IT IS ARGUED THAT THE RED BRIGADE DEVELOPED AS A RESULT OF THE ATMOSPHERE CREATED BY RADICALS IN FRANCE, THE BAADER MEINHOF GROUP IN GERMANY, AND THE ANGRY BRIGADE IN BRITIAN. ITS ORIGINS ARE TRACED TO AN EXTRAPARLIAMENTARY LEFTIST GROUP IN MILAN IN 1969. THIS GROUP, THE PROLETARIAN LEFT, CREATED THE BRIGADE TO SERVE AS RADICAL NUCLEI OPERATING WITHIN THE NATION'S VARIOUS TRADE UNIONS. MEMBERS WERE DRAWN FROM UNIVERSITY SOCIOLOGY DEPARTMENTS, THE YOUTH FEDERATION OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY, AND THE EXTREMIST FRINGES OF THE CATHOLIC MOVEMENT. BRIGADE ACTIVISTS, INCLUDING A MILLIONAIRE PUBLISHER AND A WELL-KNOWN PAINTER, DIRECTED A VARIETY OF HOSTILE ACTIONS (E.G., BOMBINGS, WOUNDINGS, EXECUTIONS) AT IMPORTANT INDUSTRIAL CENTERS, SUCH AS PIRELLI, SEIMENS, AND ALFA-ROMEO. BY 1971, THEIR ATTENTION TURNED TO RIGHT WING POLITICIANS, WITH INCIDENTS IN ROME, TURIN, AND ELSEWHERE ACROSS THE COUNTRY. AUTHORITIES ARE UNCERTAIN ABOUT THE EXTENT AND SOURCE OF THE BRIGADE'S FINANCIAL BACKING. ALTHOUGH THE ITALIAN POLICE ARE SURE OF THE IDENTITIES OF ABOUT 250 ACTIVE BRIGADE TERRORISTS, THE PROBLEM IS NOT SIMPLY ONE OF THE NUMBERS OF KNOWN ACTIVISTS; BECAUSE OF THE BRIGADE'S PUBLIC SUPPORT, THEY PERHAPS COULD MOBILIZE THOUSANDS OF ACTIVISTS. WHILE THEIR HARDCORE SUPPORT IS CENTRALIZED IN ITALY'S INDUSTRIAL NORTH, THE BRIGADE IS ALSO KNOWN TO HAVE STRONG TIES TO OTHER TERRORIST GROUPS, INCLUDING THE GENOA BASED GROUP, PARTISAN ACTION, WHICH HAS BEEN BROKEN UP BY THE POLICE. THERE IS ALSO EVIDENCE OF THE BRIGADE'S LINKS WITH THE COMMUNIST COUNTRIES OF EASTERN EUROPE, PARTICULARLY WITH THE CZECHS, AND WITH CUBA. FINALLY, MANY TERRORISTS, INCLUDING MEMBERS OF THE RED BRIGADE, HAVE RECEIVED INTENSIVE TRAINING IN LEBANON AND SOUTH YEMEN, AND AT A TRAINING CENTER OUTSIDE BAGHDAD, IRAQ. THE ORIGINS OF THE BAADER-MEINHOF GANG ARE BRIEFLY REVIEWED AND IT IS ARGUED THAT A THIRD GENERATION OF THE GROUP HAS BEEN BUILT AROUND SUCCESSFUL EXECUTIVES WHO ARE EXPERT MARKSMEN, AND WHO, FOLLOWING TERRORIST ACTIONS, RETURN TO THEIR BUSINESS OFFICES. PHOTOS ILLUSTRATE THE TEXT. (KBL)