ABSTRACT
With the turmoil and conflict based in the Middle East and attacks against the United States at home and abroad, religiously based terrorist organizations have been in the spotlight. Religious justifications for violence, however, are among the oldest ones in the world. Religion is one important source of group identity that can provide for unity in a community (Juergensmeyer 1996: 5). Given its ancient roots, it will be discussed first in the typology based on the objectives of the dissident groups resorting to terrorism. Religious justifications for violence, including terrorism, were the most frequent before the nineteenth century (Rapoport 1984: 659). Religious justifications for terrorism, of course, is not only ancient but also contemporary, meaning that such causes underlying the use of violence have been very long-lasting in the history of humanity. Religious wars and crusades have been among the most devastating and costly conflicts in history in part because those believing in a different religion would be killed whereas members of the same religion would often be better treated. In some religious wars the clear intent was to eliminate the other religious group. Conquest or conversion was not seen as real options.
