ABSTRACT

Introduction Most definitions of terrorism describe the phenomenon as intending to have a psychological impact beyond the immediate victims of a terrorist attack. Terrorism is intended to terrorise and is designed to communicate a message to a wider population. It is the duty of democratic governments, therefore, not just to protect their citizens from the physical threat posed by terrorism but also to protect them from its psychological effects and so it is important that governments should adopt a counter-psychological approach as part of a robust strategy against terrorism. The following chapter will argue that in the current international context, where the US and the UK are culpable to at least some degree for the increased terrorist threat, a key challenge for homeland security is to reduce the impact of terrorism at home. Above all it must make sure that domestic measures do not exacerbate the threat in the same way that some international responses have.