Terrorism and the American Experience

Day 1: What Is Terrorism?

Exercise 3
Federal Bureau of Investigation, “Definitions,” Terrorism, 2002–2005 (Washington, 2006), iv–v.

There is no single, universally accepted, definition of terrorism. Terrorism is defined in the Code of Federal Regulations as “the unlawful use of force and violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives” (28 C.F.R. Section 0.85).

The FBI further describes terrorism as either domestic or international, depending on the origin, base, and objectives of the terrorist organization. For the purpose of this report, the FBI will use the following definitions:

The FBI divides terrorist-related activity into two categories:

Federal Bureau of Investigation, “Definitions,” Terrorism, 2002–2005 (Washington, 2006), iv–v.