Terrorism in France

Press, 27 September 1986, Page 20

Terrorism in France

The present wave of terrorism in Europe is directed against France, but terrorist attacks have occurred in many parts of Europe. The five bombings since the beginning of the second week of September have been marked by precision, utter disregard for life, and the escape of those responsible. This last aspect indicates meticulous planning and disciplined action. After the French Government announced strong measures to deal with the terrorist attacks, the headquarters of the French police were bombed. The moves by the interior ministers of the European Economic Community countries to coordinate activities against terrorists are sound. As Paris has been struck, so other major European towns could be struck.

Other action has been directed against French soldiers in the United Nations Force in Lebanon. Seven French hostages are also being held by a pro-Iranian group in Lebanon. The bombings have been acknowledged by a group calling itself the Committee of Solidarity with Arab and Middle East Political Prisoners. Their immediate demand is that Georges Ibrahim Abdallah, the leader of the Lebanese Armed Revolutionary Faction, should be released Tom a French prison. There is very strong jvidence that Abdallah is a member of a ;roup that engages in terrorism with :onsiderabie skill.

The French Government is faced with an immense problem which will require not only its own resources, but those of its neighbours and Middle East countries to overcome. Europe already has vast experience with terrorism: Britain with the Irish Republican Army, West Germany with the BaaderMeinhoff gang, Italy with the Red Brigades, and Spain with the Basque separatists. The French approach to Middle East countries is unlikely to be to give in to the terrorists’ demands, but rather an exploration of any reasonable channel to bring the bombings to an end.

Where terrorists strike, Governments need to take measures to protect the population. The question for democracies is: how far should the measures go? One terrorist aim is to make a population panic and put pressure on the government to make the concession the terrorists want. France has demanded visas for everyone not an E.E.C. citizen or a Swiss citizen. Another move has been to use the army to patrol borders, and to assist police. Terrorism is not simply a threat because of the danger to lives, but it is a threat to the basic tenets of democracy. Constant searching and checks on the movement of people, which are one of the tools governments have against terrorism, are the very tools dictators use against the freedoms on which those who live in democracies place such high value.