Scientific Journal of the National Academy of Internal Affairs

The problem of terrorism as one of the greatest social dangers that threatens the development of civilization is considered. Its typological affinity with other extreme social phenomena is stated. In particular, resistance to violence brings terrorism closer to rebellion, revolt, armed insurgency. Terrorism is a form of violence in which fear is a planned effect, but not a side one. This is the most important feature that separates terrorism from other criminal forms of violence. The purpose of terrorism is the impact on public authorities (or international community) in order to change state policy in the interests of certain social forces. Terrorism has its own ideology, which can be defined as a set of extremely radical ideological guides that are the theoretical justification of the use of violence in various ways on an illegitimate basis for achievement of political goals of the terrorist organization. The extreme, radical views and methods are peculiar to it (extremism). There are such types of modern terrorism: religious, political, informational and psychological, economic, social and domestic, external, internal, «western», «eastern». Terrorism often occurs in the conditions of a complication of a socio-political and economic situation during the periods of crises and formational shifts. There are many reasons for terrorism. An essential role in distribution of terrorism is played by such factors as prevention of a considerable part of society to participation in political activity by the ruling elite, repressions against opposition parties, the conflict between traditional and liberal values, loss of hope for improvement of the financial position and other personal problems. The low efficiency of functioning of the state apparatus, corruption, which increases the gap between the authorities and the population, causes distrust of the population to power and support of terrorist acts. The rapidly increasing crime activity and powerlessness of the authorities in fight against it play a similar role. The desire of representatives of a certain religion to declare their views, make everyone reckon with them is the most common cause of the terrorist attacks in modern Europe. The religious type of terrorism that goes beyond the local framework is the greatest threat to mankind nowadays. The problem of preventing terrorist activity deserves special attention of researchers. The definition of the underlying causes of the behavior of terrorists and the creation of a psychological profile of persons capable of committing terrorist acts, or those who may be used by terrorist group leaders for such acts is one of the conditions for success in this case. It is expedient to consider the personality of a terrorist as a kind of personality of an armed criminal, because of the social danger of terrorism. Terrorism is not only criminal, but also military and political threat. The most important directions of combating this social phenomenon are as follows: firstly, the creation of mechanisms for overcoming social contradictions, the achievement of social compromise; secondly, the cessation of financial support for terrorism and illegal weapons trafficking; thirdly, it is the opposition to the formation of individual terrorist. The state and civil society should unite their efforts in order to minimize the possibility of terrorist acts.