NCJ Number
159562
Date Published
1991
Length
25 pages
Annotation
Because international terrorism does not exist in a vacuum, it is necessary to compare the nature of and trends in this type of terrorism with other forms of terrorism and violent political conflict.
Abstract
In general, international terrorism has not been as deadly as other modes of political conflict. Nonetheless, perceptions of international terrorism need to be further analyzed in a more accurate and unbiased manner. While terrorist activities still occur somewhat infrequently compared to other types of violence, the disruption and loss of life that even a few terrorist incidents can bring upon a country more than justify the continuing search to understand the phenomenon. The author explores the nature of terrorism, terrorist groups, regional variations in terrorist activities, and government responses to terrorism. A typology of international terrorism is described, and a discussion of terrorist target selection and tactics is provided. 65 footnotes