Campaign launched to make suicide bombings crimes against humanity

BocaNews.com ^ | December 12, 2003 | Brian Bandell

[11th_VA]

An international campaign to designate suicide bombings as crimes against humanity was launched in Boca Raton Thursday by the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a Los Angeles-based Jewish organization that promotes tolerance.

Rabbi Marvin Hier, who won several Academy Awards for his movies done through the center, met with Pope John Paul II eight days ago and told him of his mission to get the United Nations to adopt a resolution that would recognize perpetrators and supporters of suicide bombings as criminals against humanity.

According to Hier, the Pope told participants in a Catholic-Islamic meeting 24 hours later: “I appeal to you, and to all men and women of good will, to join your voices with mine as I repeat that the holy name of God must never be used to incite violence or terrorism, to promote hatred or exclusion.”

Such a resolution would mean that members of organizations that recruit suicide bombers could be tried by international courts for committing crimes against humanity and funding to those organizations would be curtailed. Terrorist groups like Hamas and Islamic Jihad are given support by Iran, Syria and Lebanon.

“None of their leaders could travel internationally for fear of being picked up,” Hier said. “It would isolate them, put tremendous pressure on them and be a severe blow to international terrorism.”

Hier wants to rally the support of world leaders to present a resolution to the U.N., although he said many Muslim countries would oppose it. Yet with suicide bombings, which have been targeted at Israel for years, increasingly being used in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Indonesia and Russia, Hier believes those countries will see the need to crack down on terrorist groups.

“Suicide bombings don’t only affect Israel. It’s a worldwide issue,” Hier said. “Most experts predict that there will be more of them and most experts think that they will be expanding overseas – even to the United States.”

The United Nations has recently passed resolutions condemning Israel that were heavily supported by Muslim countries and opposed by the United States. Heir said that many Western nations are afraid to make a vote that would offend Muslim nations because they want to do business with them.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center posted a petition on its Web site www.wiesenthal.com in support of this campaign. The organization wants to sent the petition, which was also mailed to the center’s 400,000 members, to President Bush, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and French President Jacques Chirac.

Hier was in Boca promoting his latest movie, Unlikely Heroes, which premiered at Mucivo here Thursday. The rabbi won Oscars in 1998 for The Long Way Home and in 1981 for Genocide.

[org.whodat]

All in all this is a useless campaign.

You have it so right, sounds like a bunch liberal pap, to me. So we glue the bomber back together and then shoot him.

[mylife]

I wish we could base world definitions on a track record of deeds rather than a single event, or method.

[mylife]

"Crimes Against Humanity"...the very same charges Nero accused the Christians of
that he might crucify them, burn them alive, and fed them to wild animals for the amusement
of that very same "Humanity" who was offended by their "crimes"...

Its nothing new is it?

[Petronski]

Now that is a fine idea.

[Grateful American]

Although no justice is sufficient for these people, a better justice would be to substantiate the charges through a military court, and then take however many ring leaders have been found in any given month's period (put in on the world's calendars), bring them together in a country of origin of one of the criminals, fit them all with the very same explosive belts they have used on the people they have recruited to do their heinous work and then have these ring leaders do some reality theater as co-homicide bombers blowing each other up. Martyrs according to their mass insanity, yes. But also a metaphor forthe rest of the world of their crimes against humanity.

[vladog]

When you think about any 'law' isn't worth the paper its written on if people ignore it.

The Volstead Act comes to mind as one such law.

I say, they want to die so bad, just shoot the lot and make everyone happy.

[Clinging Bitterly]

>> ...do we really need an "international law" to make "homicide bombings" a crime against humanity?

I tend to think it is what it is, and it is that, without question. But still, if one is to be a nation of laws and not men, it'd make sense to have it on the books as such in each legitimate jurisdiction (and the UN can have it on theirs too if they want).

[3catsanadog]

Self-martyring is like trying make oneself a virgin again.

Quote of the day!!!!!!

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

This cliche has been around for a long time. I recall it being recited by a CNN reporter or producer with respect to the 9-11 reportage, when they were trying to "stay above it all", which is why I brought it up. This sort of mindless commentary is quite typical of the amoral Left and their sycophants in the mainstream media. If they ever fully realized how the real world worked, they would probably have a collective heart attack.

[Criminal Number 18F]

They are a crime when perpetrated against civilians (as is usually the case in Israel). It is always a war crime to kill noncombatants.

When perpetrated against uniformed military, they are probably also a crime but under different provisos in international law. Individuals who engage in acts of warfare, but do not bear arms openly or wear a distinguishing uniform or emblem (like an armband) are francs tireurs and have the same protections under international law as spies: none.

What Rabbi Hier suggests though would make it much easier to track and make life difficult for the enablers of suicide bombers -- because, after all, you're not going to collect the pieces of the bomber in a basket and tell him he's under arrest....

d.o.l.

Criminal Number 18F

[ImpBill]

Well you may be right. I mean it isn't as if we don't have enough laws on the books already that we can't or won't enforce. Passing laws also helps the lawmakers believe and prove to the masses they are really thinking about us and ready to "hep" us out.

Sorry, but I am really cynical when it comes to ideas like this one, cause it isn't going to change a thing where the rubber meets the road, or in this case where the insane, whacked out religious fanatic believes he is following the "laws" of his god in killing innocent people.

Anyway I said I wouldn't be starting an argument here so I will just admit that I might be wrong and that a new "law" just might certainly make a difference.

[lainde]

bttt

[Criminal Number 18F]

I think what we need is a serious and honest definition of terrorism.

Used to be used in US Army counterterrorist training: "Terrorism is violence directed against one party for the symbolic or psychological effect it has on a second party."

A corollary to that is: "The real target of most terrorist attacks is the public, through the amplifying medium of the press."

The FBI, being smarter than a bunch of knuckle-dragging shooters (or more overrun with lawyers), says: "Terrorism is the unlawful use of force against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population or any segment thereof, in the furtherance of political or social objectives".

As a site on the web amplifies: "This definition includes three elements: (1) Terrorist activities are illegal and involve the use of force. (2) The actions are intended to intimidate or coerce. (3) The actions are committed in support of political or social objectives."

I personally think that the FBI definition is too antiseptic and doesn't include some of the acts that are done in part to intimidate, but in part from sheer Satanic joy in killing.

d.o.l.

Criminal Number 18F

[KO5A]

Help me keep this straight please:

Bombing someone with crude homemade-style explosives about the body is a crime against humanity, but bombing someone with cluster-bombs, or maybe just witha B-52-- this is spreading glorious democracy and freedom the world over in a manner approaching Lincolnian greatness.

I am sorry I am really confused by this.

[Faramir]

I agree. The non-military attacking US troops in Iraq should fall under a different category. Not quite as cowardly as suicide bombing civilians.

[Faramir]

Those definitions are good though.

I think we also need a definition of "states that sponsor terrorism" This is a finer point. Even the US sponsored terrorism via some of the so called charities that funnelled money into terrorist groups. However it wasn't the intent. Canada likely, through whacky immigration decisions, harbours terrorists. But I don't think our transgressions warrant invasion.

However the Saudi royal family knowingly fund terrorists the world over. They also allow training camps within their borders. And militant leaders are also tolerated.

[goldstategop]

I support it. Its the most abominable crime imaginable and unworthy of a true warrior. Attacking innocent women and children has always been the mark of the sociopathic coward.