The close ties between the Soviet Union and Arab terrorist organizations have given the Arab groups an accumulation of sophisticated weapons not found in any other underground or semi-regular army in the world, according to Amichai Paglin, Premier Menachem Begin’s advisor on anti-terrorism methods.
In an interview over the weekend, Paglin praised the work done by his predecessors, Generals Aharon Yariv and Rehavem Zeevi, especially in the areas of security and intelligence. But he said the situation changes daily and what was good before will no longer serve.
Paglin, who was operations officer of the Irgun Zvai Leumi under Begin in the pre-State days, rejected criticism, especially in military circles, that he lacks the experience for dealing with modern terrorism. Paglin, a Tel Aviv oven manufacturer, said he has kept up with what goes on in the field. He said in 1967 he was engaged in a security subject similar to what he will be dealing with now but cannot talk about it.
Paglin said the way to stop the terrorists from kidnapping Israelis and using them as hostages is to condemn to death some of the terrorists now in Israeli jails. He said the basic principle that Israel must show the terrorists is that terrorism against the Jewish State will not pay.
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