ABSTRACT
Under the UN Charter, the response of a targeted state is predicated on principles of self-defence, and these are in turn based on what the international community regards as the ‘inherent’ right of national security and the attendant duty to protect one’s citizens from terrorist attacks.1 The key sticking point though is that, historically, rules on the lawful use of force have developed within a framework of state-to-state relationships. Doubt exists concerning their applicability in the terrorist arena.
