Terrorexpertise:University of St. Andrews

From Powerbase
Revision as of 12:25, 24 October 2008 by Tom Mills (talk | contribs)
Jump to: navigation, search

N.B. This page relates to the University of St. Andrews's terrorism related activities, a separate page deals with the University of St. Andrews in general.

The University of St. Andrews has been a major centre of in the 'Terrorism Industry' since the beginning of the 1990s. Some of the most prominent terrologists have been involved with the University's Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence including Paul Wilkinson, Bruce Hoffman and Rohan Gunaratna.

The study of terrorism at St. Andrews appears to have began when the University recruited the terrorologist Paul Wilkinson as a Professor of International Relations in 1989. Wilkinson was at that time head of the Research Foundation for the Study of Terrorism, a corporate funded 'charity' which shared an office with the right-wing lobby group Aims of Industry. At the time he joined St. Andrews, his Foundation was in the process of merging with another right-wing think-tank the Institute for the Study of Conflict. This was completed in December 1989 and the Research Institute for the Study of Conflict and Terrorism was formed. Wilkinson headed the Institute which was based in London.

Back in St Andrews, Wilkinson introduced two new courses, one of course in International Terrorism and another in Comparative Intelligence Systems. The Times called them 'the most controversial courses yet offered in British universities'. [1] Wilkinson taught the terrorism course which was aimed at influencing future state and corporate personnel: "I would hope that our graduates would put their training to good use in government, industry, the armed forces, the Foreign Office or the law," Wilkinson told The Times.[2] The Comparative Intelligence Systems course was headed by Myles Robertson, a Kremlinologist who planned the course over six months with the help of "former government people."[3]

Wilkinson organised conferences on terrorism through the Research Institute for the Study of Conflict and Terrorism in London, as well as in St. Andrews. On 24-26 August 1992 St Andrews hosted a ‘seminar of experts on technology and terrorism’, organised and co-sponsored with the National Strategy Information Council (NSIC). Roy Godson, Tom Diaz and Eric Singer of NSIC chaired sessions which led to a volume of essays co-edited by Paul Wilkinson published in 1993. [4]

In 1993 The Scotsman reported that St Andrews was introducing a degree in defence studies, which would include environmental security, diplomacy, political economy and the study of terrorism. According to the article the degree was to be based on "distance learning and will be available to serving officers at RAF Leuchars initially. The course may be extended later to other bases throughout the UK...The course was suggested by staff at Leuchars and designed in cooperation with senior RAF officers, supported by development grants from the Centre for Continuing Education at the University." [5] Paul Wilkinson told the paper: "With the ending of the Cold War we have been faced with a whole new set of problems and issues which keen and ambitious servicemen want to understand. Plus, there is a rundown of defence not only in Britain but in all the NATO countries so many of these officers are preparing for civilian life and they feel that a higher degree would be useful in civvy street." [6]

CSTPV

In 1994 Wilkinson was appointed head of the University's School of History and International Relations. He resigned as head of the Research Institute for the Study of Conflict and Terrorism to form a new terrorism research centre at St. Andrews. Wilkinson recruited RAND terrorism analyst Bruce Hoffman, who was appointed Chairman of the School. Together they founded what became the Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence (CSTPV). Hoffman became director of the new Centre, whilst Wilkinson was appointed chairman. Another key figure in the group was Magnus Ranstorp, who was studying a PhD on hostage taking in Lebanon at the time the Centre was founded. [7]

CSTPV was originally based at premises at 188 North Street, which according to Alex Schmid were "hardly more luxurious than those in Bin Laden’s presumed cave."[8] Lord Carlile referred to Wilkinson as working out of an "interesting attic office", presumably in the same premises.[9] When he had important visitors Wilkinson would "receive them at a more stately place in the University."[10]

Resources & Notes

Resources

Notes

  1. ↑ Barnaby Jameson, 'Terror goes on the agenda', The Times, 3 June 1991
  2. ↑ Barnaby Jameson, 'Terror goes on the agenda', The Times, 3 June 1991
  3. ↑ Barnaby Jameson, 'Terror goes on the agenda', The Times, 3 June 1991
  4. ↑ Acknowledgments in Paul Wilkinson and Christop Harman, Technology and terrorism (Routledge, 1993)
  5. ↑ James Rougvie, 'Students' defence theses may be vetted', The Scotsman, 23 August 1993
  6. ↑ James Rougvie, 'Students' defence theses may be vetted', The Scotsman, 23 August 1993
  7. ↑ Magnus Ranstorp's PhD thesis 'Radical Shi'ism in Lebanon: Western government crisis management techniques in dealing with hostage incidents, 1982-1992' was published by the University of St Andrews in July 1995
  8. ↑ Speech given by Professor Alex P. Schmid on the occasion of Paul’s retrial. Accessed from URL <http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/~cstpv/about/staffprofiles/pwretiral101007.pdf> on 28 June 2008, 13:47:59
  9. ↑ Hansard HL Volume 675 Column 1436 (21 November 2005)
  10. ↑ Speech given by Professor Alex P. Schmid on the occasion of Paul’s retrial. Accessed from URL <http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/~cstpv/about/staffprofiles/pwretiral101007.pdf> on 28 June 2008, 13:47:59
Retrieved from "https://powerbase.info/index.php?title=Terrorexpertise:University_of_St._Andrews&oldid=67831"