What is a terrorist?

Question

Since the US and the "coalition of the willing" are engaging in a war on terrorism, and the fact that the US congress has recently declared the Iranian Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization, I think its important to ask "Just what is terrorism?".

Also, are the following situations examples of acts of terrorism? yes or no:
1) A suicide bomber attacks a group of soldiers.
2) A missile is launched into an apartment building to send a message to the government.
3) A man holds several innocent people hostage to have political prisoners released.
4) A group of Sunnis bomb a Shiite mosque.
5) A group of individuals hijack a plane to escape the country.
6) A government financially supports a military group who kills its ideological opponents to send a message to the opposition.
7) A government threatens to destroy a nations water supply if they don't comply with their demands.

Ahh, let me change the question.

I would define a terrorist as someone who uses violence or the threat of violence aimed at a civilian target in order to get the society or government to institute cultural, political, economic, or religious change.

That being the case, I would say that not all of the acts listed are terrorists acts.

The new question: Do you agree? If not, why?
1) No. (Targets military)
2) Yes.
3) Yes.
4) Yes.
5) No. (Motivation is to leave the country, not enact any kind of change).
6) Yes
7) Yes.

Answer 1

cool it seems like you know a lot about terrorist, but let me tell you something you might not know..... Every country has a "terrorist" or at least that is what they think. Terrorists are created because of power. when a country has too much power, they want to conserve that, so when puny countries come, they start wiping them off, because they dont want the tiniest threat. basically if a country can force something since they are in power; they will do so.
If you think IRan might be declared a terrorist by the US, you might want to listen to their side, and see what they think of the US as well.

And another reminder: Dont always accept what you hear in the media, cause its not all true. People just want to spread ""democracy and make the world a happier place""

that's politics ppl

Answer 2

Indeed, you have mentioned some examples of terrorism. I would like to add some more examples:
1. Bombing a public place, when most of its occupants are members of another ethnic group, and claiming the other ethnic group did it.
2. A missile is launched into a hospital, a church, a radio/TV station or a foreign embassy, to send message to the government.
3. Encouraging people to commit more atrocities, in order to provoke other the other side in the war to commit such atrocities, that would "justify" a military action against it.
4. A group of Albanians vandalizing a Serbian church or monetary.

Answer 3

All of the situations mentioned above are acts of terrorism for sure, but even minor offenses can be an act of terrorism, like if you terrorize someone you're working with, or because he's of different race, religion or political thinking ! These are all terrorist acts performed by the governments and public institutions of many countries, USA included !

Answer 4

the version between a soldier and a terrorist isn't who they wrestle for, yet how they wrestle. Terrorists kill civilians and use worry as a weapon. squaddies, on the different hand, interact in wrestle in accordance to a algorithm, and purely hostile to different squaddies. you could say what you want about the validity of conflict as a answer to issues, yet "no longer killing unarmed civilians" is a step up from what a terrorist does. that is a step contained in the right direction.

Answer 5

you can add:
-A gouvernment who arrest +/-100 000 people without proof, just suspiscion, then sends them of to a no mans land where no laws apply like guantanamo, and uses torture in the hope that some of them know something
-A gouvernment who invades another country unprovoked and causes +/-100 000 civilians deaths and plunges this country in chaos

beside that, the word has lost its meaning those days as anybody could be labelled a terrorist
-a group of extremists killing civilians whithout any real justifications yes terrorist who should be eliminated
.
-A group of angry people who tried unsuccessfully to get satisfaction on their demands then take the weapon route for a cause (justly in their eyes), i dont know.

In south africa, the ANC was labelled a terrorist by the De klerk regime in the apartheid era, the IRA same thing, the basques, the PKK Kurdish separatist party, the hamas/hezbollah who want the freedom of palestine etc etc...
not sure where to classify those guys