In modern terminology, and for foreign policy, political science and international law, crimes against humanity are any atrocious act committed on a large scale. They can be prosecuted in most any Federal Court System, depending on where they occurred and which population was part of the criminal activity. The implication for international law is that crimes against humanity are subject to universal jurisdiction, which means that States can exercise their own jurisdiction regardless of where the crime was committed, and that all States also have the obligation and duty to assist each other in the defense of these sorts of activities. It is also important to note that no human, regardless of affiliation, is immune from prosecution, even heads of state, and on person can plead a defense as obeying orders.
Part 3 -- Is it legally justified to invade/occupy another country in the name of arresting/hitting terrorists? International cooperation regarding the arresting or bringing to justice those suspected of being involved in terrorist activities began in the 1960s and revolved around airline hijackings. Several notable events occurred to solidify international laws: the 1985 seizure of the cruise liner the Achille Lauro, the hijacking of TWA flight 847, the 1972 Munich Olympics issue, at sea piracy, and of course, the events of 9/11.
There are really two issues surrounding this question: 1) international cooperation in the aiding of capture and extradition of suspected terrorists, and 2) the legality of entering a sovereign nation who refuses to cooperate internationally. First, countries that belong to the United Nations...
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