Document Type

Article

Disciplines

International Law

Abstract

States have increasingly turned their attention to the issue of international terrorism carried out by non-state groups. Many have formulated preventive and punitive measures in an effort to stop such terrorism. These measures are of limited utility, however. Most non-state terrorism derives from strong national-political motivations. It cannot be deterred by threat of sanction, particularly because engaging in the actions themselves is dangerous, which means that fear of a sanction is secondary to fear of death during an action. It is, moreover, difficult physically to prevent terrorist acts with airport security or similar measures.

At the same time, the preventive-punitive approach poses a danger to civil liberties. It can become a cover for state action that violates the rights of peoples or of other states. It can also involve states in acts that violate international law and threaten the peace. A more fruitful approach is to remedy the situations violating self-determination that give rise to terrorism.

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