What Is Terrorism?

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What Is Terrorism?

Rob Taylor 10M1

Terrorism is a very confused word and there is no perfect definition for it. I think there is a core definition then you get different types of terrorism which follow the core but have different layers to them. In my opinion the core definition is: the attack must be deliberate and pre-planned, it must be driven by a cause, the targets must be civilians and it must aim to cause fear and terror.

If you compare this core with the July 7 bombings you can see this is a terrorist act as it fits all the definitions. They July 7 bombings were planned; this is obvious, because all 3 bombs went off within 50 seconds of each other. It was driven by a cause as they wanted to make Muslim’s treated fairly, it targeted civilians and it caused fear and terror across England and the World.

There is also different types of terrorism the main five are: government terrorism, war terrorism, terrorism in wars of liberation, urban terrorism and international terrorism.

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Firstly urban terrorism, this type of terrorism is carried out by small cells of terrorists and takes place in highly populated areas. For example the July 7 bombings this fits all the core definitions and it was carried out by a small cell, four people, and it was in the capital city so therefore fits all the definitions.

Secondly war terrorism, this type of terrorism is violence used against a civilian population without a care who is killed even though the country is at war, for example, the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atom bombs. These took place during World ...

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