What is terrorism

“Terrorists have taken action” "The war on terror.." "27 dead in terror attacks .." Words like ‘terrorist’ or ‘terrorism’ appear quite often, but what do they really mean? Let’s look at France, in 1793, ..when the king is violently deposed. The French Revolutionaries take control, executing anyone who opposes them. People are afraid. The French word for fear or horror is ‘terreur’ - terror.

But what do we mean by terrorism today? The United Nations, the UN, says: "Terrorism is an act aimed at killing or seriously injuring civil or non-combatants, with the intention of intimidating a population or forcing a government or international organization." Not all countries agree on this definition, or what terrorism is. There are many different descriptions, but everyone agrees that ‘terrorism’ uses violence, or the threat of violence in an attempt to achieve its goals. The goals - and beliefs - of terrorists can vary. But the methods they all use are: trying to scare people and politicians, and violent acts, often deliberately intending to, or not caring, if they harm or kill innocent people.

During the 19th and 20th centuries, many groups form that don’t like how their country is governed. They want freedom, or want to create their own independent nation. Some of these groups carry out violent acts against government institutions and people working for the state. When people violently attack the government of their own nation, it’s called national terrorism. The Basque separatist organization Euskadi Ta Askatasuna, ETA wants the Basque region to be independent from Spain.

Some ETA members use violence between 1968 and 2010. During the second half of the 20th century, other organizations and networks also begin using the tactics of terror worldwide. These groups want to spread their ideas across the borders between nations. When they use violence to do this, it’s called International Terrorism. The 2001 attack on the World Trade Center is an example of international terrorism.

In some countries it is forbidden to have political opinions different from the government: to be in opposition. Some leaders and governments maintain control using violent methods: killing and imprisoning their own people. Such as during the Stalin era in the Soviet Union, when millions die because of his and the Communist Party’s economic policies. When the rulers of a country oppress and use violence against their own people, it’s called state terrorism. However, this definition ‘state terrorism’ is also used if the government of one country supports organisations that carry out violent attacks in or against other countries.

It is not always easy to decide who is a ‘terrorist’. For many years, the rulers of South Africa treat black people and white people very differently. The special treatment they enforce is based on racism, and is called Apartheid. The African National Congress, the ANC, is an organization struggling to change this. Some ANC members carry out sabotage against the Apartheid Regime, and also acts of violence where innocent people are killed.

One of the ANC's leaders is Nelson Mandela. The regime captures and imprisons him. In 1990, After 27 years, Mandela is finally freed. Four years later he is elected president of South Africa. Yet in the USA, Mandela and the ANC remain on the list of ‘terrorists’ until 2008.

Nowadays, most people instead call Nelson Mandela a ‘freedom fighter’. What determines who is a ‘terrorist’ and who is a ‘freedom fighter’? The same person can be both, depending on who you ask. And perhaps that’s why it’s difficult to agree on a common definition of terrorism.