Position Paper on Terrorism

Essay by mdizi October 2014

download word file, 2 pages 0.0


Terrorism has been a prominent issue throughout European history. During the end of the nineteenth century, terrorism would be conducted through a series of small-scale attacks that killed relatively few people. Over time, terrorism has evolved to send larger statements to governments, racial groups, religions, etc. In order to send out larger statements, terrorism has also evolved to take a larger number of lives. Due to the severity of this issue, the EU has formed a Terrorism Work Group (TWG) and a Working Party on Terrorism (COTER), among other organisations, that aim to counter terrorism. Furthermore, the UN has passed several resolutions, such as International Terrorism Resolution 1624, that aim to counter terrorism and terrorist activities as effectively as possible.

Terrorism is an element that is entwined in Germany's past. Throughout the Weimar Republic and the Cold War, both right and left wing carried out several assassinations in the country.

But, Germany has been subjected to terrorism by its different political parties, as well as by foreign terrorist organisations. The Munich Massacre was an event that called attention to the issue of terrorism to most Germans. In 1972, 11 members of the Israeli Olympic team were taken hostage and killed by members of the Palestinian terrorist group, Black September. In 1980, 13 people were killed, and 211 were injured, during a pipe-bomb explosion during Oktoberfest: one of Germany's largest celebrations. Right-wing extremist Gundolf KÃÂ¶hler carried out the explosion. Due to events such as these, Germany has adopted strict policies, like those listed below, against all terrorist activities. As demonstrated after a shooting occurred in Frankfurt Airport in 2011, the perpetrator was sentenced to life imprisonment after killing two people.

In its efforts to combat terrorism, Germany has emphasized the need to ensure that...