The word “terrorism” derives from the era of French Revolution and Jacobins dictatorship which used terror as an instrument of political repression and social control. The word terrorism in its usual usage has a connotation of evil, indiscriminate violence or brutality and the illegitimate use of force to achieve political objectives.
Terrorism is a complex and global phenomenon and no country can underestimate the threat it poses. All countries are victims of the menace of “terrorism”. Yet, there is no universally accepted definition of terrorism. It remains the subject of continuing debate and controversies. This paper examines the multiple difficulties arising from the exercise of defining terrorism. One more question is addressed here, that is: Why it is difficult to have a widely accepted definition of terrorism?
Terrorism is a pejorative term and this subjectivity however, ensures that this is by no means an easy undertaking. Even though the concept is obviously of fundamental importance, there is no consensus on what the term actually means. Lawyers, academics, national legislatures, regional organizations, and international bodies such as United Nations, have produced a bewildering array of definitions but still the word “terrorism” has no precise or widely accepted definition
