Basic HTML Version
by
Keith W. Stump
Top law enforcement officials around the globe predict an increase in terrorist
bombings, hijackings and assassinations in the months and years ahead. What can
be done to stem the epidemic of terrorism?
W
ashington, D.C., was a city
under siege. A small band
of Hanafi Moslem terror–
ists, bent on revenge against mem–
bers of the rival Black Muslims
convicted of murdering seven Ha–
nafis in 1973, held sorne 130 bos–
tages at gunpoint at three separate
1ocations in the city in early March
of this year. The gunmen threatened
to behead their hostages unless the
convicted murderers were taken
from prison and brought to them for
')ustice." Heavily armed policemen
ringed the three buildings in a tense
standoff.
Finally, after lengthy negotiations
witb Washington police and Mos–
lem diplomats, the gunmen released
the bostages and surrendered to po–
lice. The two-day siege carne to a
sudden and unexpected end. Trag–
edy, in this case at least, was
averted.
" Age of Terror"
Terrorist activity has become a com–
mon feature on the international
scene in recent years, and law en–
forcement officials do not expect it
to diminish in the foreseeable fu–
ture. On the cont rary, many feel it
threatens to spread totally out of
control.
Dr. Yonah Alexander, professor
of international studies at the State
University of New York and a
frequent lecturer on terrorism,
warns: "Terrorism is going to grow
ratber than lessen. Today, we are
entering an Age ofTerror."
Since 1965, there have been sorne
The
PLAIN TRUTH
June
1977
1,000 incidents of
internationa/
ter–
rorism (operations across national
borders or by foreign agents within
a country), resulting in the dea ths of
nearly 1,000 people and double that
number wounded. When the figures
for strictly
domestic
terrorism (such
as the Hanafi incident) are added in,
the picture becomes even grimmer.
Though the death toll from terrorist
acts is still relatively small com–
pared to other forms of crime, ter–
rorism nevertheless ha s an
enormous emotiona1 and política!
impact which is much greater than
mere numbers suggest.
Brian Jenkins, terrorism expert
for Tbe Rand Corporation, observes
that terrorism "is dramatic violence;
it's almost choreographed violence,
theatrical violence carried out for its
psychological effect on the people
watching. It is designed to create
Jear,
wbjch makes people exagger–
ate the terrorists and tbe strength of
their cause."
Terrorist organizations for the
most part are relatively powerless
politically and militari ly. The gener–
ation of chaos and fear by means of
disruptive acts is the only way they
see to publicize their causes and
achieve their ends, which otherwise
would probably be unattainable in
the face of overwhelming opposition
or indifference.
Terrorists, moreover, are becom–
ing increasingly convinced that ter–
rorism pays. Figures compiled by
the Central Intelligence Agency
(CIA) and other organizations re–
vea! that terrorists have close toa 50
percent chance of having sorne or
all of tbeir demands met , whether
they be ransom money, the release
of "political prisoners," or other ob–
jectives.
In addition, there is an attractive
80 percent chance of their escaping
capture or death.
Worldwlde Dllemma
A growing number of terrorist in–
cidents around the world in the past
few years has dramatically thrust
the prob1em to the forefront of offi–
cial and public concern. Among the
incidents:
• The massacre of 11 Israelí
Olympic athletes in Munich, West
Germany, by eight " Biack Septem–
ber" terrorists in September 1972.
• The assault on a passenger ter–
minal at l srae1's Lod Interna tiona1
Airport by three machine-gun-tot–
ing "Japanese Red Army" terrorists
in May 1972. Twenty-eight tourists
died, 78 were wounded.
• The massacre at Rome airport
in December 1973 by Palestinian
commandos who blew up a Pan Am
jetliner and hijacked a Lufthansa
plane to Atbens and Kuwait ; 33
tourists were killed.
• The abduction of the oil minis–
ters of l l nations by six pro-Pales–
tinian guerrillas who invaded a
meeting of the Organization of Pe–
tr oleum E xpo rting Count r ies
(OPEC) in Vienna in December
1975.
• The hijacking of a Dutch inter–
city train by 13 youthful Mo1uccan
terrorists in December 1975- a 16-
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