Counter-terrorism - Anti-terrorism Versus Counter-terrorism

Anti-terrorism Versus Counter-terrorism

The concept of anti-terrorism emerges from a thorough examining of the concept of terrorism and includes those measures taken to protect society from terrorist acts. Terrorism is distinctly different from acts that are intended to terrorize. In military contexts, almost all acts are intended to create fear. But terrorism is the organized, premeditated use of violence by non-state or state sponsored groups against combatants or non-combatants in order to advance an ideological goal.

Counter-terrorism refers to offensive strategies intended to prevent, deter, preempt, and respond to terrorism." In other words, counter-terrorism is a set of techniques for denying an opponent the use of terrorism-based tactics, just as counter-air is a set of techniques for denying the opponent the use of attack aircraft.

Anti-terrorism is defensive, intended to reduce the chance of an attack using terrorist tactics at specific points, or to reduce the vulnerability of possible targets to such tactics. "Defensive measures used to reduce the vulnerability of individuals and property to terrorist acts, to include limited response and containment by local military and civilian forces."

The Sri Lankan Civil War, Colombian civil war, and the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, are examples of conflicts where terrorism is present, along with other tactics, so that participants use counter- and anti-terrorism to limit the opponent's use of terror tactics. Units engaged in counter-terrorism include the US Navy Seals and Delta Force.