Counter-Terrorism

Published date01 April 1991
DOI10.1177/0032258X9106400208
Date01 April 1991
Subject MatterArticle
SUPERINTENDENT W. J. FULTON,
Q.G.M., L.L.B. (HONS.), M.SC., M.A. (Exon)
Royal Ulster Constabulary
COUNTER-TERRORISM
Thekey issuestobeaddressedinthisarticlerequiremetolookat whatthe
'generalprinciples ofcounter-terrorism' areandthengoontolookatwhen
theseprinciples are 'appropriate'and whentheyare 'counter-productive'.
Government 'tacticsand strategies' willneed to beexaminedwith a view
toanalysing anddetermining the occasions when theyeither 'succeed or
fail'. Butfirst, itbegsthequestion - 'Whatis terrorism?' Anunderstanding
of this is essential in order to discuss the 'appropriateness', 'success',
'failure', of various 'counter-terrorism' measures.
Tupman and Webb (1988) argue that one of the major problems
facing
thoseresponsible for thedevelopment of astrategy to promotethe
understanding ofthe phenomenon knownas 'terrorism' isthat theydo not
know'wheretheyare'. Thereisnouniformly accepteddefinition. Itis one
of those phenomena that 'we know it when we see it'.
The essence of terrorism is that terrorist tactics are aimed at
undermining the confidence of the general public in the ability of the
government andauthorities to createan environment inwhichpeoplecan
feelsafeandsecure. Whereas'freedomfighters'(anotherman'sterrorists)
tend to attack specific military and paramilitary targets, such as an
occupying army, the 'terrorist' (anotherman's
freedom
fighter)seeks to
producea stateoffearin thepopulation at largeby attacking bothsecurity
force personnel and soft targets such as civilians on an apparently
indiscriminate basis. In the words of Sun Tzu in 350 B.C. 'Kill one and
frighten ten thousand'.
There have been many attempts (around 192 at present) to define
'terrorism', but because of the perceptive and general psychological
natureofthephenomenon itis verydifficulttoproduceaconcisesentence.
Thereare,
however,
FEATURES
ofterroristbehaviourwhichincreaseour
understanding: These are described by Paul Wilkinson, DoctorRichard
Clutterbuck and othersand may be summarized as:
(a) Terrorism isaboutthe useormorecommonlytheTHREATofthe use
of violence to bring aboutpolitical change.
(b) This
VIOLENCE
maybedirectedagainstspecificindividuals such
as politicians, diplomats, wealthy businessmen and military/police
personnel or it may be totally indiscriminate, aimed at the general
public thus producing a state of terrorism and fear in the total
population.
(c) In thevast majorityof casesthe victims are innocentin thattheyare
notactivelyengaging the terroristincombatatthe timeof theattack.
Theyarefrequently totallyunsuspecting andtotallyuninvolved with
securityactivities. Theymaybepoliticians
working
fora rivalcause,
April 1991 153

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