ON OCTOBER 13, 1977, A STRIKE FORCE OF COMMANDOS FROM THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY ATTACKED A LUFTHANSA JET AIRLINER, RESCUING THE PASSENGERS WHO HAD BEEN HELD HOSTAGE AND KILLING THREE OF THE FOUR TERRORISTS WHO HAD SKYJACKED THE PLANE. THE COUNTRY OF SOMALIA, WHERE THE PLANE HAD LANDED, COOPERATED FULLY IN THE RESCUE. FORMERLY SOMALIA HAD BEEN A WORLD HAVEN FOR SKYJACKERS. THE RESCUE WAS FOLLOWED BY THE DRAMATIC SUICIDES OF FOUR TERRORIST LEADERS IN WEST GERMANY AND THE MURDER OF A GERMAN INDUSTRIALIST WHO HAD BEEN KIDNAPPED BY TERRORISTS. AS PART OF A CAMPAIGN AGAINST TERRORISM, THE GERMAN GOVERNMENT IS PRESENTING A BILL INSTITUTING MORE RIGID TRIAL PROCEDURES, INCLUDING BARRING LAWYERS FROM THE COURTROOM IF THEY ARE SUSPECTED OF COLLABORATING WITH TERRORISTS, POLITICAL TERRORISM IS ANCIENT BUT IT IS ONLY IN THE PAST TWO DECADES THAT IT HAS MUSHROOMED TO INTERNATIONAL IMPORTANCE WITH MODERN COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ABILITY OF TERRORIST GROUPS TO BUY WEAPONS INTERNATIONALLY. THE PROBLEM IS COMPOUNDED BY THE FACT THAT THERE IS LITTLE INTERNATIONAL CONSENSUS ON THE ISSUE. A NUMBER OF COUNTRIES, NOTABLY LIBYA, SOUTH YEMEN, IRAQ, NORTH KOREA, AND CUBA PROVIDE TERRORISTS WITH MONEY, ARMS, OR A HAVEN AND SEEM TO ENJOY WATCHING THE INDUSTRIAL DEMOCRACIES SQUIRM. HOWEVER, A GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TERRORISM SEEMS TO BE EMERGING. THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT, WHICH A MONTH BEFORE HAD GIVEN IN TO RANSOM DEMANDS OF FIVE JAPANESE RED ARMY TERRORISTS WHO HAD SKYJACKED A PLANE WITH 156 ON BOARD, CONCEDED THAT IT HAD DONE THE WRONG THING. ITALY IS EXPANDING PREVENTIVE DETENTION LAWS TO MAKE IT EASIER TO HOLD SUSPECTED TERRORISTS. THE SOVIET UNION, WHICH RARELY SAYS ANYTHING GOOD ABOUT WEST GERMANY, REPORTED THE ATTACK FAVORABLY. OTHER COUNTRIES, INCLUDING THE U.S., ARE ASKING FOR AUTHORITY TO INCREASE SURVEILLANCE ACTIVITIES TO COUNTER TERRORIST GROUPS.