Countering Terrorism in Russia

 

In Russia in the 1990s terrorism was transformed from a series of individual, very rare and almost entirely isolated instances of violent criminal acts into a systematic and large-scale threat to the security of the state and society Prior to that time the Soviet Union had had effective legislation providing for lather strict measures designed to deal with politically or socially motivated offenses In addition, the country had an efficient state system of measures to prevent extremist and terrorist acts

By the beginning of the 1990s, however, the situation had changed radically

The causes and factors fostering the spread of terrorism in the Russian Federation in the early 1990s include

• the collapse of the political structure of society without the creation of a new and effective mechanism for social management,

• economic crises,

• loss of ideology m society, mass impoverishment of those who had previously worked in industry and agriculture,

• tension among nationalities, often to the point of armed conflicts,

• weakening of security systems,

• growth of illicit trafficking in firearms and of other instruments and means for perpetrating violent crimes,

• expansion of petty and organized crime accompanied by a sharp rise in corruption of officials,

• infiltration of political and religious extremism into social and economic life and the criminalization of society

Since the early 1990s the number of crimes of a terrorist nature committed in the Russian Federation has been growing steadily For example, while in 1994-1995 there were 64 cases of criminal explosions recorded in Russia, in 1996-2001 there were some 600-700 recorded annually There was a qualitative change in the nature of dimes committed with the use of explosive devices.

By the mid-1990s legislators had to respond to the increasing threat of terrorism the country

New articles where included in the criminal code of the t Russian Fedeiation

On August 4, 1998 the Federal Law "On Countering Terrorism," entered into force It helped to relieve a number of previously existing problems related to anti-terrorist activities The legislation enhances the degree of legal and social protection provided to persons directly involved in counterterrorist operations The legislation presents a system of framework concepts associated with countering terrorism and introduces basic terms

The Federal Law "On Countering Terrorism" imposes significant constraints on possible concessions to terrorists that can be made by officials negotiating with criminals

Article 2 of the law ("Basic Principles for Countering Terrorism") using the principle of legality immediately proclaims the principle of the priority of preventive measures to combat terrorism. Other provisions of the law also detail the need for preventive measures in countering terrorism, designed to identify and eliminate the causes and factors facilitating implementation of terrorist acts and also to obtain timely preventive information on the preparation of such acts.

Russia continues to take important steps toward strengthening its participation in the global war on terrorism. Russia is a party to eleven of the twelve international conventions and protocols relating to terrorism.

Although the Russian Federation maintains diplomatic relations with the seven states presently on the US Government's "State Sponsors of Terrorism" list,1 the Russian Government firmly opposes state-sponsored terrorism and supports international initiatives to combat it. The Government of Russia believes that its relationships with such states may reduce the support these governments provide for terrorism.

Abridged from A. Fedorov "Megaterrorism: a New Challenge for a New Century"

General Principles of United States

Counterterrorist Policy

 

The United States government has developed four enduring policy principles that guide its counterterrorist strategy

 

• Make no deals with terrorists and do not submit to blackmail (make no concessions to terrorists, deny hostage takers the benefits of ransom, prisoner releases, policy changes, or other acts of concession)

• Treat terrorists as criminals (bring terrorists to justice, track down terrorists)

• Apply maximum pressure on states that sponsor and support terrorists (impose economic, diplomatic, and political sanctions urge other states to do likewise).

• Bolster the Counterterrorist capabilities of thos.e countries that work with the United States and require assistance (provide training and related assistance to law-enforcement and security services, airport security, bomb detection, hostage rescue, and crisis management financial underpinnings of terrorists and criminal money launderers' drafting strong laws against terrorism, including terrorist financing)

 

How to Fight Terrorism

 

• Are we fighting a lethal idea rather than a tangible enemy?

 

BBC World TV, United Kingdom: "Governments must address the political injustices inspiring terrorists But they must also take firm, concerted action against terrorists while respecting human rights and the rule of law"

US Attornej-General: "Goveinments need to improve their ability to prevent terrorist acts to improve immigration facilities, ports and cross-border information exchanges Fighting terrorism is either a fight against a group of individuals or against an idea, the fight requires governments to tackle both

Governments must be sensitive to the fact that terrorists might be looked upon as freedom fighters by the populations whose cause they espouse Terrorists should not be endowed with the dignity of freedom fighters Authorities shouldn't avoid actions that might alienate ethnic minority communities People desire security regardless of race "

Director, Washington Office, RAND1: "Dealing with terrorism requires a carrot-and-stick approach In Malaysia, for example, the government defeated a Communist insurrection not only by giving the people some of what the communists were demanding, but by using the military and security forces to neutralize them "

Columnist, the Washington Post, USA: "Ideological or religious based terror requires a religious-based response Islamic leaders musl make a strong, unequivocal moral case against terror - that they won't get 72 black-eyed virgins for bombing, but will go straight to hell "

US State Secretary: "We have to look at those nations that proliferate weapons of mass destruction - states that might lend or provide all buds of weapons to terrorist organizations "

Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union and High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy: "For the coalition in the fight against terrorism there has to be collective ambition, collective responsibility and collective burden-sharing One way of sharing the burden is to share intelligence on terrorist networks "

NATO Secretary-General: "NATO has to transform and modernize itself to deal with the new threats to world peace and stability "

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey: "The campaign against tenonsm is not to come across as a fight against Islam Terrorism does not have a religion, nor does it have geographic boundaries "

 

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