Terrorism as a Strategy of Psychological Warfare

Summary

The ability of a few individuals to manipulate public opinion, thus influencing the highest policies of the land, makes terrorism a strategic threat to democratic societies. Terrorism undermines the sense of security and disrupts everyday life, harming the target country's ability to function. This strategy seeks to drive public opinion to pressure decision-makers to surrender to the terrorists' demands. The population becomes a tool in advancing the political agenda in the name of which terrorism is perpetrated. Only by understanding how terrorism manipulates the target population can we learn how to avoid falling into the trap of such psychological warfare.

Key Words:

• Terror strategy
• psychological warfare
• anxiety
• media