An International Treaty?

Professor Bishop has written a throughly creditable and comprehensive article on international terrorism. His conclusion is probably correct that emergency measures such as military trials, suspension of the writ of habeus corpus, seizure of property, and internment would not be considered unconstitutional if the emergency were sufficient to warrant such actions.

What I found missing from the article was consideration of effective measures on an international level to limit and deal with terrorism. For example, can the problem be dealt with by an international treaty? Why is the United Nations not more effective in restraining and punishing international terrorism? Regional organizations, such as the Organization of American States and the Council of Europe have adopted conventions to prevent and punish acts of terrorism and provide for extradition of offenders.

At its annual meeting in Hawaii on February 26 of this year, the International Academy of Trial Lawyers approved a report prepared by John Hill, former attorney general of Texas, and Gideon Hausner, former attorney general of Israel, calling for such a treaty.

President U.S. Trial Lawyers Association