ABSTRACT
Almost since the beginning of Western civilization, the Mediterranean Sea has been a theatre of conflict, a boulevard for battleships and invading armies, a moat between great empires, diverse cultures, religions, and political systems. As for the future, continued international and subnational conflict seems likely to occur in the region. The Mediterranean is the cradle of international terrorism in its contemporary form. Terrorist tactics have, of course, been used for centuries by both governments and revolutionaries. In recent years, a number of security analysts have warned that terrorists who previously had operated only on land or, considering hijackings, in the air, may turn to targets in the maritime environment. Terrorists may also see in maritime targets a possibility to wage economic warfare by attacking port facilities, offshore platforms, shipping, or carrying out actions that may cause great ecological damage.
