NCJ Number
56214
Date Published
1979
Length
44 pages
Annotation
GEOGRAPHIC, ECONOMIC, AND MOTIVATIONAL ASPECTS OF TRANSNATIONAL TERRORISM ARE EXAMINED, AND DATA ON SPECIFIC TYPES OF TERRORISM, CASUALTIES FROM TERRORIST ACTIONS, AND VICTIMS OF TERRORISM ARE PROVIDED.
Abstract
TRANSNATIONAL TERRORISM IS ISOLATED FROM OTHER FORMS OF VIOLENCE BY MAKING CERTAIN DISTINCTIONS. INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM INVOLVES ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT BY GROUPS OR INDIVIDUALS CONTROLLED BY A SOVEREIGN STATE, WHILE TRANSNATIONAL TERRORISM INVOLVES ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT BY BASICALLY AUTONOMOUS NONSTATE ACTORS, WHETHER OR NOT THEY ENJOY SOME DEGREE OF SUPPORT FROM SYMPATHETIC STATES. TRANSNATIONAL TERRORISM IS OFTEN DESCRIBED AS VIOLENCE FOR EFFECT. IT DIFFERS FROM MILITARY CONCEPTS OF WAR AS A STRATEGY IN THAT IT DOES NOT ATTEMPT TO HOLD A SPECIFIC PIECE OF TERRITORY BY DINT OF MILITARY ENGAGEMENT. RATHER, IT ATTEMPTS TO GIVE THE IMPRESSION THAT A TERRORIST GROUP IS ABLE TO STRIKE WITH IMPUNITY AND THAT GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITIES CANNOT GUARANTEE SECURITY MEMBERS OF SOCIETY. THERE ARE TWO BASIC FORMS OF TERRORISM: (1) INCIDENTS IN WHICH TERRORISTS ATTEMPT TO INJURE OR KILL INDIVIDUALS OR DAMAGE PROPERTY, AND (2) INCIDENTS IN WHICH INDIVIDUALS ARE TAKEN HOSTAGE AND DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY AND INJURY TO HOSTAGES ARE DEPENDENT ON THE RESPONSE OF A TARGET GROUP TO THE DEMANDS OF PERPETRATORS. TRANSNATIONAL TERRORIST INCIDENTS FROM 1968 TO 1975 INCLUDED KIDNAPING, BARRICADE AND HOSTAGE, SKYJACKING, TAKEOVER OF NONAIR TRANSPORTATION, BOMBING, LETTER BOMBS, ARMED ATTACK, MURDER OR ASSASSINATION, ARSON OR THE USE OF MOLOTOV COCKTAILS, THEFT OR BREAK-IN, AND SABOTAGE. A REGIONAL VICTIMIZATION INDEX INDICATES THE PREFERENCE OF TERRORISTS FOR NORTH ATLANTIC TARGETS AND SHOWS THAT TRANSNATIONAL TERRORISM HAS NOT AFFECTED ASIA AND AFRICA TO THE EXTENT IT HAS OTHER REGIONS. CONTACTS BETWEEN TERRORIST GROUPS AND SYMPATHETIC GOVERNMENTS APPEAR TO BE GROWING, BUT EVEN MORE DISTURBING IS THE INCREASING NUMBER OF LINKAGES AMONG TERRORIST GROUPS. IN CONSIDERING ECONOMIC ASPECTS OF TERRORISM, FACTORS OF IMPORTANCE ARE DIRECT COSTS (INDIVIDUALS KILLED OR WOUNDED, AMOUNT OF RANSOM PAID IN HOSTAGE SITUATION, AND DOLLAR LOSSES DUE TO THEFT AND EXTORTION), FLIGHT OF FOREIGN CAPITAL FROM NATIONS EXPERIENCING TERRORIST CAMPAIGNS, OPPORTUNITY COSTS FOR HOSTAGES, COSTS OF SECURITY MEASURES TAKEN TO PREVENT TERRORIST ATTACKS, PERSONAL ANXIETIES FACED BY VICTIMS AND POSSIBLE VICTIMS, AND ACADEMIC AND GOVERNMENT RESEARCH ON TERRORISM. THE IDENTITY AND MOTIVATION OF TRANSNATIONAL TERRORISTS, WAYS OF RESPONDING TO TERRORIST THREATS, AND FUTURE TRENDS IN TRANSNATIONAL TERRORISM ARE DISCUSSED. A CHRONOLOGY OF TERRORIST ACTIVITIES IN VARIOUS COUNTRIES FROM JANUARY 2 TO MARCH 9, 1976 IS APPENDED. NOTES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)