Legal Definitions - enemy

In legal terms, an enemy primarily refers to a nation or state with which another is engaged in armed conflict or a declared war. It also encompasses the military forces, combatants, and, in certain contexts, individuals who are citizens or subjects of such a hostile state. The term can also extend to a "public enemy," which typically designates a notorious criminal or criminal organization posing a significant threat to public safety and order.

• Example 1: State at War

  During the Falklands War, Argentina was legally considered an enemy state by the United Kingdom.

  Explanation: This illustrates how one sovereign nation can be designated an "enemy" of another when they are in a state of armed conflict, triggering specific international laws and wartime regulations between the two countries.

• Example 2: Enemy Combatant

  A pilot shot down over hostile territory during a declared war, who is a uniformed member of the opposing nation's air force, would be considered an enemy combatant.

  Explanation: This individual, by virtue of their active participation in the military of a hostile state during wartime, is legally classified as an enemy combatant, subject to specific rules of engagement and international law concerning prisoners of war.

• Example 3: Public Enemy (Criminal)

  A notorious gang leader, whose organization is responsible for widespread drug trafficking, extortion, and violence across several cities, is targeted by federal authorities as a "public enemy."

  Explanation: Here, "public enemy" is used to describe a criminal or criminal group whose actions pose a severe and widespread threat to the safety and well-being of the general population, warranting focused law enforcement efforts to apprehend them.