LEGAL WARFARE: USING INTERNATIONAL LAW AS A WEAPON AGAINST GLOBAL TERRORISM

Abstract

This paper talks about terrorism from the point of view of international law, focusing on the legal and institutional steps that have been taken to fight terrorist threats. Using or threatening violence to scare people for political or ideological reasons is terrorism. It is different from regular violence because it uses an indirect coercive strategy, in which Actor A targets Victim B to get a third party, usually the State or the international community (C), to do what they want. It is hard to control and punish terrorism because it means attacking civilians and non-combatants on purpose to achieve strategic goals. Terrorism has been around for a long time and has changed over the years. For example, during the French Revolution, there was the Reign of Terror, and now there are guerrilla tactics. It is still a common way for people to be violent in politics. This paper talks about how international law can help fight non-State terrorist groups. It focuses on how States, regional organizations, and the UN system have responded. We look at important international tools, norms, and ways for countries to work together to see how well they deal with the changing and cross-border nature of terrorism while also protecting human rights, state sovereignty, and global security.