# Legal definition of terrorism? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 12, 2005, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-definition-of-terrorism/321192 "2005-09-12T03:24:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MaryEFoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MaryEFoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaryEFoo)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2005, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-definition-of-terrorism/321192/1 "2005-09-12T03:24:04Z")
On the anniversary of the World Trade Center attack, the media is doing recaps, and one thing discussed is the USA Patriot Act and other changes in government. The Act allows nearly untrammeled surveillance of people ‘suspected of terrorism’ or ‘suspected of links to terrorism’. Some time ago I heard that we haven’t actually defined terrorism. This doesn’t sound likely, given how laws are usually carefully specified, to avoid vagueness. Is there a US standard definition of terrorism? What are the standards for suspicion? What is the definition of ‘links’ to terrorism? ---
**Author:** ![muttrox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a8b319/32.png) [@muttrox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muttrox)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2005, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-definition-of-terrorism/321192/2 "2005-09-12T12:35:11Z")
[http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2004-08,GGLD:en&q=terrorism+legal+definition](http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2004-08,GGLD:en&q=terrorism+legal+definition) To the best of my knowledge, there is no definition. Perhaps this is part of the reason that so many are opposed to the Act. I’m also not convince that laws in general are so carefully crafted. Isn’t that part of the role of the US court system, to help resolve ambiguities and confusion in law? ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2005, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-definition-of-terrorism/321192/3 "2005-09-12T14:13:23Z")
> [@](#): > > § 2331. Definitions > > As used in this chapter— > (1) the term “international terrorism” means activities that— > (A) involve violent acts or acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State, or that would be a criminal violation if committed within the jurisdiction of the United States or of any State; > (B) appear to be intended— > (i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population; > (ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or > (iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping; and > © occur primarily outside the territorial jurisdiction of the United States, or transcend national boundaries in terms of the means by which they are accomplished, the persons they appear intended to intimidate or coerce, or the locale in which their perpetrators operate or seek asylum; > > (2) the term “national of the United States” has the meaning given such term in section 101(a)(22) of the Immigration and Nationality Act; > > (3) the term “person” means any individual or entity capable of holding a legal or beneficial interest in property; > > (4) the term “act of war” means any act occurring in the course of— > (A) declared war; > (B) armed conflict, whether or not war has been declared, between two or more nations; or > © armed conflict between military forces of any origin; and > > (5) the term “domestic terrorism” means activities that— > (A) involve acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State; > (B) appear to be intended— > (i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population; > (ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or > (iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping; and > © occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States. [18 U.S.C § 2331](http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode18/usc_sec_18_00002331----000-.html) ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2005, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-definition-of-terrorism/321192/4 "2005-09-12T14:17:09Z")
Actually, make that cite 18 U.S.C. 113B § 2331. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2005, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-definition-of-terrorism/321192/5 "2005-09-12T15:22:01Z")
In my state, “terrorism” has become a pile-on charge. A kid throws a rock at a car and he’s now a “terrorist” in addition to a vandal. I suspect that the DAs are using it as a plea bargain scam. E.g., “If you plead guilty to X, we’ll drop the terrorism charge.” I.e., it’s legal meaning is whatever they want it to be that day.