TERRORISM AND COUNTERTERRORISM

Terrorism and terrorists are associated with the use of violence and force to attain some desired goals. The issue may seem very simple, however not only is it very complex, it is also highly confusing and involves an ethical judgment at every step. An obvious example of this is Nelson Mandela who is often hailed as a hero who fought for the rights of the South African people. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993. But Nelson Mandela was also involved in the 1983 Church Street car bombing that killed 19 people. The question here is: was Nelson Mandela a terrorist at the time of the said car bombing or a liberation activist? Can killing of 19 noncombatant civilians be justified on any ethical grounds?