FCNL Washington Newsletter 2002-01: Iss 662

9 Pages·0.49 MB·English

Friends Committee on
rjFC
Washington Newsletter
MNL
JANUARY 2002 NO. 662
National Legislation
Must We Trade the Bill of Rights for Security?
The September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center ing the bombing of Pearl Harbor, thousands of
and Pentagon have posed grave questions for all in Japanese and Japanese-Americans living in the U.S.
the U.S. Why did they happen? How can those and Latin America were forcibly interned. The
responsible be brought to justice? How can similar government identified them as a threat to national
attacks be prevented? security simply because of their Japanese citizen¬
ship or ancestry. Decades later, the U.S. govern¬
The answers to these questions are intertwined. ment apologized to those who had been interned
Understanding what terrorism is and why it is for the unjust violation of their civil liberties.
used is essential to shaping an appropriate and
effective response. Our page 8 article offers some We believe that it is possible for the government to
thoughts on terrorism that we believe are impor¬ reduce the United States' v ulnerability to terrorist
tant to the conversation. attacks without sacrificing civil liberties and other
constitutional protections.
Within days of September 11, the Administration
began responding to the attacks. One element of the Racial and ethnic profiling is a blunt instrument. A
response was to subject Arab, Middle Eastern, and finer instrument could be created based on behaviors
Muslim non-citizens to arrest, detention, and interro¬ that suggest potential threat. All who display those
gation. Persons accused of complicity in the attacks behaviors, regardless of race, ethnicity or citizenship,
were threatened with the possibility of trial by spe¬ should be investigated.
cial tribunals lacking customary^ legal protections.
Arrests, detentions, and deportations that are not
The Administration's rationale seems easy to grasp. based on evidence of actual or intended wrongdoing
Since the September 11 attacks were perpetrated by cause immigrant communities to close ranks against
Arab-Islamic, non-citizen men who were part of a those in authority. A more effective approach would
larger global terror netwwk, government officials be to enhance cooperation between immigrant com¬
reasoned that the best way to prevent further attacks munities and law enforcement officials by building
would be to round up people who met that profile. trust. For this to happen, the rights of all members
of the community must be respected.
How effective will the government's approach be in
uncovering other al Qaeda members among the hun¬ All nations should seek to protect from terrorism
dreds of thousands of Arab, Middle Eastern, and and other violence everyone within their borders
Muslim men currently in the U.S.? Will this as well as citizens who are abroad. However, gov¬
approach be at all useful in preventing attacks ernments can do this without violating human
mounted by other groups of disaffected individuals rights or civil liberties and without sacrificing vul¬
with ties to countries outside the Middle East? Will nerable members. Indeed, the safety and security
it prevent an attack mounted by a fringe group of of all in the U.S. will only be assured when the
U.S. citizens? government protects those who are most vulnera¬
ble and when the Constitution and Bill of Rights
The Administration's approach calls to mind are upheld. ■
another shameful episode in U.S. history. Follow¬
Page 2 FCNL Washington Newsletter, January 2002
Caught in the Dragnet
The FRIENDS COMMITTEE ON
NATIONAL LEGISLATION (FCNL),
a Quaker lobby in the public interest,
seeks to follow the leadings of the Spir¬ In the days immediately following the attacks on the World Trade Center
it as it speaks for itself and for like-
and the Pentagon, the Department of Justice (DoJ) began arresting and
minded Friends. Views expressed in
FCNL's Washington Newsletter are guid¬ detaining foreign-born persons. Most were arrested for minor violations
ed by the Statement of Legislative Poli¬
of traffic and immigration laws. Others, arrested as "material witness¬
cy which is prepared and approved by
FCNL's General Committee. FCNL es," were held without bond (to ensure their availability to testify) even
includes Friends appointed by 26 though they had not been charged with any crime. These arrests ulti¬
Friends' yearly meetings and by seven
other Friends' organizations in the mately resulted in the detention of over 1200 individuals, nearly all of
United States. whom were young men from Middle Eastern and Islamic countries.
Clerk: Joanne Rains Warner
Assistant Clerk: Jonathan Fisch Those caught in the dragnet were detained for varying periods of time.
Executive Secretary: Joe Volk
Estimates of the number remaining in custody range from 300 to nearly
The FCNL Washington Newsletter is
500. The DoJ has consistently refused to provide a detailed accounting of
published ten times a year (monthly,
with July-August and November- those arrested and detained, thus, exact numbers are not known.
December combined issues). In addi¬
tion, a voting record is published annu¬
ally and a congressional directory is Why so many arrests?
prepared for each new Congress.
The Washington Newsletter is sent free
The government initially explained the sweep as being part of the inves¬
upon request and automatically to cur¬
rent donors. Your contributions are tigation of the September 11 attacks. Howex'er, by mid-October, it was
needed to support FCNL's lobbying
clear that few, if any, of the 1200 people arrested were conspirators in the
and education work.
attacks. In late November, a gov'emment official indicated that only 10-
Editor Florence C. Kimball
15 of the detainees were suspected al Qaeda sympathizers and that there
Contributing Writers: Florence
was no evidence linking any of them to the September 11 attacks.
Kimball, Elizabeth Gregg
Large print and audiotape versions of
the Washington Newsletter are available Although the Administration could not justify the continued detention of
upon request. The Washington Newslet¬ hundreds of foreign-bom persons as being necessary to an inv^estigation,
ter is available in microform from Uni¬
the detentions continued with a new rationale: detention would prevent
versity Microfilms International, 300
North Zeeb Road, Dept. P.R., Ann further attacks by potential terrorists. To date, no firm evidence of spe¬
Arbor, Ml 48106.
cific plots has been presented.
Reprinting Washington Newsletter
Items: We encourage our readers to
copy and distribute items from FCNL's The prevention strategy, offered in an FBI affidavit, was used in deten¬
Wa^ington Newsletter. When doing so, tion hearings across the U.S. as the basis for holding people on the
please include the following credit:
suspicion that they might be involved in the September 11 attacks. For
"Reprinted from the Washington
Newsletter, [issue #, month and example, one man's application for release on bond was blocked by
year] published by the Friends
the FBI, saying that it had been unable "to rule out the possibility"
Committee on National
Legislation." that the detainee was "somehow linked to or possesses knowledge of,
We would appreciate receiving a copy the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon."
with a brief note indicating how/where
the item was used and the approximate
numbers of copies distribute. Civil liberties concerns
Friends Committee on
National Legislation The government has an obligation to try to bring to justice those associat¬
245 Secojd Street NE ed with the September 11 attacks and to prevent further acts of terrorism.
Washington, DC 20002-5795
Phone: [phone] However, the means employed should be reasonable and fair. The scope
800-630-1330 of the post-September 11 arrests and the manner in which they were con¬
Fax: [phone]
ducted has raised deep concerns about the civil liberties of all in the U.S.
Legislative Action Message:
202-547-4343 and about the rights of immigrants.
e-mail: [email protected]
Web site: http://www.fi^.oig
Since September 11, the Attorney General and the Immigration and Nat¬
4f^ Printed on recycled paper
uralization Servdce (INS) have summarily changed rules in order to
with soy-based ink.
strengthen their ability to detain foreigners. For example, in late October,
FCNL Washington Newsletter, January 2002 Page 3
a new INS rule went into effect enhancing the ability information of the nature normally made available
of the INS to block the release on bond of certain to them. This has raised concerns about how ade¬
persons charged with immigration violations. This quately the detainees can be represented.
allows the government to keep a non-citizen in cus¬
At the end of October, the DoJ issued a new regula¬
tody even when a federal judge has ordered release
tion to allow the government to eavesdrop on con¬
for lack of evidence. Procedurally, this rule further
versations between prisoners and their attorneys.
diminishes the authority of the judiciary to review
The traditional lawyer-client confidentiality would
executiv'e branch decisions.
be voided whenev^er the Attorney General held that
there was "reasonable suspicion" to believe that the
The Neiv York Times recently reported that 87
conversation might be connected to terrorist activity.
detainees with visa violations whose immigration
The new rule would encompass detainees who have
cases were resolved months ago are being held
not been charged with any crime. FCNL joined with
indefinitely. These men have already spent more
18 other organizations in urging the Attorney Gener¬
than 100 days in jail with no end in sight. Officials,
al to rescind the rule. (A copy of the comments sub¬
reportedly, hax e no evidence of the men's involve-
mitted by these organizations is available on FCNL's
men in either the September 11 attacks or al Qaeda
web site at <www.fcnl.org/issues/immigrant/
but are holding the men while continuing to search
sup/attorney-client.htm> or by contacting FCNL.)
for incriminating evidence.
Winning the war on terrorism could become a
For more than two months, the DoJ refused to Pyrrhic victory for the U.S. This will happen if con¬
release the names of hundreds of detainees, despite stitutional protections are gutted and the values and
repeated requests from civil liberties, human rights, ideals of freedom become hollow words. ■
and immigrant advaicacy groups. Attorney General
Ashcroft defended his refusal with a novel argu¬
ment: releasing the names of detainees would vio¬
Apply to Be An FCNL Intern
late their privacy. At the end of Nov'ember, as he
approached a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing,
FCNL is looking for legislative interns for the
the Attorney General abruptly released some infor¬
coming year! If you or someone you know is
mation. It was, however, a very incomplete account¬
interested in working on legislative and policy
ing of the detainees.
issues from a spiritual and ethical perspective,
supporting FCNL's work for peace and social
The treatment of these detainees, none of whom had
justice, and experiencing life in Washington,
been convicted of a crime and many of whom were
DC, consider applying to be an FCNL intern.
not even charged with a crime, has been problemat¬
ic. Many were kept in solitary confinement or under
FCNL interns work fuU-time for eleven
other questionable conditions. Upon release, many
months, from September through the end of
detainees reported having been denied the use of a
July. They receive a subsistence-level stipend
telephone to contact attorneys or family members.
plus benefits (health coverage, vacation, and
sick leave). Internships are open to individuals
Legal representation an issue with a college degree or equivalent experience.
For more information about the internship,
Se\’eral organizations that provide immigration-
please visit our web site <www.fcnl.org>.
related legal assistance have been frustrated as they
Click on the button labeled "FCNL's Internship
have tried to ensure that all detainees have legal rep¬
Program" on the left-hand navigation bar. You
resentation. Even when detainees requested visits
can download a copy of the intern application
from these organizations or from attorneys, access
in PDF format directly from the web site.
was not always granted.
Completed application forms are due by
March 1,2002. If you have any questions,
The government's insistence on secrecy has kept
please email FCNL at [email protected].
some attorneys from speaking out about the condi¬
tions. Defense attorneys have reported being denied
1
Page 4 FCNL Washington Newsletter, January 2002
Must the US. Sacrifice Justice
On November 13, as the federal government was victed about three dozen terrorists - all in civil pro¬
rounding up foreign-bom persons by the hundreds. ceedings. The American Bar Association has urged
Pres. Bush issued an order authorizing the trial of the Administration to assure that alleged terrorists
alleged foreign terrorists by special military commis¬ have the same legal rights as defendants in courts-
sions. The broadly-worded order encompassed all martial conducted under the Uniform Code of Mili¬
non-citizens, both those residing in the U.S. and tary Justice.
those arrested in other countries. The order applied
Rules drafted by Administration officials to imple¬
to those directly inx'olved in acts of international ter¬
ment the President's order reportedly have respond¬
rorism and those who have knowingly harbored
ed to some of these concerns. The draft rules stipu¬
such an individual. The President himself would
late that a defendant is presumed innocent. Convic¬
decide who would be subject to the order.
tion would require proof of guilt beyond a reason¬
Tlie order stirred up an immediate furor at home able doubt (though still would not require unanimi¬
because it manifestly violated constitutionally guar¬ ty'). Impc')sition of the death penalty, howev'er,
anteed rights and other legal safeguards for those would require a unanimous decision of the judges.
arrested in the U.S. Pres. Bush and senior adminis¬ An appeals process (involving a separate panel, not
tration officials defended the plan cm grounds of a civ'ilian court) was added. Howev'er, many con¬
national security'. cerns about process and fairness remain.
The debate quickly embroiled European allies that The Administration has not demonstrated the need
have been arresting suspects in the September 11 for special tribunals to try U.S. residents accused of
attacks. The U.S. had hoped to extradite such indi¬ terrorism. The civil court system has already
viduals for trial under U.S. auspices. However, demonstrated its capacity for trying terrorists while
some allies are unwilling to permit extradition in the safeguarding national security. By continuing to rely
absence of legal safeguards. Many European allies on the U.S. legal system, with its full panoply of
(most of whom ha\'e abolished the death penalty) legal protections, the U.S. can block terrorists with¬
also object to the possibility of capital punishment out sacrificing the principles and v^alues that under¬
for those con\'icted of terrorism. gird this nation.
Undermining legal safeguards "Equal protection" for whom?
for U.S. residents
The President's order encompasses diverse groups
The military commissions, as originally defined in of non-citizens. Some entered and reside in the
the President's order, would hav'e dispensed with U.S. legally, including permanent residents, stu¬
many of the safeguards that have been built into the dents, workers with temporary visas, and visitors.
U.S. legal system. For example, heresay evidence Others reside in the U.S. without documentation,
could be introduced in a trial, trials could be con¬ havdng either entered the U.S. illegally or ov^er-
ducted in secret, and defendants could be denied a stayed their visas.
choice of legal counsel. Conviction and sentencing
Although the President's order does not mandate
decisions, including capital sentencing, could be
that non-citizens suspected of terrorist ties be tried
made on the basis of tvv'o-thirds of those voting, so
by military tribunals, the possibility that any civilian
long as a majority were present. This could lead to
non-citizen could be is troubling. The U.S. has regu¬
death sentences imposed by the vote of only two
larly objected when U.S. citizens abroad are subject¬
members of a five-member panel. All U.S. courts
ed to trials by tribunals without appropriate legal
were explicitly stripped of authority to hear appeals.
safeguards. The U.S. State Department annually
Many respected voices have called for greater atten¬ evaluates other countries for their human rights
tion to the legal rights of defendants in such tri¬ practices, including the right to a "fair public trial"
bunals. Among these voices has been the former with due process protections. Countries that try
chief federal prosecutor in Manhattan, who success¬ civilians in military tribunals are cited. For the U.S.
fully prosecuted six major terrorism trials and con¬ to embark on this course now is hypocritical and
FCNL Washington Newsletter, January 2002 Page 5
to Punish Foreign Terrorists?
could jeopardize U.S. citizens abroad and the Other Guantanamo detainees are suspected of being
progress of human rights internationally. part of the al Qaeda netw^ork. Their status is a mat¬
ter of dispute. The U.S. insists that they are not
A question of constitutional authority POWs. However, the International Committee of
the Red Cross has asserted that when there is doubt
In establishing military commissions, the President about a person's status, "anybody captured in an
based his authority on (1) his status as President and international conflict is presumed to be a prisoner of
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, (2) Con¬ war unless a competent tribunal decides otherwise."
gress' joint resolution, "Authorization for Use of Mil¬
itary Force," passed on September 14, and (3) two The Administration would like to try these al Qaeda
statutes that deal with the military justice system. suspects, as well as alleged al Qaeda members
However, it is not clear that any combination of arrested in other countries, by special tribunals
these justifications gives the President unilateral under U.S. jurisdiction. The Administration has
authority to establish military commissions. attempted to justify the use of tribunals for these
persons by characterizing them as "unlawful com¬
The Administration has also cited as a precedent
batants," a phrase that invokes the 1942 case of the
Pres. Roosevelt's order to try eight Nazi saboteurs
Nazi saboteurs. In that case, the U.S. was at war
by secret military commission. However, this is a
with Germany. The saboteurs were members of the
problematic precedent since the circumstances in
German military engaging in covert actions inside
that case differ significantly from the present situa¬
the U.S.
tion (discussed further, below).
The President, by embarking on a path with such Unlike the German saboteurs, al Qaeda members are
dubious constitutional authority, is courting a disas¬ not part of the military' of a nation with which the
trous outcome. Persons convicted by a military tri¬ U.S. is at war. Rather, they are civilians with citizen¬
bunal would likely appeal the legality of their con¬ ship in different nations, including some U.S. allies.
victions (rather than the actual decision) to the U.S.
Supreme Court. Were the Court to find that the International terrorists must be held accountable for
President lacked constitutional authority to establish their actions and prevented from committing more
the tribunals, some persons actually guilty of terror¬ such crimes. However, it is also essential that U.S.
ism might be released. efforts to try and punish terrorists be undertaken in
a way that is viewed by other nations as legitimate.
Do unto others...
(continued on page 7)
The use of military tribunals to try suspected terror¬
ists arrested outside the U.S. raises other problems.
First, some of those currently detained at Guan¬ FCNL Position Open
tanamo naval base in Cuba are Taliban fighters.
These partisans captured during a war in their own
FCNL seeks a full-time Legislative Secretary
country are prisoners of war (POWs).
(lobbyist). Job requires knowledge of and
The Geneva Conventions, to which the U.S. is a experience with legislative processes; excellent
party, specify how POWs should be treated. In gen¬ writing, research, communication, and
eral, POWs are to be repatriated at the end of hostili¬ interpersonal skills; understanding of and
ties, though some may be tried because of their sympathy with Friends' testimonies and FCNL
wartime conduct. The Conventions specify legal policies.
safeguards for such trials. The Bush Administration
For an application or if you have questions,
military tribunals fail to meet Geneva Conventions'
please email <[email protected]>. Completed
standards in a number of respects. If the U.S. fails to
applications are due April 30. Position will be
abide fully by these Conventions, then other nations
available beginning July 1 or later.
may not feel bound to do so either.
Page 6 FCNL Washington Newsletter, January 2002
Rehabilitating Racial Profiling
Racial profiling - the practice in which law enforce¬ legally on non-immigrant x'isas after January 1,2000.
ment officers selectively stop persons of a particular Department of Justice (DoJ) officials emphasized that
race on the assumption that such individuals are the interxiews were voluntary, that the men were not
more likely to be involved in particular crimes - has themselves suspected of terrorism, and that the inter¬
gotten a facelift from the Bush Administration. views were intended to gather information.
Widely used for a number of years by police depart¬
DoJ officials denied using nationality as a criterion.
ments across the U.S. in an effort to identify drug
Rather, they said, the men were selected based on
dealers, racial profiling has largely been discontin¬
the country from which they had entered the U.S.
ued as a result of lawsuits charging unfair discrimi¬
Nonetheless, nearly all the men on the list were
nation. These lawsuits have successfully demon¬
Arabs or Middle Easterners.
strated that the "profile" of drug dealers as being
predominantly black or Hispanic is inaccurate. The Arab and Islamic communities, along xvith civil
Racial profiling has been effectix ely discredited as a libertarians, reacted with concern about the pro¬
useful tool in the "war on drugs." posed profiling. These concerns were heightened
when the Detroit Free Press published an internal DoJ
In the wake of September 11, Attorney General
memo that indicated that interxiewees could be
Ashcroft resurrected profiling as a way to identify
detained without bond.
potential terrorists. The targets of this profiling have
been Arab, Middle Eastern, and Muslim men. With the DoJ putting its stamp of approval on racial
profiling, airlines and some other businesses have
Last Nox ember, the Attorney General directed law
followed suit. There have been numerous reports of
enforcement officials across the U.S. to question more
persons with Arab-sounding names or wearing
than 5,000 young men who had entered the U.S.
Islamic garb being subjected to pre-boarding scruti¬
I ny far in excess of that accorded to other passengers.
Some Police Cool to Ashcroft Plan There hax'e also been instances in which such indi-
xiduals have been put off flights, with no apparent
\ The response from police chiefs asked to partici-
justification. The most highly publicized of these
I pate in the DoJ interviews of Arab and Middle
cases occurred in December when an Arab-Ameri¬
j Eastern men was decidedly mixed. While many
can Secret Service agent scheduled to guard the Pres¬
departments complied with the request, a num¬
ident was not permitted to fly to Texas.
ber of others declined to participate.
Police departments in Corvallis and Portland, Does profiling increase security?
OR based their refusal on a state law prohibiting
Many in the U.S. support profiling as a way to
local police from questioning immigrants not
reduce their vulnerability to another September 11-
suspected of any crime in order to discuss their
type attack. However, does profiling - whether con¬
foreign citizenship. Although the Oregon attor¬
ducted by the gox’emment, by airlines, or by others -
ney general ruled that the DoJ interviews would
enhance security?
not violate the law, the local agencies disagreed.
In mid-October, a full month before the Attorney
Chicago police also declined and expressed
General's order to interxiew the 5,000 young men,
concern that participation would damage their
the Boston Globe ran an article on profiling. Accord¬
carefully nurtured relations with immigrant
ing to the Globe, "a group of senior U.S. intelligence
communities.
specialists combatting terrorism [was] circulating a
Some police departments explicitly objected to memo to American law enforcement agents world¬
the racial/ethnic profiling. Departments that wide cautioning against profiling based on race,
have worked to end the practice, often as a nationality or other characteristics."
result of highly public criticism and even legal
The article continued, "looking for a type of person
action (in some instances initiated by the DoJ),
who fits a profile of a terrorist is not as useful as
were reluctant to put themselves at risk again.
(continued on page 7)
FCNL Washington Newsletter, January 2002 Page 7
Sacrifice Justice (continued from page 5) bat terrorism. Is this underlying assumption really
A variety of international venues are possible, true?
including, for example, a special international tri¬
In rooting out terrorists, evidence uncovered in one
bunal under UN Security Council jurisdiction.
investigation and trial can build the next indictment.
U.S. officials should closely consider all alternatives But, will civilian courts conducting trials of other
for investigating and prosecuting international ter¬ U.S. resident suspected terrorists permit the intro¬
rorist suspects. If the U.S. turns its back on interna¬ duction of evidence uncovered during military tri¬
tional cooperation or even disregards international bunals where legal safeguards were absent?
agreements, then U.S. troops or civilians caught up
Ending international terrorism requires close cooper¬
in armed conflicts may pay the price. The very justi¬
ation among many different nations' law enforce¬
fications that the President constructs to defend his
ment agencies. In view of the mistrust that Euro¬
disregard for international law may be used by other
pean allies have already expressed about the pro¬
nations against U.S. citizens.
posed military tribunals, will the use of tribunals
Would tribunals help the enhance the needed cooperation?
war on terrorism?
If the answer to either or both questions is no, then
the net effect of using military commissions may be
The President's order reflects a pragmatic concern
to impede the prosecution of terrorists. ■
that military tribunals are needed to effectively com¬
Racial profiling (continued from page 6) attention and resources from approaches that, poten¬
tially, could provide greater security.
looking for behavior that might precede another
attack." "The memo...argues that profiling adds The second reason for discouraging racial and ethnic
no security, and in fact can compromise it." profiling is that it contributes to a climate of racially
According to the Globe, the memo's authors also motivated fear and hatred. The Council on Ameri-
point to "failed profiles of the past, including can-Islamic Relations has documented a striking
would-be presidential assassins, school shooters, increase, since September 11, in the incidence of
and drug smugglers." harassment and hate crimes directed against Mus¬
lims. Non-Islamic Middle Easterners and other for-
In fact, racial or ethnic profiling would have been
eign-bom persons have also been targets of bias
useless in preventing the Oklahoma City bombing.
crimes. The government has a responsibility to con¬
It likely would not have prevented the recent
duct itself in a manner designed to reduce, not
anthrax-laden mailings which are now believed to
encourage, such behavior. ■
be the work of a U.S.-based scientist with consider¬
able training and legitimate access both to biologic
Support FCNL
agents and to a laboratory. As if to underscore the
futility of racial and ethnic profiling, FBI officials
Your gift will help sustain our Quaker witness
involved in the Do] interrogations last fall were
in Washington. Contributions to FCNL support
quoted in early December as saying that the inter¬
lobbying and are not tax deductible. Contribu¬
views had yielded nothing worthwhile.
tions to the FCNL Education Fund are tax
deductible and support research and education¬
What's ivrong with profiling?
al activities.
If racial and ethnic profiling have not been shown to
Checks should be mailed to FCNL, 245 Second
add measurably to security, might they nonetheless
Street, NE, Washington, DC, 20002.
be worth doing on the chance that even one terrorist
might be uncovered? There are two reasons why the To charge your donation to MasterCard or Visa,
government should not engage in profiling and call 800-630-1330, ext. 141. Or, you may make a
should actively discourage others from doing so. secure donation online by going to FCNL's web
The first is that focusing attention and resources on site, <www.fcnl.org/suprt/indx.htm>.
persons who meet a racial or ethnic profile diverts
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Terrorism
Terrorism, like other forms of warfare, is abhorrent. destroy the electric power distribution system for a
It kills and maims innocent civilians and military whole region of any industrialized country. Instan¬
personnel alike. The physical injuries are intensified taneous, global media coverage increases the poten¬
by the climate of fear and insecurity that terrorism cy of terrorist acts and accentuates the general sense
generates. Perpetrators of terrorism, whether pri¬ of danger.
vate or state-supported, must be brought to justice.
Viewing terrorism as a form of warfare suggests a
Terrorism is a tactic, whether used by an established direction for fruitful discussion of the problem. Just
government, a revolutionary group, or an indivdd- as we seek to resolve the roots of conflict that lead to
ual. The characterization of an action as “terrorism" other acts of war, so we must seek to resolve the
depends on what is done, not on who does it. Ter¬ severe problems and injustices that lie at the root of
rorism includes threats or acts of violence, ranging terrorism. ■
from deprivation of basic human rights to property
destruction, physical violence, torture, and murder. Adapted from "Terrorism - Bringing the War Home,"
Terrorist acts are consciously chosen and committed which appeared in the May 1986 Washington Newsletter.
for purposes that go beyond the violence itself. Ter¬
rorist acts thus differ from crimes committed for per¬
sonal gain or private vengeance or because of men¬
tal derangement. Thank You
The use of terrorist tactics, especially by non-govem-
Thank you for making the work of FCNL
mental groups, often arises in a context of profound
possible, through your financial contributions.
injustice, when other avenues for redress of griev¬
ances have been closed or exhausted. Terrorist acts
Thank you for making the work of FCNL
are often attractive to disenfranchised groups who
effective, through your grass-roots action.
see in these acts a way to shake up an otherwise
entrenched and imbalanced power relationship.
With so few voices today in Washington for
peace, for the disadvantaged, and for the
The use of violence against a few to intimidate or
punish a larger group is not new. However, techno¬ disenfranchised, your support and engagement
with FCNL is essential.
logical advances during the past twenty to thirty
years have expanded the range and opportunities
for terrorist action. A small, home-built bomb could