NCJ Number
56218
Date Published
1979
Length
28 pages
Annotation
THE PROCESS OF TERRORISM AND SPECIFIC TERRORIST ACTS COMMITTED BY THE PALESTINIAN MOVEMENT AND COMMUNITY IN THE MIDDLE EAST FROM JUNE 1967 TO OCTOBER 1973 ARE REVIEWED.
Abstract
DEFINITIONS OF TERROR, TERRORISM, AND THE PROCESS OF TERROR VARY. DURING CRISIS WHEN TERRORISM APPEARS TO BE ON THE INCREASE, GOVERNMENT ATTENTION FOCUSES ON PREVENTION AND CONTROL. FOR ACTIVISTS, THE PRIME CONCERN IS WITH THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TERROR AS A POLITICAL TACTIC. ONE AUTHOR SUGGESTS THAT TERRORISM IS THE THREAT OR USE OF VIOLENCE FOR POLITICAL ENDS, WHILE ANOTHER STUDY DEFINES TERROR AS THE SYSTEMATIC USE OF EXTREME VIOLENCE AND THREATS OF VIOLENCE IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE PUBLIC OR POLITICAL OBJECTIVES. IN THE PALESTINIAN CASE, A DISTINCTION BETWEEN GOVERNMENTAL AND NONGOVERNMENTAL TERROR AND BETWEEN INTERNAL (WITHIN NATIONS) AND INTERNATIONAL TERROR IS NECESSARY. THE EVALUATION OF TERRORISM AS A TACTIC REQUIRES ANSWERS TO SEVERAL ISSUES, INCLUDING WHETHER THERE IS A GENERAL SET OF CHARACTERISTICS THAT DISTINGUISH THE TERRORIST OR THOSE WILLING TO RESORT TO TERRORISM, CRITERIA OF INCLUSION OR EXCLUSION FOR TERRORIST ACTS THEMSELVES, AND VICTIM-TARGET RELATIONSHIPS. THE FACT THAT THE USE OF TERRORISM VARIED DURING THE YEARS STUDIED IN TERMS OF ACTS COMMITTED AND THEIR FREQUENCY, INTENSITY, AND OBJECTIVES SUGGESTS THAT TERRORISM WILL NOT AUTOMATICALLY INCREASE OR DECREASE BUT RATHER VARY ACCORDING TO THE RELATIONSHIP AMONG COMPLEX AND OFTEN CONTRADICTORY POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, AND SOCIAL VARIABLES. THE EMERGENCE OF THE PALESTINE LIBERATION ORGANIZATION IS HISTORICALLY REVIEWED. SPECIFIC ACTS OF TERRORISM BETWEEN JUNE 1967 AND OCTOBER 1973 DETAILED INCLUDE AIR HIJACKINGS AND ATTACKS ON AIR TERMINALS, LETTER BOMBS AND PACKAGES, AND COMMANDO RAIDS, ATTACKS, AND BOMBINGS (GOVERNMENTAL AND NONGOVERNMENTAL). SUPPORTING DATA AND NOTES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)