THE SPECTRUM OF HIGH-TECHNOLOGY WEAPONS INCLUDES (1) NUCLEAR EXPLOSIVES, CHEMICAL POISONS, AND BIOLOGICAL AGENTS (BOTH IMPROVED AND NEW); (2) INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY BECOME INVOLVED IN WEAPONS USE; (3) MOTIVATIONS THAT CAUSE INDIVIDUALS TO ACT; (4) RESOURCES AND METHODS OF EMPLOYMENT; AND (5) CONTROL MECHANISMS. BOTH SUBJECTIVE AND OBJECTIVE CONSEQUENCES, AS WELL AS PANIC, ARE ASSOCIATED WITH TERRORIST USE OF HIGH TECHNOLOGY. THE THREAT POTENTIAL OF TERRORISTS CONCERNS THE CHOICE OF CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL, OR NUCLEAR WEAPONS. TERRORISTS HAVE VARIOUS MOTIVATIONS, SUCH AS PROTEST DEMONSTRATION, DISRUPTION, REVENGE, AND PERSUASION. HIGHLY DISCRIMINATE TARGETING IS USUALLY ASSOCIATED WITH BARGAINING AND POLITICAL STATEMENTS AND INVOLVES A RELATIVELY LOW LEVEL OF ACTUAL VIOLENCE. SOCIAL PARALYSIS IS GENERALLY RELATED TO A HIGH LEVEL OF SPECIFIC DEMANDS AND RANDOM TARGETING; THE ATTACKING GROUP PROBABLY HAS FAILED TO ACHIEVE ITS ENDS THROUGH BARGAINING AND POLITICAL STATEMENTS USING LESS DESTRUCTIVE VIOLENCE. MEANS INVOLVING MASS CASUALTIES ARE TYPICALLY EMPLOYED BY A GROUP AT THE CONCLUSION OF A FAILED REVOLUTION, DURING PERIODS OF INTENSE FRUSTRATION, OR WHEN SUPPORT DECLINES. TARGETS ARE SELECTED TO CONVEY SOME SYMBOLIC MESSAGE OR TO DEPICT THE TOTAL VULNERABILITY OF SOCIETY TO TERRORISM. IN ANY CASE, THE USE OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN COERCIVE THREATS IS MORE LIKELY THAN DIRECT APPLICATION. CRITICAL FACTORS IN THE CONTROL OF AND RESPONSE TO HIGH-TECHNOLOGY TERRORISM ARE PLANNING, RESOURCES AND TRAINING, INTELLIGENCE, AND DECISIONMAKING. RECOMMENDATIONS TO CURB TERRORISM THAT FOCUS ON LEGISLATIVE MEASURES AND CIVIL LIBERTIES ARE OFFERED. TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED. (DEP)