Date of Award

Spring 5-1-2003

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Criminology & Criminal Justice

First Advisor

Amy Craddock

Abstract

Historically, acts of international terrorism against Americans, even acts that have been conducted outside the territorial jurisdiction of the United States, have been handled with a diplomatic, intelligence and/or military response. In 1985, the United States began using a law enforcement or prosecutive model of responding to such acts of international terrorism. In this study, a review of the recent criminal and civil legislation against international terrorism was conducted. Further, a quantitative analysis of Americans killed overseas in acts of international terrorism, both prior to and after the initiation of U.S. legislation, was conducted in an attempt to discern if the number of Americans killed have reduced since the legislation. Lastly, the motives and methodology of specific terrorists and acts of terrorism were studied in an effort to determine why terrorists target Americans. iii The results of the study were that in equal time frames prior to and post U.S. legislation, the number of Americans killed has actually gone down. There was no evidence discovered that this reduction was related to the legislation. In fact there was no evidence, nor was there an expectation there would be any, that international terrorists have knowledge ofU.S. legislation outlawing such activity. Most scholars and authors believed the motives of international terrorists were highly complex and revolved around poignant issues such as religion and geopolitics.

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