Introduction

Terrorism, defined as the use of violence and intimidation to cause terror, has been around for centuries. However, a particular type of terrorism has been on the rise in the past few decades. The 9/11 attacks, 1995 Tokyo subway anthrax incident, and many others are all instances of this new form of terrorism - religious terrorism.

As its name suggests, religious terrorism is motivated by religion rather than political or social issues. Religious terrorists see violence as necessary to furthering their religious cause.  To them violence is a divine duty executed in response to theological demand and justified by scripture. They are thus unafraid of alienating supporters and are willing to use extreme and indiscriminate methods, unlike terrorists with political motivations. Religious terrorist organisations are often personality-driven and centred around one iconic leader.

As terrorism evolves, so does the methods used to manage and control the growth of terrorism. Our other posts will address exactly what methods are used, and case studies of ASEAN and the UN.