Global rule of law or global rule of law enforcement? International police cooperation and counter-terrorism

With increasing vigor since the events of September 11, 2001, police institutions across the globe have proliferated their counterterrorism strategies, including participation in international police organizations such as the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol). This article discusses some of these developments in light of the prospects of the development toward a global rule of law. Based on the theory of police bureaucratization, it is shown that police institutions have independently developed international structures and practices irrespective of international accords. This article reveals the dynamics of such international police efforts by examining the counterterrorist policies of Interpol. It is argued that the outcome of the relative separation between international police practices, on one hand, and global legal developments, on the other, will be critical in assessing any efforts to counteract the societal processes and conditions that may facilitate the development of terrorism on a global scale.