NCJ Number
58186
Journal
AIR UNIVERSITY REVIEW Volume: 27 Dated: (JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1976) Pages: 26-35
Date Published
1976
Length
10 pages
Annotation
TWO TRENDS RELATIVE TO ACTS OF TERRORISM ARE DISCUSSED, INCLUDING THE SHIFT FROM RURAL TO URBAN ACTIVITY AND THE TRANSNATIONAL NATURE OF TERRORIST OPERATIONS.
Abstract
THE EXPANDING BOUNDARIES OF TERRORIST ACTIVITY MAY WELL BE LINKED WITH THE RURAL-TO-URBAN MIGRATION OF NUMEROUS GUERILLA ORGANIZATIONS DURING THE LAST DECADE. FORMED IN THE EARLY 1960'S, MANY OF THESE GROUPS WERE LED BY MARXIST-INFLUENCED STUDENTS AND INTELLECTUALS DRAWN FROM A GROWING URBAN MIDDLE CLASS IN AFRICA, ASIA, THE MIDDLE EAST, AND LATIN AMERICA. COLLABORATION BETWEEN GEOGRAPHICALLY SEPARATED URBAN INSURGENT AND TERRORIST ELEMENTS WERE FIRST NOTED AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL IN LATIN AMERICA. LATIN AMERICAN TERRORISTS HAVE ALSO WORKED CLOSELY WITH VARIOUS JAPANESE, PALESTINIAN, AND EUROPEAN GUERRILLA GROUPS. CLOSE TRANSNATIONAL LINKAGES HAVE DEVELOPED BETWEEN THE BASQUE LIBERATION MOVEMENT IN SPAIN AND SEVERAL FRENCH ANARCHIST GROUPS, PARTICULARLY THE GROUPS OF INTERNATIONAL REVOLUTIONARY ACTION. THE BEST KNOWN LINKAGE OF THIS TYPE INVOLVES THE MARXIST JAPANESE RED ARMY FACTION AND THE POPULAR FRONT FOR THE LIBERATION OF PALESTINE. TO DATE, SCANT ATTENTION HAS FOCUSED ON THE SOCIAL, POLITICAL, AND TECHNOLOGICAL FACTORS FACILITATING THE DEVELOPMENT OF TRANSNATIONAL TERRORISM OR THE METHODS OF COPING WITH THIS ALARMING PHENOMENON. SUBSTANTIALLY STRONGER AND MORE RESOLUTE GOVERNMENTAL ACTION ON AN INTERNATIONAL SCALE IS NECESSARY TO CONVINCE TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS THAT ACTS OF VIOLENCE WILL NEITHER ADVANCE THEIR CAUSE NOR RESULT IN POLITICAL, FINANCIAL, OR PROPAGANDA GAIN. NOTES ARE INCLUDED. (LWM)