DATE=8/28/98 TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT NUMBER=5-41257 TITLE=TERRORISM'S MANY FACES BYLINE= ED WARNER DATELINE= WASHINGTON CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: THE MANY KINDS OF TERRORISM AND THE MANY KINDS OF TERRORIST WERE DISCUSSED AT A RECENT (TODAY, FRIDAY) WASHINGTON PRESS BRIEFING HELD BY THE POTOMAC INSTITUTE FOR POLICY STUDIES. PARTICIPANTS SAID THAT LIKE CANCER, TERRORISM REQUIRES A VARIETY OF TREATMENTS, AND MANY OF THESE ARE IN THE EXPERIMENTAL STAGE. BUT A CURE IS NOT IN SIGHT. V-O-A'S ED WARNER REPORTS. TEXT: IN HIS EXPLANATION OF THE U-S STRIKES AGAINST SUSPECTED TERRORIST FACILITIES IN AFGHANISTAN AND SUDAN, PRESIDENT CLINTON SAID THEY WERE NOT ATTACKS ON ISLAM, BASICALLY A RELIGION OF PEACE. THAT DISTINCTION IS CRUCIAL, SAID DAVID LITTLE, A SENIOR SCHOLAR AT THE THE U-S INSTITUTE OF PEACE. MR. LITTLE STRESSED THAT VIOLENT RADICALS FROM THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY ARE NOT ACTING ON BEHALF OF ISLAM BUT IN DEFIANCE OF ITS CHIEF TENETS. HE ADDED THAT OTHER RELIGIONS, INCLUDING CHRISTIANITY AND JUDAISM, HAVE EQUALLY RADICAL ELEMENTS. MR. LITTLE MADE ANOTHER DISTINCTION. HE SAID "APOCALYPTIC" TERRORISTS GLORIFY VIOLENCE AS AN END IN ITSELF THAT IN THEIR VIEW, WILL USHER IN A NEW AGE. WHAT HE CALLS "DEFENSIVE" OR "REACTIVE" TERRORISTS ARE FAR MORE COMMON. THEY ARE RESPONDING TO A PERCEIVED THREAT AND BEHAVE MORE RATIONALLY WITH SPECIFIC POLITICAL OBJECTIVES IN MIND. MR. LITTLE SAID THE RESPONSE TO TERRORISM SHOULD DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THESE TWO TYPES. HE CITED THE SETTLEMENT IN NORTHERN IRELAND AS A WAY OF DEALING WITH THE DEFENSIVE TERRORISTS. HE BELIEVES SUCH AN APPROACH WOULD BE BETTER SUITED TO THE MIDDLE EAST THAN MILITARY ACTION: // LITTLE ACT // WHATEVER ONE MAY THINK OF THE STRIKES AGAINST SUDAN AND AFGHANISTAN, A SUSTAINED POLICY OF THAT SORT SEEMS TO ME HIGHLY INADVISABLE AND HIGHLY UNLIKELY. ONE REASON WHY THAT IS NOT AN ADVISABLE POLICY IS THE DANGER OF EFFACING THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN DISCRIMINATE AND INDISCRIMINATE ATTACKS. AND THE U-S GOVERNMENT WAS VERY, VERY EAGER TO SHOW THAT THE RECENT STRIKES WERE NOT INDISCRIMINATE IN CHARACTER. // END ACT // ALAN SHAW, A FORMER DIRECTOR AT THE U-S OFFICE OF TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT, SAID ADVANCES IN TECHNOLOGY ARE GIVING TERRORISTS NEW WAYS OF OPERATING AND MAKING THEM HARDER TO CATCH: // SHAW ACT // THERE IS GOOD EVIDENCE THAT INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, PARTICULARLY VIA THE INTERNET AND OTHER MEANS OF COMMUNICATION, HAS CERTAINLY DOMESTICALLY AND PROBABLY INTERNATIONALLY, PROVIDED A WAY FOR GROUPS THAT THINK SOMEWHAT ALIKE TO COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER, TO GET TOGETHER, TO EXCHANGE IDEAS - IF YOU WANT TO CALL THEM IDEAS - EVEN TO STIMULATE EACH OTHER. // END ACT // WHILE TERRORISTS ARE DRAWING CLOSER, SAID MR. SHAW, COUNTER TERRORISM REMAINS DIVIDED AMONG MANY DIFFERENT U-S AGENCIES AND LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT. THE QUESTION IS HOW TO PULL ALL THESE TOGETHER IN A COHERENT STRATEGY. MICHELLE VAN CLEAVE, A STAFF DIRECTOR ON TECHNOLOGY AND TERRORISM IN THE U-S SENATE, SAID A LEGAL APPROACH MAY BE USEFUL, AS IT HAS PROVED WITH THE ARREST OF THE TWO SUSPECTS IN THE BOMBING OF THE U-S EMBASSY IN KENYA: // VAN CLEAVE ACT // THE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITEE IS VERY INTERESTED IN EXPLORING THE USE OF LEGAL INTRUMENTS AS PART OF A COUNTER TERRORISM STRATEGY - MEANING HOW DO WE COOPERATE WITH OTHER GOVERNMENTS WHEN IT COMES TO THE RENDERING UP OF THESE SUSPECTS? WHAT ARE THE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH EXTRADITION MIGHT BE GRANTED OR EXTRA TERRITORIAL RENDITIONS (ACTIONS) OF OTHER KINDS MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE? // END ACT // THESE ARE COMPLEX QUESTIONS, SAID MICHELLE VAN CLEAVE, BECAUSE SLOW MOVING LEGAL PROCEDURES MAY ALLOW TERRORISTS TO GET AWAY AND DO MORE DAMAGE. IN THAT CASE, MORE DIRECT ACTION MAY BE NEEDED. SHE NOTED A BASIC DILEMMA IS WHEN DO YOU WAIT AND WHEN DO YOU ACT? MS VAN CLEAVE SAID THE U-S SENATE WILL WRESTLE WITH THESE ISSUES AS IT TRIES TO DEVELOP NOT ONLY A DEFENSE AGAINST TERRORISM BUT AN OFFENSIVE STRATEGY THAT TAKES THE BATTLE TO THE ENEMY. (SIGNED) NEB/PT 28-Aug-98 9:04 PM EDT (0104 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .