TERRORISM AS A TRANSNATIONAL PHENOMENON

• NCJ Number: 67731
• Journal: Law and Order Volume: 28 Issue: 5 Dated: (MAY 1980) Pages: 26-30,32-34,36
• Author(s): G PETRAKIS
• Date Published: 1980
• Length: 9 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: PART 1 OF A 7-PART SERIES

Annotation

THIS JOURNAL ARTICLE FOCUSES ON THE RISE AND THE IMPLICATIONS OF TRANSNATIONAL TERRORISM AS EXEMPLIFIED BY THE PALESTINE LIBERATION ORGANIZATION (PLO) AND SUGGESTS WAYS OF DEALING WITH IT.

Abstract

GUERRILLA WARFARE IS VIOLENT ACTION TAKEN WITHIN THE ACCEPTED RULES OF INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMACY AND LAWS OF WAR. HOWEVER, TERRORISM IS VIOLENCE DIRECTED MAINLY AT CIVILIAN TARGETS. THE TERRORIST TRIES TO ACHIEVE MAXIMUM PUBLICITY; BUILD MORALE WITHIN A MOVEMENT; ADVERTISE THE MOVEMENT AMONG THE GENERAL POPULATION; AND DESTROY THE ENEMY AND THE AUTHORITY STRUCTURE WITHIN A GIVEN AREA. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TERRORIST ARE OBSESSION, FANATICISM, AND PARANOIA. MODERN TERRORISM HAS BEEN TRANSNATIONAL WITH REVOLUTIONARY GROUPS SUCH AS THE PALESTINE LIBERATION ORGANIZATION SEEKING THE VIOLENT TRANSFORMATION OF EXISTING POLITICAL FRAMEWORKS. THESE GROUPS LACK MILITARY MEANS OR POLITICAL POWER, BUT TERRORISM ALLOWS THEM TO PURSUE THEIR POLITICAL OBJECTIVES AND PUBLICIZE THEIR CAUSES. POLITICAL TERRORISM CAN BE CATEGORIZED INTO FOUR AREAS. INDISCRIMINAT TERRORISM CAUSES REPRESSION BY A GOVERNMENT. DISCRIMINATE TERRORISM IS SIMILAR, BUT LIMITS ITS ATTACKS ONLY TO THOSE IT CONSIDERS ITS ENEMY. MASS TERRORISM CONTROLS ALL CITIZENS BY MEANS OF FEAR. TRANSNATIONAL TERRORISM IS INDISCRIMINATE AND INTERNATIONAL SO THAT THE WORLD BECOMES THE STAGE. WHILE TERRORISTS HAVE SUCCEEDED IN PROVOKING REPRESSION, THE WESTERN WORLD HAS BEEN UNABLE TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM. NATIONS MUST RECOGNIZE THAT TERRORISM CAN ONLY BE MINIMIZED AND CANNOT BE ELIMINATED. GOVERNMENTS MUST MAKE NO DEALS, KEEP PUBLICITY AT A MINIMUM, NEGOTIATE AT LEVELS, AND TREAT POLITICAL TERRORISTS AS COMMON CRIMINALS. THE FORMULATION OF AN ACCEPTABLE CONVENTION ON TERRORISM FACES TWO OBSTACLES: WARS OF NATIONAL LIBERATION AND THE RIGHT OF NATIONS TO GRANT ASYLUM TO POLITICAL OFFENDERS. THIS ARTICLE IS THE FIRST OF A SEVEN PART SERIES WHICH STUDIES THE RISE AND FUTURE OF TRANSNATIONAL TERRORISM PARTICULARLY THAT OF THE PLO, AND THE BEST WAYS TO DIMINISH ITS EFFECTS. (JLF)