The horrific events of 11 September 2001 caught the world at large off-guard and drove home how terrorists can now destroy and disrupt the lives of millions of people. From the earlier complacency about terrorism impacting only some traditional fault-lines, the airplane-bomb destruction of New York’s World Trade Center towers and a portion of the Pentagon brought home the ever-present threat of a terrorist attack anywhere and anytime, leaving people suddenly searching for a better understanding of this "new war".

This dictionary packs in a wealth of information regarding major terrorist groups around the world, significant terrorist events and the weapons of terror. Beginning with acts of terrorism from the first century to latter-day leftist, rightist, secessionist and religious fundamentalists, this book offers rich insights into how and why such groups originate and how they operate, including:

• Types of terrorism

• Classification of terrorist groups

• New players and changing motivations of terrorists

• Impact of technology on contemporary terrorism and the future threats of weapons of mass destruction and cyber-terrorism.

Pertinent international laws and legal doctrines are also covered, and the book’s extensive bibliography presents essential further resources useful for the study and prevention of terrorism.

A special section on terrorism in South Asia makes available for easy reference the long-running phenomenon of terrorism in the region highlighting its main protagonists, important events, including assassination of two Indian prime ministers, and cross-border terrorism.

This timely reference work holds wide appeal for government officials, security experts, analysts and researchers, journalists, and the general public — in fact, anyone seeking a better, fuller understanding of the growing world-wide menace of terrorism.