ABSTRACT
Propaganda and terrorism are identical insofar as they both seek to influence a mass audience in a way that is intended to benefit the sponsor. Terrorism is, as the nineteenth century anarchists claimed, 'propaganda by deed'; in Brian Jenkins more recent formulation, it is theatre. The direct and obvious link between terrorism and propaganda is merely the visible tip of an iceberg. Terrorism, as a sub-species of revolution or as a component, also relies on these essential ingredients; it too elevates the cultural-spiritual element to pride of place. Whether terrorism is a component of a wider revolutionary strategy or stands on its own, the themes aimed at the general public seem fairly constant. Media coverage of terrorism, while a subject for separate study, is closely linked to propaganda. Political, spiritual and cultural leadership are in the end even more important than intelligence, response teams and firepower.
