A leading scholar examines the origins and history of terrorism, explaining how the motivations underlying terror have changed over the years, and the various causes of modern terrorist organizations.

Introduction --1. Roots of terrorism? -- 2. The origins of Islamic terrorism -- 3. Jihad -- 4. Suicide -- 5. Israel and the Palestinians -- 6. Intelligence failure? -- 7. The far right -- 8. Anti-Americanism -- 9. Battlefields of the future 1 : India and central Asia -- 10. Battlefields of the future 2 : the international brigade -- Conclusion : war against the West -- Appendix. Toward a definition, or Humpty Dumpty and the problem of terrorism -- Notes -- Bibliography -- Index.