Terror not tied to any caste or creed

Terror not tied to any caste or creed


KUWAIT CITY : Professor Jeffrey F. Addicott, Director of the Center for Terrorism Law at St Mary’s University School of Law, San Antonio, Texas says terrorists are found not only among Muslims, Buddhists or Christians, but the entire race. Speaking at the Kuwait Bar Association, he stressed and differentiated between those fighting for their lost rights and those fighting in the name of religion. Terrorists, he said have no identity, they don’t wear uniform and don’t belong to any state. They don’t fight to regain rights but their motive is to kill innocent people in the name of religion. The al-Qaeda for example, he said, has no goal. “Its aim is to kill as many people as possible and gave contrasting views on terrorist organizations such as the ETA and the IRA and al-Qaeda.”
He added with organizations such as the IRA and ETA people can discuss face to face what it will take for them to give up their activities because they are fighting for a cause where as al-Qaeda has no cause. Their cause is to kill as many people as possible. Without going into details, the professor also warned of what he called Cyber Terrorism in the near future which, he said, can have a devastating effect on the world. Defining terrorism, Professor Addicott said, it is the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion.
ViolenceThere is no internationally agreed legal definition. In one modern definition of terrorism, he added, it is violence against civilians to achieve political or ideological objectives by creating fear. Most common definitions of terrorism include only those acts which are intended to create fear are perpetrated for an ideological goal and deliberately target or disregard the safety of non-combatants. Some definitions also include acts of unlawful violence and war, he added. Terrorism has been used by a broad array of political organizations in furthering their objectives — political parties, nationalistic, and religious groups, revolutionaries and ruling governments. The presence of non-state actors in widespread armed conflict has created controversy regarding the application of the laws of war.
Speaking of the al-Qaeda attack on US, he said, the network had warned of a strike in the US much before the 9/11 — in 1996 and 1998. The doctrine of al-Qaeda is to attack any one — countries, groups, individuals — who do not agree with their views. In reply to a question, Professor Addicott said, Senators Barrack Obama and John McCain who are vying for President of the United States of America have promised to close down the X-Ray Camp in Guantanamo. However, he added, it does not mean all the inmates will be set free. The inmates will be taken ‘somewhere else’ and tried for their crimes.
In reply to another question he said, there are about 270 inmates at the X-Ray Camp — about 80 of them are considered ‘no threat’ and can be set free but no one wants to give them a home, even their own countries, another 80 he said will be tried and yet another 80 he labeled them as highly dangerous. In most cases the terrorists, he said, are liars. They don’t tell the truth and always claim they are being tortured. Most terrorists, he added, belong to the middle upper class and are rich and have no aim in life. He said it is important to share intelligence, just like what the US government has been doing with the government of Kuwait, to prevent terrorists from carrying out their activities. “They should be stopped before they reach the airport,” he added.
NoiseWhen asked why the US is making so much noise about Iran going nuclear when countries such as India, Pakistan and North Korea are known to have nuclear arsenal, Prof Addicott said, it is not the United States but the UN Security Council that does not want to encourage nuclear race. To support his statement he said what would have happened if Iraq had succeeded in acquiring a nuclear bomb.
Attorney Labeed Abdal, head of the Law Revision Committee at the Kuwait Bar Association told the Arab Times this was a great opportunity to exchange thoughts and experiences about the law on terrorism with Prof Addicott and to focus on the legal and practical side of it at a time when Kuwait is preparing new draft laws, which will be soon issued by the Kuwaiti Parliament under the authority of Combating Terrorism and Supporting Anti-Terrorism Laws. He also said the meeting was an excellent opportunity to open bridges between the Kuwait Bar Association and the Center for Terrorism Law at St Mary’s University School of Law for future cooperation particularly with Professor Jeffrey Addicott. Professo Addicott was an active duty Army officer in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps for 20 years (he retired in 2000 at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel).
CareerProfessor Addicott has spent a quarter of his career as a senior legal advisor to the United States Army’s Special Forces. As an internationally recognized authority on national security law, terrorism law and human rights law, Professor Addicott not only lectures and participates in professional and academic organizations both in the United States and abroad, but he is also a frequent contributor to national and international news shows. Professor Addicott is a prolific author, and has published over 20 books, articles, and monographs on a variety of legal topics. Addicott’s most recent book (2007) is entitled: Terrorism Law: Cases, Materials, Comments, 4th edition. Among his many contributions to the field, Professor Addicott pioneered the teaching of law of war and human rights courses to the militaries of numerous nascent democracies in Eastern Europe and Latin America.
For these efforts he was awarded the Legion of Merit, named the 1993 Army Judge Advocate of the year, and honored as a co-recipient of the American Bar Association’s Hodson award. He has served in senior legal positions in Germany, Korea, Panama, and throughout the United States. Professor Addicott holds a Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.) and Master of Laws (LL.M.) from the University Of Virginia School Of Law. He also received a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from the Army Judge Advocate General’s School and a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from the University Of Alabama School Of Law. Apart form teaching a variety of courses at the law school, Professor Addicott served as the Associate Dean for Administration at St. Mary’s University School of Law (2006-2007).
By Paul Francis Xavier FernandesArab Times Staff






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