What Are the Main Causes of Terrorism?
The four waves of terrorism, presented in chapter 1, demonstrate some general causes of terrorism: anarchy, nationalism, leftist ideology, and religious fundamentalism. This list is by no means exhaustive. At times, terrorism may be motivated by issue-specific political...
How Are Forecasts about Terrorism Made?
As long as there are grievances, there will be conflict and, thus, terrorism. Since the start of recorded history, terrorism has played a role in politics and will continue to do so. Terrorism provides a cost-effective means for...
Why Do Some Terrorist Groups Try to Create Economic Losses?
During the summers of 1985, 1986, and 1987, the Spanish Basque separatist group Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (ETA) carried out a bombing campaign against seaside hotels, visited by European and other tourists. For example, on...
What Are the Primary Tools of Counterterrorism?
Counterterrorism consists of actions by a government to inhibit terrorist attacks, to lessen their consequences, and to speed postattack recovery. Effective countermeasures can inhibit terrorist attacks by curtailing an attack’s likelihood of success or anticipated payoff to...
What Is a Terrorist Group?
The main “player” or participant in terrorist attacks is the terrorist group; hence, it is essential that such a group be defined. A terrorist group is a subnational collective of individuals who pursue a common political goal...
What Is Terrorism?
Terrorism is the premeditated use or threat to use violence by individuals or subnational groups against noncombatants to obtain a political objective through the intimidation of a large audience beyond that of the immediate victims.1 Two key ingredients in...
Why Are Asymmetries Important for Terrorism?
At 11:18 a.m. on October 12, 2000, a small fiberglass boat sped toward the port side of the USS Cole, moored for a routine fuel stop at Aden harbor in Yemen. On the Cole’s...
