terrorism 2

Premeditated, politically motivated violence against noncombatants by subnational groups.

What is the US State Department's definition of terrorism?

Most definitions highlight violence and political goals.

What does Schmid (1985) highlight in most definitions of terrorism?

Toward political motivations and publicity, not just psychological impact.

According to Weinberg (2010), how has the definition of terrorism shifted?

Deliberate fear used to influence broader audiences.

What does Bruce Hoffman say terrorism is about?

Robespierre.

Who said “Terror is nothing but prompt, severe, inflexible justice”?

To consolidate revolutionary ideology and suppress counter-revolutionaries.

Why did the Jacobins use terror?

The guillotine, used for theatrical and public executions.

What was a key symbolic tool of the Jacobin terror?

Sayyid Qutb.

Who wrote “Milestones” and became a martyr for Islamic radicalism?

A state of ignorance before the revelation of Islam, according to Qutb.

What is jahiliyyah?

The Six-Day War.

What event discredited Arab nationalism in 1967?

The Iranian Revolution and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

What two major 1979 events influenced radical Islam?

Because of political disagreements and differing views on resistance movements.

Why is there no universal legal definition of terrorism (Raflik)?

The League of Nations Convention.

What 1937 legal effort to define terrorism failed?

Distinguishing terrorism from legitimate resistance.

What tension does Raflik highlight in legal definitions?

The Berlin disco bombing, blamed on Libyan agents.

What triggered the 1986 US bombing of Libya?

A move toward unilateral, preemptive military strikes.

What policy shift did Reagan’s counter-terrorism represent?

Self-defense against state-sponsored terrorism.

What legal doctrine justified the Libya bombing?

Israeli forces rescued hostages from a hijacked plane in Uganda.

What happened during the Entebbe crisis (1976)?

Because of its Nazi past and contemporary RAF terrorism.

Why was Germany’s response to Entebbe sensitive?

A lack of consensus and tension between sovereignty and counter-terrorism.

What did the Entebbe crisis reveal about the UN?

Anarchist, Anti-colonial, New Left, Religious.

What are the four waves of modern terrorism (Rapoport)?

Propaganda by deed — assassinations and bombings.

What tactic defined 19th-century anarchist terrorism?

It amplifies the psychological impact and spreads fear widely.

Why is media crucial in modern terrorism?

To recruit, radicalize, and provoke global reactions.

How did Al-Qaeda use media?

Symbolic acts of violence designed for global audiences.

What does “theatre of terror” refer to?

Inspire magazine.

What publication spread Al-Qaeda ideology to lone actors?

Decentralization combined with shared ideology and communication.

What made Al-Qaeda’s structure effective?

To send a message and provoke a large-scale U.S. response.

What was the goal of 9/11 beyond physical destruction?

Through videos, statements, and symbolic attacks aiming at both Muslim and Western audiences.

How did Al-Qaeda operate as a communication-based movement?