U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

TERRORISM AND SECURITY FORCE REQUIREMENTS - SEMINAR REPORT (FROM TEN YEARS OF TERRORISM - COLLECTED VIEWS, 1979, BY JENNIFER SHAW ET AL - SEE NCJ-62267)

NCJ Number
62275
Author(s)
R THOMPSON; N L FUCHS; U K WEGENER; J STOKREFF; R E KLOPPENBERG; H REY
Date Published
1979
Length
19 pages
Annotation
SECURITY AND INTELLIGENCE SPECIALISTS FROM CANADA, WEST GERMANY, THE NETHERLANDS, AND FRANCE DISCUSS HOW THEY HAVE HANDLED TERRORIST SITUATIONS IN THEIR COUNTRIES.
Abstract
THE SEMINAR FOCUSES ON THE COUNTERMEASURES THAT A GOVERNMENT HAS TO TAKE, AND IN PARTICULAR, WHETHER A GOVERNMENT NEEDS SPECIAL ORGANIZATIONS TO DEAL WITH TERRORISM. THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE, DISCUSSES THE EXPERIENCE OF CANADA IN DEALING WITH THE RUSSIAN SECT KNOWN AS THE DOUKHOBORS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA AND THE SEPARATISTS IN QUEBEC. STRONG GOVERNMENT ACTION AND FORCED EDUCATION FINALLY SOLVED THE FORMER PROBLEM. ALTHOUGH THE LATTER REMAINS UNRESOLVED, THE POLICE HAVE IT UNDER CONTROL. THE COMMANDER OF THE NINTH BORDER GUARD GROUP SPECIAL OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY DISCUSSES THE EFFECT OF TERRORIST ACTIVITIES ON THE POPULACE. ACTIONS OF THE BAADER-MEINHOF GANG AND THE RED ARMY HAD CAUSED A GREAT FEELING OF INSECURITY. THE MISSION OF THE NEW SPECIAL UNIT, CREATED IN 1975, IS TO PREVENT AND FIGHT TERRORIST ACTIONS. IT IS TO BE DEPLOYED PRIMARILY IN SITUATIONS WHICH REQUIRE CONCERTED ACTION, EITHER OPEN OR UNDERCOVER, USING FORCE. TO ANALYZE THE TACTICAL PRINCIPLES OF GUERRILLA WARFARE, THE SPECIAL UNIT USES MERIGHELLA'S 'MINIMANUAL OF THE URBAN GUERRILLA.' THE PRIMARY TARGET OF THE SPECIAL UNIT IS THE MILITANT GROUP WHICH EMPLOYS GUERRILLA METHODS, SUCH AS THE PALESTINIAN LIBERATION ORGANIZATION (PLO). THE SPECIAL UNIT CONSISTS OF A COMMAND ELEMENT, THREE OPERATIONAL UNITS, COMMUNICATION AND DOCUMENTATION UNITS, AN AVIATION ELEMENT, AND SUPPORT/SUPPLY SERVICES. THE COMMANDER OF SPECIAL SUPPORT UNIT OF THE POLICE, NETHERLANDS, SPEAKS ABOUT THE SITUATION IN HOLLAND, WHICH CLOSELY RESEMBLES THAT IN WEST GERMANY. AFTER THE PLO MURDERS OF ISRAELI PARTICIPANTS AT THE 1972 OLYMPICS IN MUNICH, HOLLAND BEGAN PLANNING ITS OWN COUNTERMEASURES. THE PERSONNEL OF THE SPECIAL UNIT ARE ALL VOLUNTEERS WHO WORK IN THE POLICE FORCE OR THE ARMY WHEN THEY ARE NOT WITH THE SPECIAL UNIT. THEY ARE TRAINED AS MARKSMEN AND SHARPSHOOTERS. THERE ARE SEVERE MEDICAL AND PSYCHOTECHNICAL SELECTION REQUIREMENTS. WHEN THE UNIT IS WORKING ON A CASE, A PSYCHIATRIST GOES WITH THE UNIT TO OBSERVE THE STABILITY OF THE MEN UNDER STRESS. THE ROLE OF THE ROYAL NETHERLANDS MARINE CORPS IN ANTITERRORIST ACTIVITIES ALSO IS EXPLAINED AS WELL AS THAT OF THE NATIONAL GENDARMERIE INTERVENTION GROUP OF FRANCE. (PRG)