In general, international terrorism has not been as deadly as other modes of political conflict. Nonetheless, perceptions of international terrorism need to be further analyzed in a more accurate and unbiased manner. While terrorist activities still occur somewhat infrequently compared to other types of violence, the disruption and loss of life that even a few terrorist incidents can bring upon a country more than justify the continuing search to understand the phenomenon. The author explores the nature of terrorism, terrorist groups, regional variations in terrorist activities, and government responses to terrorism. A typology of international terrorism is described, and a discussion of terrorist target selection and tactics is provided. 65 footnotes