How do you define terrorism?

[The diplomat]

As they say "one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter".

So, how do you define terrorism?

For me terrorism would be: the deliberate attempt succesful or unsuccessful to cause death and destruction among civilians for the purpose of creating fear and/or acheiving a political goal.

[Cruddy]

Terrorism; a convenient label to slap on your enemies in order to discredit and demonise them.

[MrFun]

The institution that was formerly named School of America -- but I can't remember to what name they changed to.

[DaShi]

Terrorism-an act of violence perpetuated by someone who is not me against someone who is me or against someone I don't particularly dislike.

[Pekka]

brown people.

[MrFun]

Pekka -- try harder to be funny.

[Pekka]

I'm sorry if that offended you. I just thought it would fit so good with the other answers.

[DaShi]

Originally posted by MrFun
The institution that was formerly named School of America -- but I can't remember to what name they changed to.

Osama Bin Laden's One Stop Bomb Shop?

[Adagio]

Re: How do you define terrorism?

Originally posted by The diplomat
As they say "one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter".

As in the game "Freedom Fighter": America was attacked by the Russians (And lost). The "Freedom fighters" attacked Russian soldiers, but was called Terrorists by Russia...


Though I'd define a terrorist as someone who goes after civilians, instead of going after those who caused the terrorist pain (Or whatever reason they're attacking)

[Pekka]

ok a new try:

A group or organisation, whose main target is civilians to further their own political agenda against legal and recognized country/group.

[Zkribbler]

I agree with diplomat: It's an attempt to achieve a political goal by way of attacking the civilian population.

[Winston]

I don't perceive terrorism to be necessarily aimed at civilians only. Flying a plane into the White House would qualify as an act of terror as well. So would shooting down the plane carrying the Sec. Gen of the UN. Or detonating a nuclear device at a naval base. Just to give some examples.

[Bereta_Eder]

Back to the greek origins of the word terrorism means authority through the instilment of terror. and it really is that simple and broad.

[Sava]

"terrorists are evil people and evil people can't stand free people and we are free people so even though we kill more civilians than them we are good free patriots who love freedom and spread democracy because they are evil people and evil bad are bad"

[Mr. Harley]

So governments cannot engage in terrorism? Ask the peoples who suffered at the hands of Stalin. I believe it was called the terror.

How about protestant thugs firebombing a house of a mixed Catholic/Protestant couple and killing three boys. Ah, yes, since that's the majority with a minimal attempt to enforce laws against their own thugs, those are paras, or paramilitaries. Or death squads.

How about governments who drop bombs on purely civilian targets? Like the US government during the coal field strikes of the 30's. Oh, that's different.

A few of you have attempted definitions that include those groups, like paiktis22 (hope you read my reply to your marraige thread, by the way I still haven't slept, now I'm really zoned). Some of you haven't. The majority routinely uses "terror" to impose it's will on inconvenient or irritating minorities, especially ones who want silly things like equal rights or to keep their own language. Then they respond with terror, funny thing. Violence begets violence. Osama actually belongs with the governmental groups, in that he wants to impose his will with terror. He just doesn't have a country again, yet.