIATIONS SHOULD BE HANDLED PRIMARILY THROUGH REGULAR GOVERNMENTAL CHANNELS, AND ADVANCED PLANNING AND CLEAR LINES OF RESPONSIBILITY ARE NECESSARY. OPEN AND COOPERATIVE RELATIONS WITH THE MEDIA ARE IMPORTANT. IF BARGAINING IS UNSUCCESSFUL, THE GOVERNMENT MUST TRY TO LIMIT TERRORISTS' DAMAGE BY BOTH FORMAL AND SUBSTANTIVE MEASURES (PREVENTION, CONTROL, CONTAINMENT, AND RESTORATION. EFFORTS TO DEVELOP INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ON TERRORISM AND RESEARCH ON COUNTERTERRORISM SHOULD BE PURSUED. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS INCLUDED. FOR OTHER PAPERS FROM THE SAME SEMINAR, SEE NCJ-63592-63600. (CFW)