Describe a terrorist in your own words....

[imported_Condor]

Anyone who performs acts so hienous as to enrage civilization sufficiently that they want to kill him and all of his relatives.

 

[BBond]

George W. Bush

 

[Aimster]

The United States

J.K

Anyone who trys to scare people by using acts of violence.

 

[BA]

Originally posted by: Aimster
The United States

J.K

Anyone who trys to scare people by using acts of violence.

That's the closest so far I think. I would say it is anyone who uses fear as their primary weapon for the advancement of their agenda.

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

Originally posted by: daveshel

Originally posted by: TastesLikeChicken
A person or group using violence to effect political change that is not a recognized government or a representative of a recognized government.

A terrorist does not have to target civilians. A terrorist or terrorist group could target only government officials and still be considered terrorists.

Pretty good except it does not encompass the state-sponsored terrorism mentioned above (and suffers from a dangling modifier).

How about:

A person or group using acts of violence against civilian and/or combatant targets to effect political change.

Your definition could be applied to any country's military performing a state-authorized mission. That would be outside of the bounds of terrorism.

 

[GrGr]

Originally posted by: TastesLikeChicken

Originally posted by: daveshel

Originally posted by: TastesLikeChicken
A person or group using violence to effect political change that is not a recognized government or a representative of a recognized government.

A terrorist does not have to target civilians. A terrorist or terrorist group could target only government officials and still be considered terrorists.

Pretty good except it does not encompass the state-sponsored terrorism mentioned above (and suffers from a dangling modifier).

How about:

A person or group using acts of violence against civilian and/or combatant targets to effect political change.

Your definition could be applied to any country's military performing a state-authorized mission. That would be outside of the bounds of terrorism.

State terrorism is violence upon a national population committed by national governments or their proxies. State terrorism can be effected directly, at the hands of national military or security forces, or indirectly, through state sponsored terrorist organizations. States can terrorize their own populations, to secure rule and suppress dissent, or foreign citizens, to support favoured or destabilize unfavoured foreign regimes. Although focus is often placed upon non-state terrorist actors, over the last hundred years the sum humanitarian costs of state terrorism has dwarfed that of non-state terrorism, claiming the lives of millions and causing mass disruption and trauma.

Wikipedia

How is state terrorism not terrorism?