NCJ Number
85573
Date Published
1982
Length
217 pages
Annotation
This book discusses the development of counterterrorist operations in Britain, the United States, Israel, West Germany, Hollard, France, Italy and Spain.
Abstract
The authors analyze dozens of terrorist operations, from Entebbe to the siege of the Iranian embassy in London and the aborted attempt at a military rescue of the hostages in the American embassy in Iran. In addition to an analysis of particular counterterrorist operations, descriptions are provided of how special counterterrorist units are organized, trained, armed, controlled, and led. The decisive step by each of the governments whose activities are surveyed was a decision not to submit to armed blackmail. Each country created special forces and equipped them to fight terrorists in the contexts in which terrorists typically operate. By so doing they discouraged fresh attacks. New tactics were developed to combat terrorist operations, military and police technology was improved to provide the weapons and devices to help with their task, and the need for better intelligence was recognized. Computer technology was used by police to preempt terrorists by discovering in advance who they were. Private enterprise, recognizing the terrorist threat against its personnel, has also undertaken measures to counter the threat. While there is often a conflict between the need to protect lives and property from terrorist attack and the preservation of the civil liberties of democracies, the counterterrorist measures adopted by the democracies surveyed have not seriously undermined democratic principles. Forty-two references and a subject index are provided.