Both terrorism and organized crime are particularly dangerous forms of the so-called group crime.133 They share many common features and develop numerous links. According to the definition of 1990 proposed by the German law enforcement agencies and judiciary, organized crime is the planned commission of criminal offences, motivated by profit or pow-er, which, individually or as a whole, are of a considerable gravity and involve more than two perpetrators. Additionally, it is required that the perpetrators collaborate for a prolonged or indefinite period of time, each with their own appointed tasks: by using commercial or “business-like”
structures, or by using violence or other means suitable for intimidation, or by exerting influence on politics, the media, public administration, ju-dicial authorities or the economy.134
The most important instrument of international law concerning this type of crime is the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, adopted in Palermo in 2000.135 One of its terms, “organized criminal
national Terrorism in the Aftermath of the Terrorist Attacks in America and the Problem of the Definition of Terrorism in International Law,” ILFDI 4 (2002), 162-164.
132 Cf. Marcinko, M. Status terrorysty, pp. 133-136, Toman, J. Terrorism, pp. 145-146.
133 Cf. Pływaczewski, E. Przestępczość zorganizowana i jej zwalczanie w Europie Zachodniej (ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem Republiki Federalnej Niemiec), Warszawa 1992, p. 28.
134 Cf. Filipiuk, R., Jasiński, W. „Przestępczość zorganizowana i jej zwalczanie w Republice Federalnej Niemiec,” PP 1-2 (1995), pp. 88-89, Filipkowski, W. Zwalczanie przestępczości zorgani-zowanej w aspekcie finansowym, Kraków 2004, p. 34, Pływaczewski, E. Przestępczość zorganizowana, p. 28.
135 United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, adopted by the
General Assembly of the United Nations on 15 November 2000, (hereafter, the Palermo Conven-42
The Notion of Terrorism
group,” is regarded as a synonym for organized crime.136 It means a struc-tured group of three or more persons, existing for a period of time and acting in concert with the aim of committing one or more serious crimes or offences established in accordance with the Convention, in order to obtain, directly or indirectly, a financial or other material benefit (Article 2(a)).
A “structured group” is a group that is not randomly formed for the im-mediate commission of an offence and that does not need to have formally defined roles for its members, continuity of its membership or a developed structure (Article 2(c)). Such a definition of an organized criminal group is consistent with the concepts of EU law: “criminal organization”137 and
“terrorist group.”138
The basic difference between the two forms of crime is mirrored in their dissimilar main (strategic) objectives. K. Indecki states that terror-ism is usually intended to attain political goals, while organized crime is primarily its profit-making character.139 Consequently, he stresses “a dif-ferent aetiology” of these phenomena and sees any resemblance between them as “purely coincidental.”140 The criterion of objective does not always permit an unambiguous classification of certain “hybrid” groups (crimi-nal and terrorist)141 of vaguely defined purpose of action, or concealing their real objectives (a desire for profit) under the disguise of political motivation. This dividing line remains blurred after making a closer ex- amination of the instrumental goals pursued in conjunction with the com-mitted prohibited acts. Both forms of crime may involve assassination, kidnapping, arms trafficking, or forgery of documents and currency.
tion), more in Militello, V. „Partecipazione all’organizzazione criminale e standards internazi- onali d’incriminazione,” RIDPP 1-2 (2003), pp. 186-192, Ziorkiewicz, B. “Implementacja Kon-wencji Narodów Zjednoczonych przeciwko międzynarodowej przestępczości zorganizowanej,”
ProkPr 6 (2002), pp. 72-87.
136 Michalska-Warias, A. Przestępczość zorganizowana i prawnokarne formy jej przeciwdziałania, Lublin 2006, p. 58.
137 Cf. Council Joint Action 98/733/JHA of 21 December 1998 on making it a criminal offence to participate in a criminal organisation in the Member States of the European Union (OJ L 351, 29.12.1998),
138 Cf. Article 2(1) of the framework decision.
139 Indecki, K. Prawo karne, p. 44. See also Barcik, J. Akt terrorystyczny i jego sprawca w świetle prawa międzynarodowego i wewnętrznego, Warszawa 2004, p. 21, Hołyst, B. Terroryzm, vol. I, p. 95, Malik, O. Enough, p. 53, O’Day, A. Introduction, p. xv, Stohl, M. “Networks, Terrorists and Crimi-nals: the Implications for Community Policing,” CLSCh 1-2 (2008), p. 60.
140 Cf. Indecki, K. Prawo karne, p. 44.
141 Cf. Saul, B. Defining, pp. 41-42.
Terrorism and Organized Crime An additional distinguishing feature of terrorism seems to be striv-ing to bring about some fundamental changes in the legal order. On the other hand, organized crime, even if it aspires to gain influence over the authorities, it basically rules out the goal of dismantling the system and initiating a broad socio-political transformation. Such an influence can facilitate the corrupting or blackmailing of politicians, law enforcement officers and the judiciary. However, it is not aimed at generating any pro-found changes in the state structures, since the existing political, legal and social order expedites the engineering of long-term and profitable illegal activities.142
The differences also lie in the manner of resorting to violence. As aptly put by O. Malik: “Criminals use violence to enable them to acquire re-sources, whereas terrorists acquire resources to enable them to practise violence. Terrorists generally intend to kill people. Criminals generally kill only when obstructed.”143 Terrorism resorts to a higher level of vio-lence. Even a single terrorist act may be so choreographed as to garner broad publicity through claiming the highest possible number of victims and extensive damage. As far as organized crime is concerned, such ef-fects are rare.144 Another distinctive factor is the attitude to the mass me-dia. The rule is that terrorists seek to give the greatest possible publicity to their activity, demands and political agenda, while those involved in organized crime keep out of the limelight; otherwise, it could cause agita- tion in the society, and thus intensifying the police action and jeopardiz-ing illegal interests.
Nowadays, extensive links and relationships exist between terrorism and organized crime, leading to a specific “reapproachment”145 between these two phenomena of group crime. There is evidence of liaison between the Colombian drug cartels and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Co-lombia (FARC). As a consideration, the group afforded protection to drug producers and traffickers.146 Drug smuggling is also high on the agenda of al-Quaeda; the proceeds are used for terrorist activity.147
142 Cf. Michalska-Warias, A. Przestępczość zorganizowana, p. 58, Pływaczewski, E.Przestępczość zorganizowana, p. 29.
143 Malik, O. Enough, p. 54.
144 Cf. Malik, O. Enough, p. 54.
145 Cf. Indecki, K. Prawo karne, p. 44, Pływaczewski, E. Przestępczość zorganizowana, p. 31, Stohl, M. Networks, p. 59.
146 Cf. Country Reports on Terrorism 2007, p. 304.
147 Cf. O’Day, A. Introduction, p. xv.
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The Notion of Terrorism