DATE=6/30/98
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-40827
TITLE=TERRORISM'S NEW FACE
BYLINE= ED WARNER
DATELINE= WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: TERRORISM IN THE POST-COLD WAR ERA WAS THE FOCUS OF A
MEETING IN WASHINGTON THIS WEEK. THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT TERRORISM
HAS DECLINED IN THE LAST DECADE. THE BAD NEWS IS TERRORISTS HAVE
CHANGED TACTICS AND HAVE DIFFERENT MOTIVATIONS -- PRESENTING NEW
SECURITY CHALLENGES IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD. V-O-A'S ED
WARNER REPORTS.
TEXT: TERRORISTS NO LONGER BELIEVE WHAT THEY ARE SAYING, SAYS
WILLIAM PERRY, PRESIDENT OF THE INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY OF THE
AMERICAS. THEY ARE OPERATING OUT OF HABIT, NOT CONVICTION, HE
SAYS. AND IF THERE IS STILL A RESIDUAL MARXISM IN THEIR
RHETORIC, THEY ARE ACTING MORE LIKE BUSINESSMEN -- OF A LAWLESS
VARIETY.
AT A CONFERENCE HELD BY HIS INSTITUTE, MR. PERRY WAS ONE OF
SEVERAL SPEAKERS DESCRIBING THE NEW TERRORIST THREAT. JULIO
CIRINO, THE ARGENTINE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE ORGANIZATION, NOTED
THE SPANISH PARADOX: EVEN THOUGH SPAIN IS A DEMOCRATIC COUNTRY,
WITH CONSIDERABLE LOCAL AUTONOMY AND NO SPECIAL GRIEVANCES,
BASQUE TERRORISTS CONTINUE TO OPERATE IN THE NORTH:
/// CIRINO ACT ///
WE ARE FACING THE GROWING TREND OF A NEW KIND OF
TERRORIST THAT HAS LESS TO DO WITH THE ROOTS OF
TERRORISM THAN WITH THE TERRORIST HIMSELF -- IN OTHER
WORDS, WHAT WE CAN CALL THE PROFESSION OF TERRORISM.
THERE IS NOW MORE THAN A GENERATION OF PEOPLE INVOLVED
IN POLITICAL VIOLENCE THAT ALMOST MAKE A LIVING OF THAT
POLITICAL VIOLENCE.
/// END ACT ///
MR. CIRINO SAYS THIS NEW BREED OF TERRORIST KEEPS SHIFTING HIS
AGENDA AS CIRCUMSTANCES CHANGE. THERE IS NO SATISFYING HIM,
BECAUSE TERRORISM HAS BECOME A WAY OF LIFE -- AND A PROFITABLE
ONE. THERE ARE HUGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY TO BE MADE FROM KIDNAPPINGS
AND THE THREAT OF ASSASSINATION.
THERE IS EVEN MORE MONEY IN ILLICIT DRUGS. MICHAEL RADU OF THE
FOREIGN POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE SAYS, ONCE SOVIET FUNDING DRIED
UP, TERRORISTS WERE ON THEIR OWN:
/// RADU ACT ///
THEY HAVE TO FIND THEIR OWN SOURCES OF FUNDS, TRAINING,
WEAPONS AND SO ON. AND IN ALMOST ALL CASES THEY FOUND
IT, AND THEY FOUND THEIR SOURCES IN DRUGS. THE
DISTINCTION BETWEEN ORDINARY CRIME, TERRORISM AND
INSURGENCIES HAS NEVER BEEN A VERY CLEAR ONE. BUT IT
HAS VIRTUALLY DISAPPEARED TODAY IN MOST REGIONS.
/// END ACT ///
COLOMBIA IN LATIN AMERICA IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF THAT LETHAL
BLEND. MYLES FRECHETTE, A FORMER U-S AMBASSADOR TO COLOMBIA,
SAYS TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED BY A
COMBINATION OF GUERRILLAS, DRUG TRAFFICKERS AND PARA-MILITARIES
WHO TARGET ANYONE WHO GETS IN THEIR WAY, INCLUDING ONE ANOTHER.
A HIT TEAM EVEN TRAVELED TO HUNGARY TO ASSASSINATE THE COLOMBIAN
AMBASSADOR, WHO SURVIVED SIX SHOTS TO HIS FACE.
/// FRECHETTE ACT ///
THREE OF THE CANDIDATES IN THE 1990 ELECTION WERE
ASSASSINATED. THE PROBLEM IS THEY WERE ASSASSINATED BY
DIFFERENT GROUPS. WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS IN COLOMBIA,
YOU HAVE TO LOOK VERY CAREFULLY AT THE METHODS AND THEN
PERHAPS TRY TO DIVINE WHO REALLY DID IT.
/// END ACT ///
WHY GIVE UP TERRORISM, WHEN IT PAYS SO WELL? THAT QUESTION
PERPLEXED THE CONFERENCE SPEAKERS, THOUGH THEY CONCEDED PERU'S
SUCCESS IN OVERCOMING ONE OF THE HEMISPHERE'S WORST GUERRILLA
MOVEMENTS. THERE, THE NATIONAL WILL TO DEAL WITH TERRORISM WAS
GALVANIZED UNDER A RESOLUTE LEADER, ALBERTO FUJIMORI.
THE LAW MAY BE THE MOST EFFECTIVE WEAPON AGAINST TERRORISM, SAYS
PHILLIP WILCOX, FORMER DIRECTOR OF COUNTER-TERRORISM AT THE U-S
STATE DEPARTMENT. NATIONS ARE INCREASINGLY WILLING TO BRING
TERRORISTS TO JUSTICE, HE SAYS, AND A THICK WEB OF COOPERATION
AMONG DIPLOMATS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IS KEEPING THEM ON
THE DEFENSIVE. (SIGNED)
NEB/EW/WTW
30-Jun-98 11:28 PM EDT (0328 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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