terrorism | Definition, History, & Facts | Britannica

In order to attract and maintain the publicity necessary to generate widespread fear, terrorists must engage in increasingly dramatic, violent, and high-profile ... terrorism Sections&Media Article IntroductionDefinitionsofterrorismTypesofterrorismHistory FastFacts 2-MinSummary RelatedContent Media Videos Images AdditionalInfo AdditionalReading MoreArticlesOnThisTopic Contributors ArticleHistory Home Politics,Law&Government Law,Crime&Punishment terrorism Print print Print Pleaseselectwhichsectionsyouwouldliketoprint: TableOfContents Cite verifiedCite Whileeveryefforthasbeenmadetofollowcitationstylerules,theremaybesomediscrepancies. Pleaserefertotheappropriatestylemanualorothersourcesifyouhaveanyquestions. 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ExternalWebsites StanfordEncyclopediaofPhilosophy-Terrorism BritannicaWebsites ArticlesfromBritannicaEncyclopediasforelementaryandhighschoolstudents. terrorism-Children'sEncyclopedia(Ages8-11) terrorism-StudentEncyclopedia(Ages11andup) By JohnPhilipJenkins | ViewEditHistory FastFacts 2-MinSummary Madridtrainbombingsof2004 Seeallmedia KeyPeople: Muammaral-Qaddafi OsamabinLaden Anwaral-Awlaki CarlostheJackal JosephKony ...(Showmore) RelatedTopics: suicidebombing ecoterrorism domesticterrorism bombing suicideterrorism ...(Showmore) Seeallrelatedcontent→ terrorism,thecalculateduseofviolencetocreateageneralclimateoffearinapopulationandtherebytobringaboutaparticularpoliticalobjective.Terrorismhasbeenpracticedbypoliticalorganizationswithbothrightistandleftistobjectives,bynationalisticandreligiousgroups,byrevolutionaries,andevenbystateinstitutionssuchasarmies,intelligenceservices,andpolice.DefinitionsofterrorismDefinitionsofterrorismareusuallycomplexandcontroversial,and,becauseoftheinherentferocityandviolenceofterrorism,theterminitspopularusagehasdevelopedanintensestigma.Itwasfirstcoinedinthe1790storefertotheterrorusedduringtheFrenchRevolutionbytherevolutionariesagainsttheiropponents.TheJacobinpartyofMaximilienRobespierrecarriedoutaReignofTerrorinvolvingmassexecutionsbytheguillotine.Althoughterrorisminthisusageimpliesanactofviolencebyastateagainstitsdomesticenemies,sincethe20thcenturythetermhasbeenappliedmostfrequentlytoviolenceaimed,eitherdirectlyorindirectly,atgovernmentsinanefforttoinfluencepolicyortoppleanexistingregime.LouisXVI:executionbyguillotineTheexecutionofLouisXVIin1793.Album/Prism/Album/SuperStockTerrorismisnotlegallydefinedinalljurisdictions;thestatutesthatdoexist,however,generallysharesomecommonelements.Terrorisminvolvestheuseorthreatofviolenceandseekstocreatefear,notjustwithinthedirectvictimsbutamongawideaudience.Thedegreetowhichitreliesonfeardistinguishesterrorismfrombothconventionalandguerrillawarfare.Althoughconventionalmilitaryforcesinvariablyengageinpsychologicalwarfareagainsttheenemy,theirprincipalmeansofvictoryisstrengthofarms.Similarly,guerrillaforces,whichoftenrelyonactsofterrorandotherformsofpropaganda,aimatmilitaryvictoryandoccasionallysucceed(e.g.,theVietConginVietnamandtheKhmerRougeinCambodia).Terrorismproperisthusthecalculateduseofviolencetogeneratefear,andtherebytoachievepoliticalgoals,whendirectmilitaryvictoryisnotpossible.Thishasledsomesocialscientiststorefertoguerrillawarfareasthe“weaponoftheweak”andterrorismasthe“weaponoftheweakest.”Inordertoattractandmaintainthepublicitynecessarytogeneratewidespreadfear,terroristsmustengageinincreasinglydramatic,violent,andhigh-profileattacks.Thesehaveincludedhijackings,hostagetakings,kidnappings,massshootings,carbombings,and,frequently,suicidebombings.Althoughapparentlyrandom,thevictimsandlocationsofterroristattacksoftenarecarefullyselectedfortheirshockvalue.Schools,shoppingcentres,busandtrainstations,andrestaurantsandnightclubshavebeentargetedbothbecausetheyattractlargecrowdsandbecausetheyareplaceswithwhichmembersofthecivilianpopulationarefamiliarandinwhichtheyfeelatease.Thegoalofterrorismgenerallyistodestroythepublic’ssenseofsecurityintheplacesmostfamiliartothem.Majortargetssometimesalsoincludebuildingsorotherlocationsthatareimportanteconomicorpoliticalsymbols,suchasembassiesormilitaryinstallations.Thehopeoftheterrorististhatthesenseofterrortheseactsengenderwillinducethepopulationtopressurepoliticalleaderstowardaspecificpoliticalend.policestationassaultinPunjab,IndiaAnIndianpolicemanfiringashotduringa12-hour-longgunbattleinthetownofDinanagar,inthenorthernstateofPunjab,India,July27,2015.Threearmedgunmenattackedapolicestation,killingfourpoliceofficersandthreeciviliansbeforesuccumbingtothecounterassaultbylocalpoliceandIndiancommandounits.ChanniAnand/APImagesSomedefinitionstreatallactsofterrorism,regardlessoftheirpoliticalmotivations,assimplecriminalactivity.Forexample,theU.S.FederalBureauofInvestigation(FBI)definesbothinternationalanddomesticterrorismasinvolving“violent,criminalacts.”Theelementofcriminality,however,isproblematic,becauseitdoesnotdistinguishamongdifferentpoliticalandlegalsystemsandthuscannotaccountforcasesinwhichviolentattacksagainstagovernmentmaybelegitimate.AfrequentlymentionedexampleistheAfricanNationalCongress(ANC)ofSouthAfrica,whichcommittedviolentactionsagainstthatcountry’sapartheidgovernmentbutcommandedbroadsympathythroughouttheworld.AnotherexampleistheResistancemovementagainsttheNazioccupationofFranceduringWorldWarII.Sincethe20thcentury,ideologyandpoliticalopportunismhaveledanumberofcountriestoengageininternationalterrorism,oftenundertheguiseofsupportingmovementsofnationalliberation.(Hence,itbecameacommonsayingthat“Oneman’sterroristisanotherman’sfreedomfighter.”)Thedistinctionbetweenterrorismandotherformsofpoliticalviolencebecameblurred—particularlyasmanyguerrillagroupsoftenemployedterroristtactics—andissuesofjurisdictionandlegalityweresimilarlyobscured.Theseproblemshaveledsomesocialscientiststoadoptadefinitionofterrorismbasednotoncriminalitybutonthefactthatthevictimsofterroristviolencearemostofteninnocentcivilians.Eventhisdefinitionisflexible,however,andonoccasionithasbeenexpandedtoincludevariousotherfactors,suchasthatterroristactsareclandestineorsurreptitiousandthatterroristactsareintendedtocreateanoverwhelmingsenseoffear.Inthelate20thcentury,thetermecoterrorismwasusedtodescribeactsofenvironmentaldestructioncommittedinordertofurtherapoliticalgoalorasanactofwar,suchastheburningofKuwaitioilwellsbytheIraqiarmyduringthePersianGulfWar.Thetermalsowasappliedtocertainenvironmentallybenignthoughcriminalacts,suchasthespikingoflumbertrees,intendedtodisruptorpreventactivitiesallegedlyharmfultotheenvironment.PersianGulfWar:burningoilwellsOilwellsnearKuwaitcity,Kuwait,thatweresetonfirebyretreatingIraqiforcesduringthePersianGulfWar(1990–91).Tech.Sgt.DavidMcLeod/U.S.DepartmentofDefense 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