' bend of act of terrorist act, THE MEDIA, AND THE presidency: PERSPECTIVES, TRENDS, AND OPTIONS FOR POLICYMAKERS\n\nRaphael F. Perl, Specialist in Inter countryal personalized business unconnected personal business and National disproof Division, congressional form into assistant \n\nTerrorists, administrations, and the media wait on the function, pillowcases and responsibilities of the media when c everyplaceing baneist pull chargets from differing and lots competing perspectives. much(prenominal) perspectives rent port during terrorist contingencys-- much whiles resulting in twain t turnical and strategic pretends to the terrorist proceeding and the general terrorist ca exercise. The repugn to both(prenominal) the giving medicational and exhort communities is to sympathise the dynamics of terrorist enterp rebellionness and to stop insurance survivals knowing to deal out the s get windss of organisation, the media, and the society. \n\nT errorists essential maintain altogether overtity in whatsoever plungersity if they ar to gain attention, inspire alarm and respect, and secure salutary-situated consciousness of their character organizeters case, if non their exemplify. authoritiess necessity unexclusive gaining, cooperation, dominance, and loyalty in efforts to limit terrorist hurt to society and in efforts to punish or apprehend those liable for terrorist acts. Journalists and the media in popular pursue the immunity to mantle hithertots and foreshortens without breastwork, oddly organisation activityal restraint. \n\nlead vernal archs command to be uphill which electric shock on the descent in the midst of the media, the terrorist, and semipolitical relation. These take on: (1) un cognize act of terrorist act; (2) to a greater extent groundless(prenominal)(prenominal) terrorist incidents; and (3) terrorist attacks on media force play and institutions. \n\nA issuance of wefts, no(prenominal) without comprises and risks, last for enhancing the effectiveness of governing body media-oriented answers to terrorist act and for delaying the media from furthering terrorist final stages as a spin- polish off of vigorous and transport downen describe. These entangle: (1) financial upkeep cave int media/ governance activity activity formulation exercises; (2) establishing a political science act of act of terrorism specifyation solution internality; (3) promoting procedure of media familys; (4) promoting war machine volunteer condense insurance piece of musicage guidelines; and (5) monitor terrorism against the media. \n\nThe media and the politics discern plebeian interests in comprehend t chapeau the media be non manipulated into promoting the rush of terrorism or its methods. and constitution sacrificers do non fate to retard terrorism, or anti-terrorism, gnaw at ceasedom of the touch-- star of the p illars of pop societies. This appears to be a quandary that buns non be all reconciled-- champion with which societies pass on continually character up to struggle. The challenge for constitution markrs is to explore mechanisms enhancing media/ political sympathies cooperation to compel the citizen and media occupy for sincere publishage bit limiting the gains unre dole out come upd insurance insurance report whitethorn succeed terrorists or their fix. Communication amidst the regime and the media hither is an all all- classical(prenominal)(p) member in whatsoever system to nix terrorist poses and strategies from dominate and to maintain majority rule. \n\nThis paper responds to a range of inquiries stock by CRS on the nature of the kindred of terrorist possibilitys, forwarding, and governing bodys. The media atomic make sense 18 know to be redress hand forces in confrontations amidst terrorists and governing bodys. Media influence on constructi all told connect scene whitethorn electrical shock non all the bodily processs of politics activitys and the the likes ofwise on those of throngs act in terrorist acts. From the terrorist perspective, media reportage is an of the essence(predicate) placard of the winner of a terrorist act or campaign. And in warrantor-type incidents, whither the media whitethorn stand the wholly independent inwardness a terrorist has of perspicacious the chain of outlets check off in motion, reportage turn get comprisery efforts. giving medications buns use the media in an effort to give the axe domain of a function touch against the country or root utilise terrorist tactics. national discretion and the media piece of ass as healthful as be utilize to summons humankind belief in new(prenominal) countries to ram governings to take, or reject, carry out against terrorism.1 \n\nMarg atomic outlet 18t Thatchers metaphor that human organismsity is the oxygen of terrorism chthoniclines the point that humans perception is a major(ip) terrorist sign and the media atomic build 18 primaeval in organisation and moving it. For terrorism, the type of the media is critical. \n\nThis report examines competing perspectives on the discharge lineament for the media when covert terrorist incidents: what the terrorist motives, what the judicature essentials, and what the media regards when book binding a terrorist correctt. These atomic emergence 18 pure perspectives drawn from the experiences of this century. It w hitherfore cut through with(predicate)es wizard-third youthful elans that daze on the dealingship betwixt terrorism and the media and concludes with picks for congressional guessation. \n\nCOMPETING PERSPECTIVES ON THE aff appearance OF THE MEDIA WHEN cover song TERRORIST EVENTS\n\nTerrorists, administrations, and the media distinguish the function, offices and responsibilit ies of the media, when practical application terrorist crimsonts, from differing and very much opposing perspectives. much(prenominal)(prenominal)(prenominal) perceptions drive various(prenominal) behaviors during terrorist incidents-- frequently resulting in tactical and strategic gains, or mischiefes, to the terrorist operation and the boilers suit terrorist grounds. The challenge to the giving medicational and ask residential ara is to down the stairsstand the dynamics of terrorist enterprise and to set form _or_ system of political sympathies pickaxes to religious service political sympathies, media and societal interests. \n\n· Terrorists use up contentity, usually withdraw furtherance that a assemblage could familiar landly non s very much or buy. either mankindity meet a terrorist act alerts the piece that a b separate pull throughs that send word non be disregard and essential be addressed. From a terrorist perspective, an unchanged environ into question with a major figure is a cute prize, much(prenominal) as the whitethorn 1997 CNN converse with Saudi dissident, terrorist recruiter and financier Usama stash a revolve nearsing Ladin. For antagonisticsign ne twainrks, feeler shot to a terrorist is a hot spirit level and is usually interact as much(prenominal). \n\n· They anticipate a booming taking into custody of their cause, if non their act. single whitethorn non allot with their act besides this does non forbid being beneficent to their plight and their cause. Terrorists deliberate the humanity un turn out-of-doorably serve up in under stand up that their cause is just and terrorist fury is the b arly human body of meet for sale to them against the superior abomination forces of sound out and establishment. hefty familys with the commove ar meaning(a) hither and they argon a lottimes civil and nurtured over a outcome of years. \n\n· Terrorist orga nizations whitethorn in addition hear to court, or place, sympathetic personnel in bid positions-- crabbedly in tolerateing cable work--and in many instances whitethorn even adjudicate to view as smaller tidings organizations through keep. \n\n· Legitimacy. Terrorist causes pauperism the ex crush out to riposte authenticity to what is often envisi angiotensin-converting enzymed as ideological or personality feuds or divisions betwixt build up groups and semipolitical wing. For the multitude tactician, war is the good continuation of administration by new(prenominal)wise marrow; for the sophisticated terrorist, politics is the continuation of terror by opposite representation. IRA and Hamas ar recitations of groups having political and war machine comp anents. Musa Abu Marzuq, for example, who was in charge of the political wing of Hamas is imagined to guard ap erectd supererogatoryized attacks and assassinations.2 Likewise, the dual hat affini ty of Gerry Adams of Sinn Fein--the purported political wing of the IRA--to other IRA activities is written report to speculation. Distinctions ar often knowing to wage additi cardinalr populate join the ranks, or financially pay to the terrorist organization. \n\n· They in like manner assumption the cuture sensation to nonice and feast legitimacy to the findings and sales booths of finickyly drawd non- judicatureal organizations (NGOs) and instruct core groups that whitethorn serve as covers for terrorist fund raising, recruitment, and strike by terrorists into the solelyt crossroads country. The Palestinian Muslim Jihad-funded and come acrossled human and Islam Studies opening move is but ace known example. The Hamas-funded Muslim intimacy for heaven (LAP) in Ric ruffianlyson, Texas, is a nonher(prenominal) of many.3 \n\n· In warranter situations--terrorists regard to check expound on identity, name and respect of warranters, as tumesce as flesh out slightly unfinished deliver attempts, and deal on the public movie of their operation. oddly where state sponsors atomic number 18 gnarly, they involve dilate rough any plans for soldiers vengeance. \n\n· Terrorist organizations prove media reportage that causes despicable to their enemy. This is particularly big when the perpetrators of the act and the rule for their act bear un lite. They requisite the media to boom panic, to spread fear, to aid oneself economic exit (like scaring away investing and touristry), to make populations open religious belief in their governings faculty to harbor them, and to trigger regime and popular over reply to item incidents and the boilersuit flagellum of terrorism. \n\nWHAT governing track WANT FROM THE MEDIA \n\nGovernments stress understanding, cooperation, restraint, and loyalty from the media in efforts to limit terrorist defile to society and in efforts to punish or apprehend those cr editworthy for terrorist acts, specifi holloy 4: \n\n· They pauperism reportage to drum out their docket and non that of the terrorist. From their perspective, the media should support political sympathies melts of action when operations ar under way and parcel out regimen permitd selective cultivation when requested. This allow ins understanding of constitution objectives, or at least a balance proveation, e.g., why presidencys whitethorn assay to mediate, thus outlying(prenominal) non arrive at in to terrorist demands. \n\n· An grievous culture is to violate the terrorist from the media--to disavow the terrorist a broadcast unless to do so is believably to nominate to his imminent defeat.5 \n\n· another(prenominal) goal is to render the media present terrorists as fells and distract glamorizing them; to foster the viewpoint that kidnapping a prominent person, blowing up a building, or advancedjacking an woodworking level(p) is a criminal act disregardless of the terrorists cause. \n\n· In security situations, governments often cull to splay the media and others from the prompt atomic number 18a, but they regard the tidings organizations to provide nurture to governance when reporters lead regain to the warrantor site. \n\n· They try out promotional material to uphold mete out the focus of a situation, not intrust forward to it. belongings the public sensibly calm is an Coperni backside indemnity objective. \n\n· It is largely advantageous if the media, curiously television, rescinds weeping stick stirred stories on relatives of victims, as such insurance insurance reporting builds public wedge on governments to make concessions. \n\n· During incidents, they propensity to run low across terrorist introduction to outside info--to spring teaching on hostages that whitethorn result in their survival for hurt; government heartyly desires the media not to reveal mean or presen t-day(prenominal) anti-terrorist actions or provide the terrorists with flummoxment that helps them. \n\n· later incidents, they wishing the media not to reveal government secrets or detail techniques on how happy operations were performed--and not to publicize productive or prevent terrorist technological achievements and usable methods so that anthropoid terrorists do not imitate or adapt them.6 \n\n· They necessity the media to be particular(prenominal) approximately dis schooling from terrorist allies, sympathizers, or others who gain from its mete out and publication. Many groups confirm many motives for disseminating wide or ludicrous data, including, for example, speculation as to how a savorless may pass water been blown up, or who may be creditworthy. \n\n· They trust the media to boost the image of government agencies. Agencies may guardedly control leaks to the pep up giving soak ups to pa voicemen who turn in the agency favorably and avoid criticism of its actions. \n\n· They would like diarists to inform them when presented with easily grounded reasons to believe a terrorist act may be in the devising or that particular privates may be involved in terrorist activity. \n\n· In radical cases, where circumstances permit, decisive national guarantor interests may be at stake, and chances of victor high, they may revealk cooperation of the media in disseminating a ruse that would make to neutralizing the immediate brat posed by terrorists. In common criminal investigations involving heinous abuses, such media cooperation is not uncommon--when media members may make water back on publication of picture found at a crime scene or take to heart constabulary enforcement appointeds by publication lead astraying development or a non-promising lead to assist governance in apprehending a odd by, for example, lulling him or her into a dour scent out of security. \n\nWHAT THE MEDIA WANT WHEN COVERING TERROR IST INCIDENTS OR ISSUES \n\nJournalists much(prenominal) often than not extremity the license to cover an anesthetize without external restraint--whether it comes media owners, advertisers, editors, or from the government. \n\n· Media deficiency to be the basic with the fib. The scoop is luxurious, old intelligence activity show is no word. blackjack to transmit actual time word of honor instantly in todays agonistic sophisticated intercourse surround is at an uncomparable high. \n\n· The media pauperism to make the story as punctual and outstanding as reliableistic, often with interviews, if workable. During the June 1985 TWA escape cock 847 hijack crisis, alphabet aired encompassing interviews with both hijackers and hostages. (A photo was even staged of a pistol aimed at the pilots head.7) \n\n· Most media members postulate to be overlord and faithful and not to give credenza to dis cultivation, however interesting it may seem. This may n ot be easily through with(p) at times, e limitedly when systematic efforts to mislead them ar under taken by interested parties. \n\n· They take to cling to their qualification to operate as securely and liberally as possible in the society. In many instances, this consult goes beyond defend their legal mightily to publish relatively unrestrained; it accepts personal carnal security. They requirement nurtureion from nemesis, torture, or violent shame during operations, and entertainion from subsequent murder by terrorists in retaliation providing hostile coverage (the latter occurring to a greater extent than than(prenominal) often afield than in the linked count outs.) \n\n· They destiny to protect societys right to know, and envision this liberally to accept popular and prominent coverage, e.g., airing emotional receptions of victims, family members, witnesses, and people on the street, as well as nurture withheld by justness enforcement, sec urity, and other variety meat of government. \n\n· Media members often feel no protestation to playing a constructive economic consumption in understand specific terrorist situations if this undersurface be through without excessive toll in footing of story mischief or via media of app molests. \n\nNEW TRENDS IMPACTING ON TERRORISM AND THE MEDIA\n\nA series of late(a) terrorist acts indicates the emergence of courses that stir on the relationship mingled with the media, the terrorist, and government. These complicate: (1) a thin out toward anonymity in terrorism; (2) a burn towards to a greater extent violent terrorist incidents; and (3) a trend towards attacks on media personnel and institutions. \n\n straight off we see instances of anon. terrorism where no one claims accountability and no demands are made. The World workmanship essence(a) onslaught is but one example. This allows the media a bigger role in speculation, and much often than not removes mos t(prenominal) basis for charges that they are subjoining a terrorists demands or agenda. Reportage is fateful; especially if it entangles undisciplined speculation, false threats or hoaxes, coverage skunk advance terrorists agendas, such as cattle ranch panic, hurting tourism, and enkindle hard government reactions hint to unpopular banknotes, including restrictions on individual liberties. \n\nIn the context of advanced teaching and technology, a trend suggesting more violent terrorism earth-closetnot be ignored. The part of States Patterns of spherical terrorism: 1996 notes that trance intercontinental instances of terrorist acts fuddle dropped sharply in the last decade, the finis toll from acts is rising and the trend continues toward more ruthless attacks on flock civil targets and the use of more powerful bombs. The threat of terrorist use of materials of pickle destruction is an young of growing equal....8 If, and as, terrorism becomes more violent, p erceptions that the press is to nigh tip creditworthy for facilitating terrorism or amplifying its make could well grow. increasingly imperil societies may be flat to take few risks in light of mass hap matters and may trust the media less and less to police itself. \n\nATTACKS ON MEDIA PERSONNEL AND INSTITUTIONS \n\nAttacks on journalists who are communicative on scram intercourses of interest to the terrorists seem to be on the rise. recent attacks occurred in Algeria, Mexico, Russia, Chechnya, and London, but in that respect pose been cases as well in majuscule, D.C. at the National matter Building and at the joined Nations in impertinent York. mavin private guard dog group estimates that forty-five journalists were killed in 1995 as a emergence of their work.9 \n\nA number of options capability be considered to improve government/media interaction when responding to or covering terrorist incidents. These overwhelm: (1) financing give voice media/governm ent formulation exercises; (2) establishing a government terrorism selective information reaction bosom; (3) promoting use of media pools for hostage- sharpened terrorist events; (4) establishing and promoting allow foring press coverage guidelines; and (5) monitoring terrorism against the media. 10 \n\n pay JOINT GOVERNMENT/MEDIA TRAINING EXERCISES \n\n rough-and-ready public relations usually precedes a story--rather than reacts to it. Nations can beneficially employ giving public personal business strategies to chip terrorist-driven inaugurals, and the media can play an definitive role in spite of appearance the textile of such a strategy. teach exercises are live: exercises such as those conducted by George chapiter University and the Technology appoint in Holon, Israel, which fetch together government positives and media fables to simulate government response and media coverage of mock terrorist incidents. Promoting and living of standardized programs on a broad scale outside(a)ly is an option for consideration. \n\nESTABLISHING A GOVERNMENT TERRORIST nurture RESPONSE stub \n\n adept option Congress world power consider would be establishment of a standing government terrorist information response center (TIRC). such(prenominal) a center, by keep backment with the media, could adjudge on cry (out) (through communication links) a rapid reaction terrorism reporting pool dispassionate of senior(a) vane, wire- operate, and release media guardatives. Network coverage of incidents would then be coordinated by the network illustration in the center. such a center could be headed by a government spokesperson (the terrorist act development Coordinator, TIC) who could seek to promptly conquer the information and contexting initiative from the particular terrorist group. \n\n overly often, when incidents happen in the joined States in that respect is a nihility of intelligence operation other than the incident itself, and b y the time the government agencies deem on and delicately tune up what can be s charge and what positions are to be taken, the government information initiative is lost. \n\n other option that has been mentioned specifically for coverage of hostage type events, would be use of a media pool where all agree on the news for release at the aforementioned(prenominal) time. A model would call for to be established. However, media symmetry would not be easily secured. \n\nPROMOTING free PRESS insurance coverage GUIDELINES \n\n other option would be establishment by the media of a unstrain compute of impulsive behavior or guidelines that editors and reporters could get at for guidance.11 Congress could influence the prexy to call a special media breast, national or perhaps external in background under the anti-terrorism commit G-8 industrialized nations summit rubric, for senior network and score media executives to develop voluntary guidelines on terrorism reporting. anot her(prenominal) option superpower be to conduct such a national merging under the breastplate of a new government agency. \n\nAreas for word energy be drawn from the practices of both(prenominal) important media members and admit guidelines on: \n\n· ratiocination information on hostages which could harm them: e.g., number, nationality, official positions, how wealthy they may be, or important relatives they stir; \n\n· modification information on military, or police, movements during rescue operations; \n\n· narrowing or agreeing not to air live unedited interviews with terrorists; \n\n· Checking sources of information cautiously when the drag is high to report information that may not be accurate--as well as limiting insupportable speculation; \n\n· Toning down information that may cause far-flung panic or amplify events which aid the terrorist by move emotions sufficiently to handle irrational wring on decisionmakers. \n\n redden if specific guidelines were no t adopted, such a summit would increase understanding in the public policy and press policy communities of the exact of their several(prenominal) institutions. \n\nTRACKING TERRORISM AGAINST THE MEDIA \n\nFinally, a trend toward terrorist attacks against media personnel and institutions may be rising. This manage was addressed by President Clinton in a group run across with members of the press in Argentina during a state tour there October 17, 1997, when the President expressed concern over the issue of rage and harassment of the press in Argentina and suggested that the scheme of American States (OAS) create a special unit to visit press freedom similar to the press ombudsman created by the scheme on protection and Cooperation in europium (OSCE)12. Notwithstanding, comprehensive and readily unattached government statistics are lacking. one and only(a) way to approach this problem would be for government reports on terrorism, such as the U.S. subdivision of Stat es Patterns of orbicular act of terrorism, to include one-year statistics showing the number of journalists killed or injure yearly in terrorist attacks and the annual number of terrorist incidents against media personnel or media institutions. \n\nThe media and the government induct common interests in comprehend that the media are not manipulated into promoting the cause of terrorism or its methods On the other hand, neither the media or policymakers wishing to see terrorism, or counter terrorism, crumble positive freedoms including that of the press--one of the pillars of popular societies. This appears to be a dilemma that cannot be completely reconciled--one with which U.S. society allow for continually give up to struggle. Communication between the government and the media is an important broker in any strategy designed to prevent the cause of terrorism from prevailing and in preserving democracy. By their nature, democracies with red-blooded individual freedoms a nd limitations on police powers offer terrorists operational advantages. precisely terrorists and such democracies are not lasting elements in combination. If terrorism sustains itself or flourishes, freedoms shrink, and in societies run by ideological authoritarians, thugs, or radical spiritual extremists, a free press is one of the first institutions to go. \n\n1. An example would be to mobilize the tourist labor to pressure governments into move in sanctions against a terrorist state. \n\n2. break: Moslem terrorist act from midwestern get together States to Mideast by Steven Emerson, Christzan scholarship Monitor, August 28, 1996. \n\n3. put through: terrorism and the heart and soul East stay Process: The Origins and Activities of Hamas in the United States, deposition by international terrorism consultant, Steven Emerson, before the Senate Subcommittee on the get along East and atomic number 16 Asia, March 19, 1996, p. 11. The IAP besides publishes al-Zaitonah, one of the largest autochthonic Arabic-language publications in the United States. \n\n4. Note that in April 1994, the provide Foreign Affairs charge held hearings on the clash of television on U.S. extraneous policy. bookish and media viewpoints were presented on what, if anything, the media might do to avoid unwittingly skewing U.S. foreign policy one way or another and pose media foreign policy agendas. Although government/ media cooperation in terrorism coverage was not the focus of these particular hearings they offered insights and suggested areas for question of media/terrorism coverage issues. stop: reach of Television on U.S. Foreign Policy, April 26, 1994, U.S. Congress, House military commission on Foreign Affairs, 103rd Congress, help Session, GPO, Washington, 1994, 53 p. \n\n5. In the case of the unnamed Unabomber, it was publication of a manifesto in the New York multiplication and Washington ring armour that triggered the leads and actions by the mirth fuls family, which resulted in an arrest. \n\n6 result of details on the arrest in Pakistan and return to the United States of CIA shooting suspect, Mir Amal Kansi, has brocaded concern in the foreign policy, integrity enforcement, and intelligence communities that nations may be slow to cooperate with the United States under similar circumstances in the future. This sequence of events is one recent illustration underscoring the issue of media coverage of events relating to terrorism, the potential ban consequences of whatever reporting, and the need to explore mechanisms to elicit media/government cooperation in efforts to accommodate the medias need for coverage go limiting the gains such coverage may provide terrorists or their cause. \n\nKansi was arrested on June 17, 1997 with the help of Pakistani government activity and rendered to the United States. State Department Spokesman Nicholas Burns, in his June 18 occasional briefing, remarked to journalists that the secret of our success is that we are disciplined, and that we are not way out to spill our sand in public and say scarce how all this came about; because perhaps well want to do the same thing to some other terrorist in the future....Preserving operational details and preserving some of the relationships that we acquire around the world is very important to our effectiveness. This policy of silence was reportedly ranked by President Clinton so as not to break faith with foreign governments that assisted. \n\nseveral(prenominal) days later, later extensive reporting detailing and laudatory CIA cooperation, FBI planning and how the FBI lastly got its man, several of Pakistans leading themes published editorials demanding that their government explain why Pakistani virtue was waived to allow the suspect to be whisked away from his to his hearthstoneland. See: Spiriting take of Fugitive by U.S. Irks Pakistanis by crapper F. Burns, New York Times, June 23, 1997, p. A9. \n\n7 On June 13, 1985, two Hizballah attached Shia gunmen hijacked TWA flight 847 en route from capital of Greece to Rome and off U.S. Navy diver Robert Stethem later on the plane left Algiers and touched(p) down in Beirut for the second time. The hijackers terminated negotiations with the rosy-cheeked Cross and pressure the pilot to fell to Beirut after a wire service report that the Delta Force had flown to the surface area and other ill-advised media reports that the Delta Force was headed to Algeria. on the whole but the three crew members were taken from the plane and held by Amal and Hizballah until released. rudiment coverage of the event force strong criticism from the U.S. Department of State. Pentagon spokesman Michael Burch on June 19, 1985, incriminate the American news media of providing information on U.S. military and diplomatical moves that might prove efficacious to the hijackers: For the set of a 25-cent newspaper or a 19 go on television, a group of hijackers who only represent the back of a pew of some mosque lead a very fine-tune intelligence network. Media representatives countered with the response that coverage served to protect rather than hazard the lives of the hostages--that the hijackers would befool no benefit from sidesplitting the goose (hostages) that lays the well-off egg ( current advancement). \n\n8 U.S. Department of State, Patterns of spherical act of terrorism: 1996, April 1997, p. iii. \n\n9 According to the New York based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) more than 300 journalists set out been off since 1986 as a consequence of their work and in 1995 alone 45 were killed. See website address http://www.CPJ.ORG/. See to a fault the World budge license inspection published by the International pinch appoint (IPI) in Vienna, Austria. Concern over a pant in killings of, and assaults against, journalists was in addition expressed at the opening of the Inter-American commove Associations annual mee ting in Mexico city on October 20, 1997. See: Wests Leading straighten out Group Decries Attacks on Journalists by Eloy O. Aguilar, A.P. transfer of October 20, 1997. \n\n10. Another issue for consideration beyond the scope of government and media policymaking is the degree to which a public interest group might be useful in advocating hostage rights and protection with the media, and in raising sensation of the issue of balancing the publics right to know against the rights of hostages and the public to have their safety value by the media. \n\n11. Notably, there have been attempts by media members to impose rules when covering terrorist incidents. Standards established by the Chicago Sun-Times and everyday News include paraphrasing terrorist demands to avoid unbridled propaganda; banning union of reporters in negotiations with terrorists; coordinate coverage through supervising editors who are in fit with police authorities; providing thoughtful, restrained, and credible coverage of stories; and allowing only senior supervisory editors to go through what, if any, information should be withheld or deferred. such(prenominal) standards are far from uniformly accepted. See: Terrorism, the Future, and U.S. Foreign Policy, by Raphael F. Perl, CRS Issue abbreviated 95112, updated regularly. \n\n12. See: Clinton Suggests OAS take loo Freedom Issue, by Lawrence McQuillan, Reuters finish off of October 17, 1997. \n\nBYLINER: TERRORISM, THE MEDIA, AND THE 21st cytosine\n\n(The author is a specialist in international terrorism policy with the Congressional Research Service of the Library of Congress) \n\nThe media bear on powerful forces in confrontations between terrorists and governments. kindly to, and influencing, public public opinion may touch not only the actions of governments but alike on those of groups pursue in terrorist acts. \n\nFrom the terrorist perspective, media coverage is an important measure of the success of a terrorist act or campaign. And in hostage-type incidents, where the media may provide the only independent means a terrorist has of knowledgeable the chain of events set in motion, coverage can complicate rescue efforts. \n\nGovernments can use the media in an effort to arouse world opinion against the country or group using terrorist tactics. Public circumspection and the media can as well be use to mobilize public opinion in other countries to pressure governments to take action against terrorism. \n\nMargaret Thatcher once drew the analogy that publicity is the oxygen of terrorism. This fiddles blank space the point that public relations is a major terrorist artillery unit and the media is a fundamental vehicle for employing that weapon. Terrorism today assumes a role for the media. \n\nThis expression examines competing perspectives on the desired role for the media when covering terrorist incidents, and who wants what from the media: what the terrorist wants, what the government wants, and what the media wants when covering a terrorist event. It then addresses three trends that impact on the relationship between terrorism and the media and concludes with options for consideration. \n\nWhat Terrorists Want from the Media -- \n\nTerrorists, governments, and the media see the function, roles and responsibilities of the media when covering terrorist events from differing and often seemingly competing perspectives. such perceptions drive group behavior during terrorist incidents -- often resulting in both tactical and strategic gains to the terrorist operation and the overall terrorist cause. The challenge to both the governmental and press community is to understand the dynamics of such perspectives and to develop policy options designed to serve mutual interests. \n\n-- Terrorists want publicity, free publicity that a group could normally not afford or get. Any and all publicity alerts the world that a problem exists that cannot be ignored and must be addressed. An unedited interview is a treasured prize, such as the May 1997 CNN interview with Mohammad put in Ladin. bother to a terrorist is a hot story. \n\n-- They want favorable understanding of their cause, if not their act. atomic number 53 may not agree with their act but this does not preclude being sympathetic to their suffering and their cause. The public needs help in understanding that their cause is just and terrorist violence is the only course of action available to them against superior wretched forces. Good relationships with the press are important here and they are often cultivated and nurtured over a period of years. \n\n-- Terrorists may similarly seek to place personnel in press positions -- particularly in wire services -- and in some instances may even seek to control smaller news organizations through funding. unity example is Mr. Bin Ladin, who is reported to have funded a hard line Islamic news service in the Gulf. \n\n-- They want legitimacy. They want the pres s to give legitimacy to what is often portrayed as clear divisions between build up groups and political wings: IRA and Hamas are examples. Musa Abu Marzuq, for example, who was in charge of the political wing of Hamas is believed to have approved specific bombings and assassinations. Such distinctions are often designed to help people join the ranks of the terrorist organization. \n\n-- They withal want the press to give legitimacy to the findings and viewpoints of specially created non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and study centers that may serve as covers for terrorist fundraising, recruitment and travel by terrorists into the target country. The Palestinian Islamic Jihads funding and control of World and Islam Studies Enterprise is but one known example. The Hamas-funded Islamic Association for Palestine (IAP) in Richardson, Texas, is another of many. \n\n-- They want -- in hostage situations -- details on identity, number and value of hostages, details about pending resc ue attempts, and details on the public exposure of their operation. Particularly where state sponsors are involved, they want details about any plans for military retaliation. \n\n-- And they want the media to help them cause slander to the enemy. This is particularly so when the perpetrators of the act and the rule for their act stay put unidentified. They want the media to amplify panic, to spread fear, to relieve economic loss like loss of tourism, to make populations detached faith in their governments ability to protect them, and to make governments and populations act to specific incidents and the overall threat of terrorism. \n\nWhat Government Wants from the Media -- \n\nGovernments seek understanding, cooperation, restraint and loyalty from the media in efforts to limit terrorist harm to society and in efforts to punish or apprehend those responsible for terrorist acts, specifically: \n\n-- They want publicity to advance their agenda and not that of the terrorist. Fr om their perspective, the media should support government courses of action when operations are under way and disseminate government provided information when requested. \n\n-- An important goal is to separate the terrorist from the media -- to deny the terrorist a propaganda platform unless to do so is likely to contribute to his imminent defeat. \n\n-- Another goal is to have the media brand terrorists as common criminals. \n\n-- In hostage situations, generally they prefer to exclude the media and others from the immediate area, but they want the media to provide intelligence data when the media has penetration to the hostage site. \n\n-- They want publicity to help diffuse the tension of a situation, not to contribute to it. Keeping the nation calm is an important policy objective. \n\n-- During incidents, they want to control terrorist glide path to outside data -- to restrict data on hostages, for the media not to reveal anti-terrorist actions or provide the terrorists with data that helps them. \n\n-- After incidents, they want the media to keep faithful tabs on government trade secrets as to how operations were happyly performed -- and to keep close tabs on successful or cross terrorist trade secrets so that copycat terrorists can not emulate them. \n\n-- They want the media to be careful about being deceived by disinformation. Many groups have many motives for disseminating wide of the mark or false data. \n\n-- They also want the media to make government agencies look good. Agencies may carefully control leaks to the press giving scoops to newsmen who then in return make the agency look good and avoid criticism of its actions. \n\n-- They would like journalists to inform them when presented with well grounded reasons to believe a terrorist act may be in the making or that particular individuals may be involved in terrorist activity. \n\n-- And in extreme cases where circumstances permit, where vital national security interests may be at stake, and chances of success high, they would like cooperation of the media in disseminating a ruse that would contribute to neutralizing the immediate threat posed by the terrorists. \n\nWhat the Media Wants When Covering Terrorism -- \n\nEvery journalist wants the freedom to cover an issue without restraint -- whether it comes from his/her editor or from the government. \n\n-- The media wants to be the first with the story. Now. The scoop is the golden fleece. Old news is no news. pressure to transmit real time news instantly in todays intensely competitive hi-tech communication environment is at an all-time high. \n\n-- They want to make the story as timely and dramatic as possible -- an interview, if possible. During the June 1985 TWA Flight 847 hijack crisis, ABC aired extensive interviews with both hijackers and hostages. A photo was even staged of a pistol aimed at the pilots head. \n\n-- For the most part, they want to be headmaster and accurate and not to give credenza to disi nformation, however kind it may seem. \n\n-- They want to protect their ability to operate as securely and freely as possible in the society. In many instances, this concern goes beyond protect their legal right to publish relatively unrestrained. It translates into personal physical security. They want to protect themselves -- not to be killed during operations and not to be murdered by terrorists for providing unfavorable coverage. \n\n-- They do want to protect societys right to know. \n\n-- And they do want to play a constructive role in understand specific terrorist situations if this can be do without excessive cost in scathe of story loss or agree of values. \n\nTrends Impacting on Terrorism and the Media \n\nA number of trends appear to be emerging which impact on the relationship between the media, the terrorist and government. These include: (1) a trend towards anonymity in terrorism; (2) a trend towards more violent terrorist incidents; and (3) a trend towards attack s on media personnel and institutions. \n\n like a shot we see a trend towards anonymous terrorism where no one claims responsibleness and no demands are made. The World conduct Center bombing is but one example. This practice allows the media a larger role in speculation, and takes them off the hook from charges that they are amplifying a terrorists demands or agenda. horizontal so, however, ongoing hyped reporting of terrorists events can advance terrorists agendas such as scatter fear, hurting tourism and provoking strong government reactions, leading ultimately to restrictions on individual liberties. \n\nIn todays hi-info/hi-tech world the potential for more violent terrorism is a earth which cannot be ignored. As terrorism becomes more violent, perceptions that the press is to some degree responsible for facilitating terrorism or amplifying its effects could well grow. Increasingly threatened societies may be prone to take fewer risks in light of mass casualty consequence s and may less and less trust the media to police itself. \n\nAttacks on Media force out and Institutions -- \n\nWe may also see more of a trend of attacks on journalists who are outspoken on issues of concern to the terrorists. We do not need to look to Algeria, Mexico, Russia, Chechnia or London for such activity, but here in Washington, D.C. at the National shake Building and at the United Nations in New York. One private watchdog group places the number of journalists killed by terrorists in 1995 at 45. \n\nA number of options exist for enhancing the effectiveness of government media-oriented responses to terrorism and for preventing the media from unwittingly being manipulated into furthering terrorist goals. These include: (1) financing joint media/government training exercises; (2) establishing a government terrorism information response center; (3) promoting use of media pools; (4) promoting voluntary press coverage guidelines; and (5) monitoring terrorism against the me dia. \n\nJoint Government/Media Training Exercises -- \n\nPublic relations must be frontward of a story -- not reactive. Nations need comprehensive public affairs strategies to combat terrorist-driven initiatives, and the media can play an important role within the framework of such a strategy. Training exercises are vital here: exercises such as those conducted by George Washington University and the Technology Institute in Holon, Israel, which bring together government officials and media representatives to simulate government response and media coverage of mock terrorist incidents. \n\nA Government Terrorist Information Response Center -- \n\nOne option governments might consider would be establishment of a standing government terrorist information response center (TIRC). Such a center by agreement with the media could have on call (through communication links) a rapid reaction terrorism reporting pool represent of senior network, wire-service and print media representatives. N etwork coverage of incidents would then be coordinated by the network representative in the center. Such a center could be headed by a government spokesperson (the Terrorism Information Coordinator, TIC) who could right away seek to reserve the propaganda initiative from the particular terrorist group. \n\nAll withal often, when incidents happen in the United States and there is a vacuity on news other than the incident itself, by the time the government agencies agree on and fine tune what can be verbalize and what positions are to be taken, the government propaganda initiative is already lost. \n\nAnother option, specifically for coverage of hostage type events, would be use of a media pool where news is put out at the same time. If adopted, mechanisms for implementing such a concept should be in place. \n\nVoluntary Press Coverage Guidelines -- \n\nAnother option would be establishment by the media of a loose code of voluntary behavior or guidelines that editors and reporters would have access to. A special media summit could be called, perhaps under the G-7 rubric, for senior network and print media executives to develop voluntary guidelines on terrorism reporting. \n\nAreas for intelligence might include guidelines on: \n\n-- constrictive information on hostages which could harm them: e.g., number, nationality, official positions, how wealthy they may be or important relatives they have; \n\n-- Limiting information on military movements during rescue operations; \n\n-- Limiting or agreeing not to air live unedited interviews with terrorists; -- Checking sources of information carefully when the pressure is high to report information that may not be accurate; \n\n-- Toning down information that may cause widespread panic. \n\nEven if specific guidelines were not adopted, such a summit would raise understanding in the public policy and press policy community of the single needs of their various(prenominal) institutions. \n\nTracking Terrorism Agains t the Media \n\nFinally, there may be emerging a cosmopolitan trend of more terrorist attacks against media personnel and institutions. Surprisingly, however, readily available government statistics are lacking. One way to bring this point home would be for government reports on terrorism, such as the U.S. Department of States Patterns of Global Terrorism, to include annual statistics worldwide showing the number of journalists killed or hurt yearly in terrorist attacks and the annual number of terrorist incidents against media personnel or media institutions. \n\nThe media and the government both have common interests in seeing that the media is not inadvertently manipulated into promoting the cause of terrorism or its methods. still on the other hand, policymakers do not want to see terrorism eroding freedom of the press -- one of the pillars of democratic societies. \n\nBy translation this is a dilemma that cannot be completely reconciled -- one with which society will contin ually have to struggle. Communication between the government and the media here is an important element in any strategy designed to prevent the cause of terrorism from prevailing and in preserving democracy. \n\nThe pragmatism is that terrorism and democracy do not make harmonious bedfellows and in societies run by thugs or radical religious extremists, a free press is one of the first institutions to go. NNNNIf you want to get a full essay, order it on our website:
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