NCJ Number
134632
Date Published
1990
Length
255 pages
Annotation
While there is little unanimity among scholars, politicians, diplomats, investigators, journalists, security forces, and defense analysts concerning the definition of terrorism and terrorists, the most fundamental issue is one of policy: which cooperative and confrontational measures are most likely to persuade terrorists and their supporters to stop their activities.
Abstract
This book explores the component elements of terrorism and tries to answer six basic questions: what terrorism is, why people commit terrorist acts, what groups are engaged in terrorism, what their sources of support are, how terrorists plan and carry out their attacks, and how governments can organize to combat terrorism. The author focuses on the actors who are directly and indirectly involved in terrorism. He introduces the financial, political, and emotional supporters of terrorism as well as terrorists' victims and their families. The major role the media play in terrorists' overall strategy for maximizing public awareness of their political objectives is analyzed. The author concludes that without clear and reasoned intragovernmental communication, the United States will be unable to induce the international cooperation necessary to fight terrorism.