ABSTRACT
Before considering issues and options in policing terrorism, it must be recognized that terrorism is a social construction, not a clearly defined “object” out there somewhere (Turk, 2002). The word gives a political meaning to destructive acts that might as readily be seen as criminal or maniacal without political significance. It is the historical context of a particular struggle over power that is invoked when enemies use words such as oppressor and terrorist to characterize one another. To focus on terrorism requires deciding which struggles and which parties are of specific concern.
