I.

Introduction

Terrorism, form of politically motivated violence. Terrorism is the threat, or the act, of such violence primarily against civilian targets. Terror is directed not only against the victims themselves but intended against larger, related communities living within and across national boundaries.

During the post-Cold War period terrorist groups graduated from rag-tag groups into sophisticated organizations. Instead of resisting globalization, even the most puritanical groups harness its forces. Most contemporary terrorist groups have become resilient by developing overseas support and operational networks. After the attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, terrorism, traditionally regarded as a nuisance, graduated from a law and order issue into a national and international security threat.