The September 11 attacks fly in the face of provisions of various international conventions and resolutions of the United Nations on terrorism, crimes on board aircraft, e.t.c. To cite an example, the Hague Convention of 16 December 1970, makes the hijacking of aircraft an international crime, and each contraction state is required to make the offence punishable by imposing severe penalties.
If the United States had attributed the September 11 attacks only to terrorist cells or groups comprising private individuals, then the acts would have, more appropriately, been considered as “crimes” under the relevant municipal law, and United States’ domestic law would have, no doubt, afforded ample jurisdiction to deal with the perpetrators, when apprehended. Though the actual hijackers have perished, the plotters and planners may still be around.
The U.S. Attack On Afghanistan: Defense Or Reprisal?
Written by Steve Edentalen-Elliott
(Credit: CIA Factbook)
Before 9/11, there had been virtually no mention of the now rife phrase “war against terrorism”, particularly on the global scene. 9/11, I will boldly say, is the plant upon which the new terror and reactions to it is based. Not the terrible disaster itself, but America’s response to it. It has brought into our daily lives this new “war on terror” concept and created the present challenges faced by many countries and international entities across the world.
It therefore appears to me that America’s action in Afghanistan, following the terrorist act of 9/11, should be looked at. Consequently, in the next couple of articles on in this column, I shall acquaint you, dear reader, with my thinking at the time by dusting up my write-up on America’s action against Afghanistan.
