ALTHOUGH TERRORIST ACTIVITIES HAVE OCCURRED IN ITALY FOR OVER A CENTURY, THE TERRORISM OF THE 1970'S IS CHARACTERIZED BY THE EXTENT OF ITS BRUTALITY, AND BY A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN ITS OCCURRENCE. DOZENS OF GROUPS AND HUNDREDS OF TERRORISTS ARE OPERATING IN ITALY WHERE THEY ARE SYSTEMATICALLY ENGAGED IN RUTHLESS ATTACKS ON HUMAN TARGETS AND PROPERTY. ILLUSTRATIVE OF THIS ENDEMIC VIOLENCE IS THE 1979 DAYTIME 'PROLETARIAN ACTION' IN ROME, IN WHICH 15 LEFT-WING TERRORISTS BROKE INTO THE HEADQUATERS OF THE CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND SET OFF SEVERAL BOMBS. RESPONDING POLICE OFFICERS WERE KILLED BY MACHINEGUN FIRE, BUT THE TERRORISTS ESCAPED APPARENTLY UNHARMED. SUCH VIOLENCE PRESENTS FORMIDABLE CHALLENGES TO GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITY IN ITALY AND MAY EVEN THREATEN A RETURN TO QUASI-MEDIEVAL DEFENSE SYSTEMS. TOPICS IN THIS SPECIAL ISSUE INCLUDE DYNAMIC AND PHENOMENOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF ITALIAN TERRORISM, AS IDENTIFIED BY AN ANONYMOUS OFFICIAL OF THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT, AND NEOFASCIST ASPECTS OF TERRORISM. ADDITIONALLY, THE RESULTS OF A SURVEY OF LEFTIST TERRORISM IN ITALY FROM 1970 TO 1978 ARE DISCUSSED AND THREAT-ASSESSMENT DOCUMENTS ON FUTURE TERRORIST ACTIONS ARE ANALYZED. A SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (TWK)