NCJ Number
63596
Date Published
1977
Length
11 pages
Annotation
A 1975 ARTICLE ON TERRORISM BY DAVID FROMKIN, OTHER STUDIES, AND EFFORTS BY INTERNATIONAL BODIES TO COMBAT TERRORISM ARE EXAMINED CRITICALLY IN THIS PRESENTATION TO AN INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON TERRORISM.
Abstract
FROMKIN NOTED THAT TERRORISM AIMS AT A PSYCHOLOGICAL RESULT AS A MEANS OF MAKING THE TARGET GOVERNMENT CHANGE ITS BEHAVIOR. ANALYSIS OF CONTEMPORARY TERRORISM SHOWS THAT IT IS NOT A TRANSITORY PHENOMENON AND THAT ITS SUCCESS USUALLY RESULTS FROM MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT TERRORIST STRATEGY. GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF THE MOTIVATIONS OF CONTEMPORARY TERRORISTS IS THEREFORE REQUIRED. BRIAN JENKINS'S RESEARCH HAS BEEN HELPFUL, BUT MANY OF HIS STUDIES ARE CLASSIFIED. MORE INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE OF KNOWLEDGE IS NEEDED. THOROUGH CURRENT, AND ACCURATE INFORMATION ON KNOWN INTERNATIONAL TERRORISTS AND THEIR MOVEMENTS IS NECESSARY, AS ARE INTELLIGENCE GATHERING EFFORTS. FROMKIN ARGUES THAT BOTH NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL LAWS ARE INEFFECTIVE RESPONSES TO TERRORISM. UNITED NATIONS CONVENTIONS PASSED IN 1970, 1971, AND 1977 HAVE RELATED ONLY TO CIVIL AVIATION AND TO DIPLOMATS, NOT TO THE BROAD SPECTRUM OF INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM. THE 1976 CONVENTION ADOPTED BY THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE, THE BEST EFFORT TO DATE, LISTS SPECIFIC OFFENSES AND IMPOSES A REQUIREMENT TO PROSECUTE OR EXTRADITE IN MOST CASES. A RECENT STUDY BY THE PROCEDURAL ASPECTS OF INTERNATIONAL LAW INSTITUTE ANALYZES STATE RESPONSIBILITIES REGARDING INJURIES TO ALIENS AND PUNISHMENT OF TERRORISTS. THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF INTERNATIONAL LAW'S STUDY ON THE STATUS OF INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC LAW ON TERRORISM CONCLUDES THAT INDIVIDUAL STATES ARE DOING LITTLE TO DEAL WITH ACTS OF TERRORISM. THE SOCIETY HAS ALSO PROPOSED NUMEROUS CONVENTIONS TO COMBAT TERRORISM, BUT HAS NEGLECTED SUCH ISSUES AS SAFE HAVENS AND FINANCING TERRORISM. AN ACCEPTABLE DEFINITION OF INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM IS URGENTLY NEEDED. FOR RELATED PAPERS FROM THE SAME SEMINAR, SEE NCJ-63591-63595 AND 63597-63600. (CFW)