Alessandro Orsini. Anatomy of the Red Brigades: The Religious Mind-Set of Modern Terrorists

ABSTRACT

Those who study terrorism are familiar with the claim that suicide attacks are the most lethal form of terrorism today. Suicide attacks kill more people on average than non-suicide attacks, thereby justifying why terrorist organizations use this costly method of attack and explaining in part why suicide tactics have proliferated. However, extant empirical support for this claim is largely insufficient, focusing only on macro-level analysis of lethality data. Using data from the Global Terrorism Database, this study examines variation in lethality among suicide and non-suicide attacks based on geographic location, attack type, and target/victim type. It also introduces a new metric—the lethality ratio—to measure costs and benefits of attacks in terms of lives lost. It finds that, although suicide tactics are generally more lethal than non-suicide tactics, they also come at greater costs to the organization. This analysis also finds behavior that is inconsistent with the premise that terrorist groups are focused on maximizing lethality while reducing costs in all cases; that despite certain advantages, suicide attacks may remain a suboptimal tactic from the perspective of the terrorist group; and that additional criteria may help explain why suicide tactics are used.     

Islam and Attitudes toward U.S. Policy in the Middle East: Evidence from Survey Research in Lebanon

This study examines the impact of religious orientation on attitudes toward U.S. Middle Eastern policy among Muslim Lebanese. The data came from a stratified random sample, consisting of 262 Sunni and Shi'i respondents of both genders, conducted in the Greater Beirut area during February and March of 2002. Consistent with the literature about Islamism, the present analysis reveals an empirical distinction between personal and political dimensions of religion in Lebanon. Specifically, support for political Islam is associated with unfavorable attitudes toward U.S. policy in the region, but personal religiosity is unrelated to attitudes toward foreign policy. The study findings contribute in clarifying the debate that has been raging since the September 11 attacks, pitting Islam against the West and associating Islam with political violence.     

Contributors

Abstract

Socioeconomic data supplied by the FBI on the backgrounds of 280 known right‐ and left‐wing terrorists active in the United States during the late 1960s and early 1970s was tabulated. Isolating for right‐left affiliation, membership status, and gender, seven variables were examined and used to confirm prevailing assumptions regarding the socioeconomic status of right‐ versus left‐wing terrorists active during this period. Findings support clear socioeconomic differences between right‐wing and left‐wing terrorists and emphasize the dominant position of women within left‐wing organizations. Surprising evidence revealed that considerable class differences exist within right‐wing groups between rank‐and‐file members and the leadership core.     

Hitting the right target: EU and Security Council pursuit of terrorist financing

This article analyses one specific instance of the use of targeted sanctions to combat the financing of terrorism by the European Union on behalf of the United Nations Security Council. The case raised a number of issues involving the use of sanctions against non-state actors and provoked a legal challenge at the European Court of Justice. These European court cases have been portrayed as a challenge to the use of targeted sanctions by the Security Council to maintain international peace and security. The fundamental critique here is that targeted sanctions must adhere to due process and the rule of law in order to protect individual human rights.     

论我国涉恐资产冻结法律制度之发展性思考

涉恐资产冻结是金融反恐的重要组成部分,对于防治恐怖活动犯罪具有重大意义。随着反恐法治的逐步完善,我国确立了以金融制裁为目的的涉恐资产冻结制度。相关法律对涉恐资产、金融机构等概念进行了精细化的界定,明确了相关主体的法律责任,遵守了正当程序的相关要求并且注重加强国际合作。但是,我国涉恐资产冻结法律应当进一步注重相关法律制度之间的衔接,协调好涉恐资产冻结与其他保全措施之间的关系,同时应当注重涉恐资产冻结中的权利保障,以便有效地防治恐怖活动犯罪。     

论惩治恐怖活动犯罪的国际刑事司法合作

有效防治恐怖活动犯罪离不开国际刑事司法合作。出于打击恐怖活动犯罪的目的,国际社会对于恐怖活动犯罪排除适用政治犯不引渡原则。打击恐怖活动犯罪还需在联合侦查、情报交流与信息合作、案件文书送达等方面开展司法协助。在国际刑事司法协助中有必要建立刑事诉讼移转管辖的司法合作制度,以便于各国之间加强反恐合作,更加有效地打击恐怖活动犯罪。     

美国反网络恐怖活动的情报工作及对我国的启示

网络恐怖活动具有成本低廉、破坏广泛、技术性高、隐蔽性强等特点。美国在反网络恐怖活动的情报工作中采取了完善情报立法、构建网络式结构反恐情报体系、大力开展网络侦查等一系列情报对策．构建了强大的国家安全屏障。在我国,防范和打击网络恐怖活动一方面要树立信息时代的新威胁观与安全观．另一方面则可借鉴美国反网络恐怖活动情报工作的经验。     

恐怖犯罪的犯罪经济学分析

犯罪经济学的理论认为,人的犯罪行为同其他行为一样。是在理性的指导下进行的,都是得失关系和效用理性选择的结果,恐怖犯罪的犯罪嫌疑人也是在综合分析该行为的成本收益之后才实施恐怖犯罪的。恐怖犯罪的成本包括：时间机会成本;惩罚成本;物质成本。恐怖犯罪收益是指从犯罪活动中所获得的利益,可以是精神的。也可以是物质的。在恐怖犯罪中,一般是为了获取经济收益以达到其政治目的。犯罪人之所以选择恐怖．其根本原因就是恐怖主义可以得到经济以及政治上的“暴利”。     

法制视野下的我国暴恐犯罪问题研究

“暴恐犯罪”,是暴力恐怖主义犯罪的简称,有其特定的内涵与特点;当前我国暴恐犯罪呈现出新的趋势,原因是多方面的;暴恐犯罪具有反社会、反人类、反文明的本质,以及巨大的社会危害性;应当在立法层面制定完善的反暴恐立法体系,为反暴恐犯罪提供法律依据,在实践层面构建高效的反暴恐体制和机制,依法防范和严厉打击国内的暴恐犯罪活动。