ALTHOUGH VIOLENT INSURRECTIONS HAVE CHALLENGED CIVILIZED SOCIETIES, THE MODERN CITY WITH ITS COMPLICATED INFRASTRUCTURE, OFFERS TERRORISTS A MULTITUDE OF TARGETS; A SIMPLE STRIKE AT ONE COMPONENT CAN CAUSE WIDESPREAD DISASTER. IN MODERN TIMES TERRORISTS HAVE BEEN INCREASINGLY WILLING TO CROSS INTERNATIONAL BORDERS TO PURSUE THEIR OBJECTIVES. ALTHOUGH TERRORISTS ARE USUALLY UNABLE TO BRING ABOUT SIGNIFICANT POLITICAL CHANGES, THEY CAN PROVOKE REPRESSIVE MEASURES BY GOVERNMENTS THAT WILL IN TURN ERODE DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS. THREE MAIN TYPES OF TERRORIST GROUPS EXIST IN WESTERN SOCIETIES. THE FIRST, THE 'BOMBER LEFT,' IS COMPRISED OF INDIVIDUALS DEDICATED TO VIOLENCE AS A MEANS NOT ONLY TO OBLITERATE SOCIAL EVILS, BUT ALSO TO RECTIFY PERSONAL PROBLEMS OR INADEQUACIES. EXAMPLES CAN BE FOUND IN THE WEATHERMAN OR THE BAADER-MEINHOF GROUP. A SECOND TERRORIST GROUP CONSISTS OF DISAFFECTED MINORITIES, SUCH AS THE BLACK PANTHER OR WELSH SEPARATISTS. THE THIRD IS THE IDEOLOGICAL MERCENARIES, WHO ARE WILLING TO FIGHT ANYWHERE FOR A PARTICULAR CAUSE. TERRORIST ACTS ARE NOT THE PRODUCT OF SOCIAL DEPRIVATION OR OPPRESSION, BUT EXTREMIST GROUPS EXPLOIT SUCH CONDITIONS TO FURTHER THEIR OWN ENDS AND CAN PLAY PIVOTAL ROLES IN A CRISIS SITUATION. WESTERN NATIONS NEED SPECIALLY TRAINED POLICIES FORCES THAT ARE ABLE TO RESPOND EFFECTIVELY TO TERRORIST INCIDENTS. GOVERNMENTS SHOULD ALSO AGREE ON METHODS TO PREVENT TERRORISM, PARTICULARLY HIJACKING. THE DEVELOPMENT OF ANY INTERNATIONAL TREATIES IS UNLIKELY, BUT WESTERN COUNTRIES COULD CONSULT ON PROCEDURES AND EXCHANGE INFORMATION. POTENTIAL AREAS FOR TERRORIST ACTIVITIES ARE DISCUSSED. (MJM)