NCJ Number
63442
Date Published
1974
Length
5 pages
Annotation
SUGGESTIONS ARE OFFERED FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF MORE EFFECTIVE COUNTERMEASURES TO DEAL WITH TERRORISM BASED ON REFINING PREVENTIVE INSIGHTS INTO TERRORIST TACTICS.
Abstract
THE TESTIMONY WAS GIVEN BEFORE A CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE ON TERRORISM. RESEARCH AND REMEDIAL SOCIAL ACTION VIS-A-VIS TERRORISM SHOULD BE INITIATED IMMEDIATELY. TERRORIST ACTIVITIES FOLLOW ESSENTIALLY THE SAME FEW MODELS, SO GENERAL COUNTER-STRATEGIES CAN BE DEVELOPED. THESE INCLUDE ORGANIZATION ACTION TEAMS OR TASK FORCES CONSISTING OF HIGHLY TRAINED EXPERTS FROM VARIOUS FIELDS, INCLUDING BUT NOT CONFINED TO LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS. THESE TASK FORCES SHOULD HAVE COMPUTERIZED DATA BANKS AND SIMILAR RESOURCES AT THEIR DISPOSAL TO INFORM THEM ABOUT THE SUCCESSES AND FAILURES OF PREVIOUS SIMILAR EVENTS AND THE COUNTERMEASURES TAKEN. ALTERNATIVE NEGOTIATION TECHNIQUES AND GENERAL STRATEGIES SHOULD BE DEVELOPED IN RELATION TO THE TYPES OF SITUATIONS AND TERRORIST PERSONALITIES ENCOUNTERED. APPROPRIATE CONTROLS OF THE MASS MEDIA UNDER TERRORIST EVENTS SHOULD BE EXPLORED, WITH ATTENTION TO THE STRICT OBSERVATION OF CONSTITUTIONAL GUARANTEES. SINCE THE SECURITY MEASURES OF CONVENTIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ARE NOT SUFFICIENT FOR EFFECTIVE PROTECTION AGAINST TERRORISM, PATTERNS OF COOPERATION BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AND SPECIALLY TRAINED TASK FORCES SHOULD BE DELINEATED. SOCIAL ACTION TASK FORCES SHOULD IDENTIFY AREAS OF UNREST AND SOCIOECONOMIC AND POLITICAL DEPRIVATION WHICH ARE LIKELY TO SPAWN TERRORIST ACTIVITY. THIS WORK CAN LEAD TO REMEDIAL ACTION OFFERING INSTITUTIONALIZED ALTERNATIVES TO VIOLENCE FOR THE RESOLUTION OF INTOLERABLE CONDITIONS. (RCB)