terrorists
Violence for ideology
Terrorists are people who use violence or threats of violence against civilians to advance political, religious, or ideological goals.
The term implies intent to create fear beyond the immediate victims—bombings, hostage-taking, assassinations designed to terrorize a wider population.
The terrorists claimed responsibility for the attack.
The label is politically contested; governments and insurgents often disagree on who qualifies.
One side's terrorist may be another's freedom fighter, though the word itself carries strong condemnation.
Systematic observation of subjects
- checkpointInspection station on route
- intelligenceMental ability, cognitive capacity
- watchlistTracked items roster
- no-fly listProhibited passengers registry
screening · border control · military · defense · Homeland Security · Interpol · FBI · raid
Aggressive hostile actions
- bombingsExplosive attacks from above
- explosionsViolent, rapid expansions
- massacreLarge-scale unlawful killing
- casualtiesThose killed or wounded
victims · carnage · destruction · bloodshed · atrocities · suicide bomber · car bomb · hostages
Ideology beyond accepted norms
- radicalizationShift toward extreme ideology
- jihadIslamic struggle, inner or outer
- martyrdomSuffering for conviction
- fanaticismObsessive, unreasoning dedication
propaganda · recruitment · indoctrination · manifesto · fundamentalism · militant · insurgent · separatist
Levantine jihadist organization
- TalibanAfghan Islamist movement
- Boko HaramNigerian jihadist organization
- HamasGazan Islamist governing body
- HezbollahLebanese Shiite militant organization
IRA · ETA · cell · network · splinter group · faction · militia · guerrilla
Formal examination of facts
- arrestSeize by law
- prosecutionPursuing legal charges
- trialJudicial examination of claims
- convictionFirmly held belief
detention · Guantanamo · interrogation · extradition · sanctions · memorial · survivors · resilience
surveillance
Systematic observation of subjects
- checkpointInspection station on route
- intelligenceMental ability, cognitive capacity
- watchlistTracked items roster
no-fly list · screening · border control · military · defense · Homeland Security · Interpol · FBI · raid · manhunt
attacks
Aggressive hostile actions
- bombingsExplosive attacks from above
- explosionsViolent, rapid expansions
- massacreLarge-scale unlawful killing
casualties · victims · carnage · destruction · bloodshed · atrocities · suicide bomber · car bomb · hostages · shootings
extremism
Ideology beyond accepted norms
- radicalizationShift toward extreme ideology
- jihadIslamic struggle, inner or outer
- martyrdomSuffering for conviction
fanaticism · propaganda · recruitment · indoctrination · manifesto · fundamentalism · militant · insurgent · separatist · caliphate
ISIS
Levantine jihadist organization
- TalibanAfghan Islamist movement
- Boko HaramNigerian jihadist organization
- HamasGazan Islamist governing body
Hezbollah · IRA · ETA · cell · network · splinter group · faction · militia · guerrilla · operative
investigation
Formal examination of facts
- arrestSeize by law
- prosecutionPursuing legal charges
- trialJudicial examination of claims
conviction · detention · Guantanamo · interrogation · extradition · sanctions · memorial · survivors · resilience · mourning
- hostage takerskidnappers, hijackers, abductors, gunmen
- extremistsextremists, extremist, fanatics, fanatic, radicals
- cybercriminalshacker, hackers, scammer, scammers, phishers
- insurgentsinsurgent, guerrillas, guerrilla, rebel, resistance fighters
- destroyersdestroyers, guided missile, torpedo tubes, hull, stern
- Supermax Prisonssolitary confinement, maximum security, isolation cells, lockdown, cell blocks
terroristscounter-terrorists
Those combating political violence
soldiers · military personnel · regular army · conventional forces · armed forces
terroristscounter-terrorists
Those combating political violence
security forces · protectors · defenders · first responders · peacekeepers
terroristsheroes
Admired courageous figures
freedom fighters · liberators · peacemakers · pacifists · defenders
- terrorist attackViolence for political intimidation
- Islamic terroristsViolent extremists citing Islam
- domestic terrorismPolitically motivated violence by citizens
- terrorist cellClandestine group planning attacks
- terrorist actsViolence to spread fear
- homegrown terrorismNative-born political violence
terrorist, terrorism, counterterrorism, antiterrorism, counterterrorist