ABSTRACT
Terrorism has been a recurring theme in some areas of the world, even when it has occurred in different contexts. While some countries have experienced a particular type of terrorist violence over the course of many years such as the activities of ETA in Spain, other countries seem to have been prone to terrorist activities by different groups seeking different objectives. In fact, there would appear to be a trend toward greater complexity wherein governments and populations in some regions are increasingly facing violent dissidents belonging to groups with entirely different motives (Wilkinson 2000b: 4). A number of countries have faced such waves of terrorist activity. Sri Lanka is one country that has suffered from terrorism used in efforts to achieve a variety of political objectives. It has faced crises in political terrorism-plural occurrences that go beyond the well-publicized violence and civil war between the two largest ethnic groups on the island. Iraq more recently has been afflicted with terrorism originating from multiple groups, often with different objectives, resulting in increasing turmoil in the country.
