ALTHOUGH TERRORIST ACTS ARE AS OLD AS ORGANIZED SOCIETY, THE ETIOLOGY AND FORMS OF MODERN TERRORISM ARE A RELATIVELY NEW PHENOMENON. THE SURVIVING PERPETRATOR OF ISRAEL'S LOD AIRPORT MASSACRE OF 26 PERSONS COMMENTED AT HIS TRIAL THAT THE WAS PREPARED TO DO ANYTHING FOR THE CAUSE. TODAY, A MENTALITY OF VIOLENCE AND LUST FOR POWER HAS FORMED A SUBCULTURE OF OPPOSITION TO FORMS OF AND PARTICIPANTS IN ESTABLISHED POLITICAL STRUCTURES AND EVEN THE FOUNDATIONS OF CIVILIZATION. THE CAUSE IS NOT SO IMPORTANT AS THE TERRORIST ACT ITSELF, WHICH EXPRESSES AND PERPETUATES THE IDENTITY AND NORMS OF THE TERRORIST SUBCULTURE. EARLIER TERRORISTS USUALLY HAD SOME SPECIFIC AND COMPREHENSIBLE GRIEVANCE AGAINST THE SPECIFIC VICTIMS OF THEIR VIOLENCE. MODERN TERRORISM INDISCRIMINATELY LABELS AS ENEMIES ALL WHO ARE NOT IN SYMPATHY WITH THEIR CAUSE, AS EVIDENCED BY THE COMMENT OF THE PRESUMED ORGANIZER OF THE LOD MASSACRE THAT THERE ARE NO INNOCENT TOURISTS. CONTEMPORARY TERRORISM IS A DIRECT REFLECTION OF IDEOLOGICAL FANATICISMS, 'KINKY' INTELLECTUAL TRENDS, THE DECAY OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE MORAL STANDARDS, THE FLIGHT FROM REASON, AND THE GENERAL DEHUMANIZATION THAT AFFLICT THE MODERN AGE. IN SUCH A CLIMATE, TERRORISM CANNOT BE ERADICATED, BUT IT'S POTENTIALLY MOST EXTREME ACTS OF VIOLENCE CAN BE PREVENTED AND CONTAINED THROUGH INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION. SOME PHOTOGRAPHS ARE INCLUDED. (RCB)