The World Held Hostage: The War Waged by International Terrorism

A consultant to governments and multinational corporations on political and economic affairs, McForan establishes his expertise with a singularly impressive account of the complicated maneuvering that led to the formation, unification and growth of the Palestine Liberation Organization. He sees the PLO as the ""principal coordinating, logistic and supply centre for terrorist groups on a global basis'' and believes that it is so generously financed by the Arab states because they fear attempts to topple their regimes. One backer nation without that concern, however, is Libya, which has lavishly funded the PLO ever since Colonel Khadafy came to power in 1969, asserts McForan. Another interested party, he argues, is the U.S.S.R., always eager to promote instability in democratic nations. He concludes with a list of recommendations for combating the terrorist menace, including more stringent airport security and economic sanctions against countries that abet terrorism. Photos not seen by PW. (July 22)