NCJ Number
58809
Date Published
1978
Length
0 pages
Annotation
THE HISTORY OF POLITICAL TERRORISM FROM THE FRENCH REVOLUTION TO RECENT SKYJACKING ATTEMPTS IS OUTLINED. THE SOCIAL CONSEQUENCES OF BOTH THE ACTS OF TERRORISM AND THE RESPONSE BY GOVERNMENTS ARE DISCUSSED.
Abstract
POLITICAL VIOLENCE OF THE 1970'S HAS ITS HISTORICAL PRECEDENTS IN THE REIGN OF TERROR IN FRANCE AND IN THE REVOLUTIONARY TACTICS USED AGAINST THE RUSSIAN CZARS AND THE EUROPEAN COLONALISTS. TERRORIST ACTIVITIES WITH POLITICAL MOTIVATIONS HAVE BEEN INCREASING, WITH 37 INTERNATIONAL INCIDENTS REPORTED IN 1968 AND 239 REPORTED IN 1977. TO SOME EXTENT THIS UPSURGE MAY BE RELATED TO INCREASING FRUSTRATIONS CONCERNING THE PALESTINIAN CAUSE, BUT ADDITIONAL FACTORS INCLUDE TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS WHICH GIVE SMALL GROUPS THE POWER TO INFLICT GREAT HARM, AND THE VULNERABILITY OF GLOBAL COMMERCE TO ATTACK. DEVELOPMENTS IN WORLDWIDE COMMUNICATIONS AND TRANSPORTATION PROVIDE POTENTIAL TERRORISTS WITH AUGMENTED PUBLICITY AND MOBILITY. WHILE TERRORISM IS NOT A RECENT ACTIVITY, THE TERRORISTS OF THE 1970'S HAVE DEMONSTRATED AN UNPRECEDENTED WILLINGNESS TO ENGAGE IN CROSS-CULTURAL COLLABORATION WITH DISSIDENTS OF VARIOUS NATIONS AND BACKGROUNDS. THIS DEVELOPMENT HAS RESULTED IN THE PERPETRATIONS OF CRIMES BY POLYGLOT GROUPS OF ARABS, GERMANS, JAPANESE, AND LATIN AMERICANS. BOTH GOVERNMENTAL AND INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES AND PERSONNEL HAVE BEEN TARGETS OF TERRORISM. THE RESPONSES TO TERRORISM, INCLUDING THE FORMATION OF COUNTERTERRORIST FORCES, APPEAR TO BE SUCCESSFUL AT LIMITING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TERRORIST ASSAULTS. CONCERN IS EXPRESSED, HOWEVER, THAT THE MEASURES THAT MAY BE REQUIRED FOR THE SUPPRESSION OF FUTURE CRIMES WOULD THREATEN THE CIVIL LIBERTIES OF SOCIETY AS A WHOLE. FOOTNOTES AND TABLES ARE PROVIDED. (TWK)