Terrorism : understanding the global threat / David J. Whittaker.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Whittaker, David J., 1925-2017.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Terrorism.

Physical Description:

vii, 213 pages ; 20 cm

Place of Publication:

Harlow ; New York : Longman, 2002.

Summary:

The September 11th attacks on the United States pushed terrorism to the forefront of the international agenda. But as President Bush quickly discovered, this complex global phenomenon defies easy definition. Onlookers, victims, responsible authorities: each have a different idea of what terrorism means. Those dubbed terrorists by the authorities rarely recognise the term as a description of themselves. Dedicated to a cause or belief, the end is argued to justify the means. Despite the growing incidence of terrorist acts -- some 80,000 perpetrated by more than sixty groups in the last three decades -- counter-measures have been piecemeal and ineffective. The complexity and amount of information is bewildering. Isolating the key issues, David J. Whittaker provides a layman's guide to the worldwide spread of terrorism. In the welter of information available, few books offer such a straightforward and accessible account of the main trends and characteristics of contemporary terrorism in all its diverse scenarios. Terrorists operate in many different places. They are driven to acts of terror for a whole range of reasons. Few call themselves terrorists. In a world newly alive to the terrorist threat, David J. Whittaker takes a cool look at the problem and how it has shaped the last thirty years. From descriptions of the terrorists themselves, their motives and beliefs, to the methods they use and how we should respond, Terrorism: Understanding the Global Threat provides an indispensable overview of one of the twenty-first century's most urgent issues.

Contents:

1 The meaning of terrorism 7

2 Contemporary terrorism: the Middle East, Africa and Asia 27

3 Contemporary terrorism: Europe and the Americas 47

4 Motives for terrorism 69

5 Terrorism and religion 89

6 Fanatics and martyrs 107

7 Terrorist methods 125

8 Future types of terrorism 147

9 Counter-terrorism: the piecemeal approach 167

10 Terrorism: international efforts to defeat it 185.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

0582772230

OCLC:

49552358