Patterns of Conduct: Libyan Regime Support for and Involvement in Acts of Terrorism

Abstract

This Report provides a brief history and outline of documented examples of Libyan support, funding, and involvement in acts of terrorism and related international humanitarian rights violations over the course of Colonel Mu’ammar al-Qadhafi’s forty years of leadership. The Report has three parts: After a brief overview of the Libyan regime’s longstanding disregard for international norms, we provide a short chronology of incidents that exemplify Qadhafi’s role in international terrorism and that reveal links to Libyan sponsors. We then discuss prevalent “patterns of conduct” over time and how these underscore Libyan noncompliance with international law and disregard for human life and for the consequences of acts of terrorism — a longstanding posture by the Qadhafi leadership that may very well frame current reported practices toward Libyan civilians, protestors, and rebels.

Keywords: International humanitarian law, terrorism, compliance, Qadhafi, Libya, transition, international norms, violations, international human rights law