The first complete reference work on a phenomenon that affects us all. Throughout this carefully researched, often shocking history, military and intelligence expert and decorated SAS veteran Barry Davies BEM exposes the true nature of modern terrorism, from its origins to the predicament we find ourselves in today. Terrorism, once epitomised by a few hijackers seizing an aircraft to highlight their grievance, has come of age in the twenty-first century. Yet who are these people? What is Al Qaeda and how does it work? Who funds the IRA? Why does ETA want its independence? How does HAMAS recruit its seemingly endless supply of suicide bombers? Can we hope to counter this multiplicity of terror which threatens our world? Terrorism explains where the world stands with regard to terrorists now and how we can and must face this menace in the future. These two elements present a compelling, thought provoking explanation of terrorism and counter-terrorism.