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What is terrorism?


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No area of the world has been left unaffected by terrorism. In addition to death and destruction caused by attacks, terrorists seek to spread fear and panic across a general population. What goals do terrorists pursue? What changes do they hope to achieve by using violence?

Read the essay below to learn more about the history of modern terrorism, Answer the questions on a separate sheet of paper.

Terrorism can be described as the use of fear, force, or destruction to achieve political, economic, or social aims. Individuals, groups, and even governments have been responsible for terrorist acts. Terrorism has a number of forms: threats, bombings and other destruction of property, kidnappings and the taking of hostages Persons taken by an individual or organized group in order to force a state, government unit, or community to meet certain conditions: payment of ransom, release of prisoners, or some other act. , executions, and assassinations. Terrorists are different from other criminals in that they claim to be dedicated to some higher cause, not personal gain.

In the past, terrorists were often people striking blows for national independence. One of the most famous terrorist acts was the assassination Assassination
See also Murder.

assassins

Fanatical Moslem sect that smoked hashish and murdered Crusaders (11th—12th centuries). [Islamic Hist.: Brewer Note-Book, 52]

Brutus

conspirator and assassin of Julius Caesar. [Br.
 of Archduke arch·duke  
n.
1. In certain royal families, especially that of imperial Austria, a nobleman having a rank equivalent to that of a sovereign prince.

2. Used as a title for such a nobleman.
 Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary in 1914. This murder, committed by a Serbian nationalist, was one of the direct causes of World War I.

Terrorism began to reach past national boundaries in the late 1960s. In 1972, Palestinian gunmen shocked the world by taking Israeli athletes hostage hostage, person held by another as a guarantee that certain actions or promises will or will not be carried out. During periods of internal turmoil, insurgents often seize hostages; recent examples include seizures of Americans and other foreigners by militants in  during the Summer Olympic Games The Summer Olympic Games or the Games of the Olympiad are an international multi-sport event held every four years, organised by the International Olympic Committee.  in Munich, Germany. Between 1970 and the late 1980s, terrorist incidents The following is a timeline of acts and failed attempts that can be considered non-state terrorism. Massacres more generally are listed chronologically at List of massacres; assassinations are listed by location at List of assassinated people.  increased from a few hundred to several thousand a year. During the 1990s, there were fewer attacks, but they tended to kill more people.' Experts say that improved security and increased government determination to fight terrorism drove terrorists to stage simpler, but deadlier, bombings.

Some governments today carry out terrorist acts against other governments. Countries sometimes use terrorism as a substitute for fighting a traditional war by providing funds, training, weapons, and safe haven 1. Designated area(s) to which noncombatants of the United States Government's responsibility and commercial vehicles and materiel may be evacuated during a domestic or other valid emergency.
2.
 to terrorists who serve that country's means. This is called "states-sponsored terrorism."

It is unlikely that terrorism as we know it will end in the near future. Many of the causes that motivate terrorists, such as the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, remain unresolved Not completed; not finished; not linked together. See resolve. .

Also, terrorism has proved highly effective. First, it has been successful in attracting publicity and disrupting governments. Second, weapons, training, and financing are easily available to terrorist groups. And third, an international network of organizations and nations exists that makes the support of terrorism much easier.

SOURCE: Adapted from Grolier Online, The New Book of Knowledge, author Yonah Alexander

QUESTIONS

1. What is a definition of terrorism Few words are as politically or emotionally charged as terrorism. A 1988 study by the US Army[1] counted 109 definitions of terrorism that covered a total of 22 different definitional elements. ?

2. What are some methods of terrorism?

3. How do acts of terrorism differ from other criminal acts of violence?

4. What act of terrorism helped start World War I?

5. What example here shows how terrorism crossed national boundaries?

6. According to according to
prep.
1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians.

2. In keeping with: according to instructions.

3.
 experts, why did the number of terrorist incidents decrease in the 1990s?

7. What is state-sponsored terrorism Noun 1. state-sponsored terrorism - terrorism practiced by a government against its own people or in support of international terrorism
act of terrorism, terrorism, terrorist act - the calculated use of violence (or the threat of violence) against civilians in
?

8. What motives do you think terrorists have for their acts?

9. Can acts of terrorism be prevented, and if so, how?

10. Is an act of terrorism ever justified? Could it be used to overthrow an oppressive government?

ANSWERS

1. Terrorism is the use of fear, force, or destruction to achieve political, economic, or social aims.

2. Methods include threats, bombings, kidnappings, hostage-taking, executions, and assassinations.

3. Terrorists carry out attacks in order to achieve a social, religious, or political goal. Criminals are dedicated to some personal gain.

4. the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary in 1914

5. the taking of Israeli hostages by Palestinians during the 1972 Summer Olympic Games

6. Improved security and increased government determination helped decrease the number of attacks.

7. State-sponsored terrorism is when governments use terrorism or support terrorists as a substitute for fighting a traditional war.

8. Answers may include: for national liberation; or to express dissatisfaction with a political, social, religious, or economic system.

9. Affirmative AFFIRMATIVE. Averring a fact to be true; that which is opposed to negative. (q.v.)
     2. It is a general rule of evidence that the affirmative of the issue must be proved. Bull. N. P. 298 ; Peake, Ev. 2.
     3.
 answers may include increasing national security, or eliminating causes of terrorism.

10. Answers will vary.
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Copyright 2004, Gale Group. All rights reserved. Gale Group is a Thomson Corporation Company.

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Title Annotation:Skills Master
Publication:Junior Scholastic
Date:Oct 18, 2004
Words:649
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