Question

Compare and contrast ideological and religious terrorism. Do you think there is any real difference between them? Why or why not?

Answer 1

Terrorism is an act of irrational violence perpetuated against innocent people to gain political, ideological or religious objectives. The target of terrorism is create terror and fear inorder to gain their aim by the acts of violence, which usually involve killing of people and causing damage to their property.

When terrorism is carried out for some political or social ideological object against the state or in rebellion to a government, it is called ideological terrorism. Whereas, the terrorism that is mainly motivated by some religious principles and religion plays an important role in terrorism, it is called religious terrorism.

The aim of both forms of terrorism is to gain some political gain through violence and terror. But, the main difference between the two is that while ideological terrorism have a political and geographical boundaries, the religious terrorism may not have such boundaries, and the innocent people of any geographic location or political boundary could become the target of such terrorism.