Big ideas that changed the world terrorism (4/5) Tuesday 24 April, 19.15–20.00

Continuing tonight is a new second series of the documentary strand that explores some of the world’s most influential ideas. In this programme, Terry Waite examines terrorism, its roots and history, as well as questioning whether the use of violence is ever justified.

Waite has a greater insight into the mind of the terrorist than most of us. As special envoy of the Archbishop of Canterbury in the 1980s, he successfully negotiated the release of British hostages in Iran and Libya. At the request of their families, he became involved when Brian Keenan and John McCarthy were snatched on the streets of Beirut. This time, however, he too was taken hostage and held captive for almost five years.

For most of that time, Waite was in solitary confinement. He was tortured and subjected to a mock execution. His captors belong to the armed militia group, Hezbolla, and over time, he could understand why they had resorted to hostage taking. They were Shia Muslims, among the poorest and most politically disadvantaged in Lebanon. Many of them had known nothing but armed conflict.

“By taking us hostage, they were saying, ‘We can fight you back and we can fight you in a very effective way. Just taking a few of your people will make us jump.’ Everybody sits up when hostages from the West are taken,” says Terry.

However, the idea of terrorism is nothing new. Waite looks at the roots of terrorism. Its origins lie in the French Revolution, more than 200 years ago, when a group of people fought for ‘Liberty, equality and fraternity’. These French revolutionaries lived in constant fear of their enemies. Their response was to unleash a wave of terror – ‘La Grande Terreur’ – that sent up to 17,000 people to their deaths.

Terry Waite examines the line from these early revolutionaries to Osama bin Laden and considers how effective their use of violence has been. In the case of the IRA and the African National Congress, for example, he argues that it seems to have worked. Gerry Adams, leader of Sinn Fein, is now discussing power sharing with his old foe, Ian Paisley. Meanwhile, the ANC’s Nelson Mandela, who was imprisoned for 27 years, is now Africa’s most respected elder statesman.

When acts of terrorism provoke a visceral reaction – such as the Twin Towers, the 7/7 bombers, Bali and Madrid – it is almost inconceivable to think of negotiating with the men and women responsible.

Terry Waite believes that terrorism is the symptom of problems which have not been tackled, and of long standing grievances, which – eventually – erupt into violence. He looks at the current problems in Iraq and the Israeli/Palestinian conflict and questions why there is still no negotiated settlement.