Page 20 - Encyclopedia Of Terrorism

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Foreword

The Encyclopedia of Terrorism is a very important City Fire Department, the Port Authority Police
addition to our understanding of this complicated Department, and the New York City Police Department
subject. will never be forgotten, nor will the victims at the
What is terrorism? Why does it exist in the world, Pentagon or those brave patriots who crashed in a
and why do so many act out this hatred? These Pennsylvania field.
are critical questions that this outstanding work by It’s not that these issues were not known; to the
Dr. Harvey Kushner and Sage Reference helps us contrary, thousands of dedicated patriots worked day
answer. and night to protect this country from this threat. It
President Ronald Reagan once observed that “one was a combination of the great big heart of our poli-
man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter.” The cies, our traditional short memory, a general feeling
FBI defined terrorism as “the unlawful use of force or that “it won’t happen here,” and, the vast silent
violence against persons or property to intimidate or majority in the United States who did not participate
coerce a Government, the civilian population, or any in shaping public policy. I believe the greatest threat
segment there of, in furtherance of political or social to civil liberties and our freedom is our “inability to
objectives.” act” when action is necessary—waiting until events
Osama bin Laden and his leadership council claim get out of hand or heavy loss of life pushes us into
that their acts of terrorism are on behalf of the Islamic action!
world against the West and specifically against the Dr. Kushner has produced an authoritative and
United States. In bin Laden’s mind, the bombings of the easy-to-use resource. It will be a handy reference
United States embassies in Kenya and Tanzania were for students, the media, law enforcement, the intel-
attacks on the ultimate evil, the United States. But of ligence community, and decision makers at the
the 252 people killed, 225 were Muslims, and only federal, state and local levels, as well as for the pub-
12 were citizens of the United States. The deaths of lic in general, who I pray daily will play a larger
225 Muslims were not important to bin Laden. Fanatical role in shaping public policy that contributes to the
religious terrorists such as bin Laden and his followers first responsibility of government—the protection
have no regard for public opinion, and the killing of our country, our way of life, and our children’s
of large numbers of innocent people, including women futures.
and children, does not weigh on their conscience. They
have thousands of supporters, some in the United States, —James K. Kallstrom
who assist outright or applaud from the sidelines. Director of the New York State
History hopefully will record 2001 as a turning point Office of Public Security
in the international fight against terrorism. September
11, 2001 was the bloodiest day in America since the Former Assistant Director of the
Civil War. The heroic responders from the New York New York Office of the FBI

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