Bruce Allen Scharlau PhD thesis - Research@StAndrews:FullText

268
but rather develop themselves. To this end they seek means for the
expression of personal radicalism in public movements. 53
The Autanomen argue that the public has difficulty identifying with
terrorists because they only represent idols to resistance fighters and
devils to others. The Autanomen see themselves, unlike the terrorists f
because they use means- -fantasy and energy- -available to everyone.
Autanomen do not seek to use methods available to underground terrorists
like the RAF to conduct sophisticated attacks like light beam triggered
bombs, but seek to use their imagination and enthusiasm to conceive of
ways and means of turning events into ~ spectacles I wi th the limi ted
means at everyone I s disposal. However, because the media present their
acti vi ties out of context, they appear as mysterious, which hinders
their identification building impact. 54 This is minimised though, as the
Autanomen target audience is not the general public, but the far left,
who they want to join their resistance against the ~system'.
The Autananen exemplify the ~ expressive I model in their disregard
for the public as they undertake resistance to develop their own lives
as they see fit. Ideally they see this personal radicalism developed
within public movements, but if not, then they believe others will
understand their resistance to the system and join them. The public is
superfluous to the scheme because the whole emphasis is on personal
development.
4. Terrorism, the Media and the Government
The media is not monolithic, and different people will expend
various efforts to obtain desired news, which may be presented in
diverse quantities with attention to increasing their ratings over their
competitors I. Terrorism attracts news media attention because it (a)
arouses public alann with its ruthlessness and unpredictability, (b)
could happen to anyone, which provides dramatic excitement as audiences
generally identify with the victims, and (c) is critically important for
governments when it signals dissension, highlights security problems,
and creates political crisis. 55
The media can also end rumours and counter erroneous and potentially
harmful information, especially during on-going incidents such as
hijackings and other hostage-taking acts. At other times, however I the
media cause deaths in these incidents because they do not hold back
information r as was partially the case with captain Juergen Schumann of
53 ibid. r 64-5.
54 ibid., 64.
55 A.H. Miller, 27; Martin, 142; Schmid, (1989), 552-3.