Legal evaluation of terrorism according to the new Criminal Code of the Republic of Lithuania

Straipsnyje autorius iškelia ir analizuoja problemas, susijusias su terorizmo baudžiamuoju teisiniu vertinimu. Baudžiamojo kodekso 250 straipsnis, įtvirtindamas atsakomybę už teroro aktą, kartu numato ir daugybę baudžiamųjų veikų, susijusių su analizuojama nusikalstama veika. Lietuvos baudžiamosios teisės reforma neišvengiamai susidūrė su objektyviais sunkumais. Vienas iš jų - teisinis terorizmo vertinimas. Straipsnyje autorius kritikuoja dabartinį baudžiamosios atsakomybės už teroro aktą sudėties modelį.The establishment of Lithuanian national security policy and the consolidation of strategy thereof have been determined by the outspread of international terrorism in Europe and in the world. After the events of 11 September 2001 in the USA, hostage drama in Moscow on 23 October 2002, explosion in Bogotį on 7 February 2003, terror acts in Madrid on 11 March 2004, terror acts in Beslan on I September 2004, and other similar events, the states of the world have understood that such new threats arc matters of great concern and the states are trying to search for the most effective ways to prevent the outspread of terrorism as the negative phenomenon. For example, immediately after the events of 11 September 2001 in the USA, United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1373, establishing many ways of combating terrorism. As it can be seen, as a result of increasing globalization challenge for the states of Europe and the world, it is very important for Lithuania to recognize not only the phenomenon of terrorism, but also to correct the currently used means in order to prevent the origins and outspread of this phenomenon as well. Currently no universally accepted terrorism definition exists, that is why it is difficult to disclose and analyze the content of the terrorism. The main reason in the fact that various illegal activities, named as terrorism, terrorism activity, terror, and terror act are met both in international and in states national levels. Thus, terrorism, as global phenomenon, could be defined as the synthesis of threats or changers and pan of military acts, when aiming at solving the particular issues of political or national manner by using violence or terror acts against the state, its official institutions and citizens. A wide legal base (ratified conventions, international agreements on the cooperation while combating the terrorism, laws, that establish various means of combating the terrorism, and other legal acts, determining the competence of the government and other authorized institutions in this field) proves that the Republic of Lithuania has undertaken and implements all international obligations in the field of terrorism prevention and control. In the article the author raises and analyses problems related to legal evaluation of terrorism. The Article 250 of Criminal Code of the Republic of Lithuania establishing criminal responsibility for the terror acts, also establishes a wide list of the following criminal activities, comprising the content of this crime: explosions, arsons, spreading of nuclear, biological or chemical hazardous materials, substances or microorganisms, also establishing the terrorist group for the carrying out of such activities, the participation in such group and the financing or providing other support to such group. The enforcement of the reform in the Lithuanian criminal law inevitably causes various objective difficulties. On of them is the problem related to the conception of legal evaluation of terrorism. Author in the article criticize the present model for criminal liability of terrorism