Chapter 9 Crimes Against the Government and Terrorism
Chapter Outline
Introduction
Crimes Against the Government
Perjury
Bribery
Official Misconduct in Office
Obstruction of Justice
Contempt of Court
Treason
Terrorism
The Problem of Definition
The Federal Criminal Code
Examples of State Terrorism Statutes
The Categories of Terrorism
Terrorism Objectives, Strategies, and Tactics
Terrorism Victims
Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)
Chemical Agents
Biological Agents
Nuclear Devices
Cyberterrorism
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The Control of Terrorism
The National Level
The 9/11 Commission
The Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996
The USA Patriot Act
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
The Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2002
The Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness Response Act of 2002
The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004
The State Level
Summary
Study Questions
For Debate
Key Terms
Case Analysis
Internet Activity
Notes
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Key Terms
Bioterrorism: The use of biological agents, such as the spread of smallpox, in terrorist threats or
attacks.
Bribery: The offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of anything of value to influence action by
public (or, in some jurisdictions, nonpublic) officials.
Cyberterrorism: The use of the Internet for terrorist threats.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS): A cabinet-level position created in response to the
11 September 2001 terrorist attacks. The new agency merged 22 previous agencies into one
agency and constituted the most sweeping overhaul of federal government in 50 years.
Embracery: A common law misdemeanor referring to a corrupt attempt to influence a juror by
means of promises, money, persuasions, or similar techniques.
Enemy combatant: A person who is alleged to have been associated with terrorist attacks
against the United States.
Espionage: Spying; that is, gathering, transmitting, or losing” national defense information with
the intent or reasonable belief that the information will be used against the United States
False swearing: False statements that would have been perjury had they been made during a
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judicial proceeding.
Misprision of treason: The concealment of the known treason of another.
Official misconduct in office: Any willful, unlawful behavior by public officials in the course
of their official duties. The misconduct may include the failure to act, a wrongful act that the
official has no right to do, or improperly performing an act that an official has a right to do.
Perjury: Under common law, false statements willfully made under oath in a judicial
proceeding.
Petit treason: Under English common law, the actions of a wife against her lord or husband and
of a servant against his master or mistress.
Sedition: A communication or agreement aimed at stirring up treason or defaming the
government.
Stockholm syndrome: An incongruous feeling of empathy toward the hostage takers and a
displacement of frustration and aggression on the part of the victims toward the authorities.
Subornation of perjury: A common law crime, which involved procuring someone to commit
perjury.
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Terrorism: Violent acts or the use of the threat of violence to create fear, alarm, dread, or
coercion, usually against governments.
Transportation Security Administration (TSA): Agency created by the Aviation and
Transportation Security Act (ATSA), enacted in November 2001. The agency was created to
assume the screening functions for all commercial flights, a responsibility that previously had
been under the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which was restructured by the statute.
Under color of law: During official duties.
USA Patriot Act: Controversial legislation (the Uniting and Strengthening America by
Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001) enacted
after the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks against the United States.
Chapter Overview

While the fear of crime has been a topic and focus within the field of criminology for years,
events of the past decade have caused increased fears. The fear of random crime is the
greatest, and it changes our lives. Some fears are realistic, while others are not.
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
Treason is related to terrorism and is a crime that threatens the existence of civil government.
Indeed, it is the only crime contained within the Constitution. Only a citizen can be convicted
of treason, but anyone can be convicted of the related crime of espionage.

There is little agreement on a definition of terrorism. In some ways it is a political definition,
in other ways a legal one. There is no agreement on the history of terrorism or about who is
and who is not a terrorist. However, we can categorize acts that are roughly seen as terrorist
in nature.

It is important to examine the specific examples of terrorism that the United States has
experienced over the past 15 years or so because in many ways they define what we call
terrorism, and each had its own impact on how the nation chose to respond.

Understanding the strategies, tactics, and objectives of terrorism is important, as is
understanding the reactions of the victims.

The potential tools of some terrorists, weapons of mass destruction, are specifically important
to understand.

Technology and computing have risen in their significance and in their capacity for being
attacked by cyberterrorists and criminals. While these topics span several areas, it is
important to discuss them in terms of terrorism.
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
How do we respond to threats of terror as a nation? The creation of the Department of
Homeland Security and the passage of major federal legislation is one means of response, as
is stepped-up security measures. Both have taken their toll on our lifestyle and on the
criminal justice system.
Learning Objectives
After studying this chapter the student will:
1. Understand treason, the only crime set out in the Constitution.
2. Know that two witnesses to the act are required to convict for treason.
3. Understand the difficulty in defining terrorism.
4. Know the different categories into which acts of terrorism fall.
5. Know that there are at least four weapons of mass destruction.
6. Be able to name the agencies involved in terrorism detection and prevention.
7. Know the major applications of the USA Patriot Act.
8. Be able to describe the major legislation passed to address terrorism on the national
level.
Review Questions
1. Which criminal offense is found in the Constitution, and what are its elements?
2. Explain the problems associated with defining terrorism.
3. What are the major categories of terrorism?
4. What are the four current forms of weapons of mass destruction?
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5. What federal agencies are currently involved in the detection and prevention of terrorist
attacks in the United States?
6. Explain what the USA Patriot Act is and what it attempts to do.
7. Other than the USA Patriot Act, what other major federal legislation has the goal of
combating terrorism?
8. Explain the difference between modern law perjury and common law perjury.
9. Explain the differences between modern law bribery and common law bribery.
10. What is the difference between nonfeasance, malfeasance, and misfeasance? What crimes
do these terms relate to?
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Under English common law, ______________ was defined as the killing of a husband by his
wife, the lord or master by his servant, or other acts of betrayal by a subordinate against a
superordinate (but not including killing the king).
a. espionage
b. sedition
c. treason
d. petit treason
2. Which of the following is defined as a common law misdemeanor referring to a corrupt
attempt to influence a juror by means of promises, money, persuasions, or similar
techniques?
a. misprision of felony
b. conspiracy
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c. embracery
d. culpability
3. Which of the following is not true in regard to treason?
a. The punishment for treason against the United States is death or imprisonment for not
less than five years and a fine of not less than $10,000.
b. Treason is defined in the U.S. Constitution, Article III, Section 3.
c. Treason can be committed by U.S. citizens and foreigners alike.
d. Treason has been labeled the worst of all crimes.
4. The Department of Homeland Security merged how many agencies into one, constituting the
most sweeping overhaul in federal government in 50 years?
a. 3
b. 10
c. 22
d. 40
5. The primary objective of terrorists is to:
a. gain sympathy and support.
b. create violence or instill the fear of violence for the sake of effect.
c. build feelings of distrust and hostility toward government.
d. undermine public order.
6. Which of the following best describes the definition of misfeasance?
a. failure to act
b. official misconduct
c. engaging in a wrongful act that the official has no right to do
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d. improperly performing an act that the official has a right to do
7. Which of the following is defined as the gathering, transmitting, or losing national defense
information with the intent or reasonable belief that the information will be used against the
United States?
a. treason
b. sedition
c. espionage
d. conspiracy
8. Which of the following is defined as attempting to overthrow the government of which one is
a citizen or betraying that government to a foreign power?
a. espionage
b. conspiracy
c. sedition
d. treason
9. Which of the following is defined as communication or agreement aimed at stirring up treason
or defaming the government?
a. sedition
b. espionage
c. conspiracy
d. treason
10. Which of the following is not true in regard to terrorism?
a. Terrorist acts are planned in advance.
b. The immediate victims are the focus.
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c. Terrorism is a political crime but may be a violent personal crime as well.
d. The inculcation of fear is paramount and deliberate.
11. Title 18 of the federal criminal code contains a section that defines which two types of
terrorism?
a. paramount and deliberate
b. political and personal
c. massive and uncontrollable
d. international and domestic
12. The worst act of terrorism on American soil until 11 September 2001 was the:
a. Washington, DC, sniper attacks.
b. Unabomber attacks.
c. Oklahoma City bombing.
d. terrorist attacks at U.S. abortion clinics.
13. Which of the following activities incidental to the commission of crimes of violence are
similar in form and method to true terrorism but nevertheless lack its essential ingredient?
a. quasi-terrorism
b. limited political terrorism
c. civil disorders
d. official or state terrorism
14. In response to this attack, President George W. Bush ordered air strikes and subsequently
sent troops to Afghanistan in an attempt to destroy Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban
organization and capture or kill Osama bin Laden.
a. the Oklahoma City bombing
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b. Saddam Hussein’s attacks on Iraqi civilians
c. a terrorist attack at an abortion clinic
d. the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks
15. Timothy McVeigh was arrested as having committed the:
a. Oklahoma City bombing.
b. 2002 Washington, DC, sniper attacks.
c. terrorist attacks at U.S. abortion clinics.
d. terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001.
16. Homofighters:
a. must win the support of their compatriots in their fight to discredit their own
government.
b. need to attract international attention.
c. build feelings of distrust and hostility toward the government among the target
country’s population.
d. cause insecurity and damage the economy and public order in the target country.
17. Terrorism today is potentially more deadly than in the past because of:
a. a lack of security measures.
b. government instability.
c. weapons of mass destruction.
d. the white supremacist movement.
18. Which of the following included the expansion of wiretaps on terrorist suspects’ e-mail, use
of the Internet, and telephone conversations?
a. Department of Homeland Security
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b. Transportation Security Administration
c. Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996
d. USA Patriot Act
19. Which of the following involves disseminating viruses or even destroying an entire
information infrastructure?
a. cyberstalking
b. treason
c. cyberterrorism
d. espionage
20. Which of the following is not an advantage of biological weapons versus other types of
weapons?
a. They are more expensive than other weapons.
b. They are difficult to detect.
c. They can cause as much fear and panic as other weapons and perhaps even more than
chemical agents.
d. They can be produced in places such as garages, tool rooms, or kitchens.
Fill-in-the-Blank Questions
1. ______________ Spying by gathering, transmitting, or losing national defense information.
2. ______________ The use of the Internet to commit terrorist acts.
3. ______________ Violent acts or the use of the threat of violence to create fear, alarm, dread,
or coercion usually against governments.
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4. ______________ A common law misdemeanor referring to a corrupt attempt to influence a
juror by means of promises, money, persuasions, or similar techniques.
5. ______________ The concealment from proper officials of the known treason of another but
without sufficient involvement to constitute the elements of a principal in the crime.
6. ______________ Use of biological agents in terrorist acts.
7. ______________ Under English common law, the killing of a husband by his wife, the lord or
master by his servant, or other acts of betrayal by a subordinate against a superordinate but
not including killing the king.
8. ______________ A federal cabinet-level position created after the 11 September 2001
terrorist attacks; the agency combined 22 previous agencies into one organization that
coordinates all of the federal agencies involved in domestic preparedness and agencies that
coordinate plans for natural and person-made crises and emergency planning.
9. _______________ An incongruous feeling of empathy by hostages toward the hostage takers
and a displacement of frustration and aggression on the part of the victims against the
authorities.
10. _______________ Law enacted after the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks. It was
designed to provide tools for combating terrorism and other issues.
11. _______________ Created by the Aviation and Transportation Security Act (ATSA) enacted
in November 2001. The agency was created to assume the screening functions for all
commercial flights, a responsibility that previously had been under the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA), which was restructured by the statute. Originally reporting to the U.S.
Department of Transportation, this agency became part of the Department of Homeland
Security in March 2003.
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12. _______________ A communication or agreement aimed at stirring up treason or at
defaming the government.
13._____________ Contempt citations that occur in the court or so close to the court that they
interrupt court proceedings.
14. __________ _________ Citations issued to those who refuse to do what the court orders
them to do for the benefit of another party to the proceedings.
15. __________ means attempting to overthrow the government of which one is a citizen or
betraying that government to a foreign power.
16. __________ ____ __________ can be used against persons who deliberately interfere with
congressional powers and duties, as, for example, refusing to testify when ordered to do so.
17. ___________ meant to drag the offender by horse to the place of execution.
18. _________ disorders are a form of collective violence interfering with the peace, security,
and normal functioning of the community.
19. ___________ terrorism is violent criminal behavior designed primarily to generate fear in the
community, or a substantial segment of it, for political purposes.
20. _____________ political terrorism includes acts of terrorism committed for ideological or
political motives but which are not part of a concerted campaign to capture control of the
state.
21. ___________ are those who fight for foreigners.
22. _____________ are those who fight for their own people.
23. __________ _________ demand is an approach in which terrorists use an acceptable cause to
justify their unacceptable tactics.
24. _________ __________ is defined as false statements that would have been perjury had they
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been made during a judicial proceeding.
25. At common law, ___________ was limited to actions concerning judicial officials.
Short Answer Questions
1. List three advantages of biological weapons.
2. What does cyberterrorism involve?
3. In an attempt to deal with terrorism threats, how did the USA Patriot Act expand the powers
of law enforcement?
4. Define contempt of court. What are the different types of contempt of court?
5. What were the common law elements of perjury? Bribery?
ANSWER KEY
Multiple Choice Questions
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1. d
2. c
3. c
4. c
5. b
6. d
7. c
8. d
9. a
10. b
11. d
12. c
13. a
14. d
15. a
16. a
17. c
18. d
19. c
20. a
Fill-in-the-Blank Questions
1. espionage
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2. cyberterrorism
3. terrorism
4. embracery
5. mirprision of treason
6. bioterrorism
7. petit treason
8. Department of Homeland Security
9. Stockholm syndrome
10. USA Patriot Act
11. Transportation Security Administration
12. sedition
13. direct
14. civil contempt
15. treason
16. contempt of Congress
17. drawing
18. civil
19. political
20. limited
21. xenofighters
22. homofighters
23. Robin Hood
24. false swearing
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25. bribery
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