The Crime of Terrorism in Accordance with National and International Laws

Terrorism crime“, is the plague of our times, from which many countries around the world suffer. Those who commit these terrorist crimes aim at people and do not care about innocent citizens. This dissertation seeks to discuss the definition of terrorism “as a criminal felony “. This dissertation seeks to compare both the Arabic and the Western definitions and views of terrorism. The former includes Jordanian, Egyptian and Iraqi penal codes, while the latter encompasses anti-terrorism laws from the US, France and the UK. An extensive literature review indicates a lack of uniform definition of terrorism. To provide a definition upon which everyone can agree has been a challenging task, and yet, such a definition may help courts and judges rule and prosecute said crimes within a more universal jurisdiction. Without a common definition, global efforts to prevent terrorism acts will continue to be hindered.” In effort to provide a more appropriate and academic definition of terrorism, this thesis discusses elements and characteristics of terrorist crimes. It also views different legal definitions as a healthy phenomenon, which may have been necessary to engage legal scholars in a constructive dialogue. In terms of varied definitions, it is important to note the political and the economic influences that have helped shape national and international stance on terrorism. The thesis discusses the similarities between the international and the national law, with respect to the definition of terrorism, or a lack thereof. Finally, this thesis provides an inventory of a large number of definitions of jurisprudence (Arab and Western), and it examines, in detail, the definition of terrorism in Article 147 of the Jordanian Penal Code No. 16 of 1960, which is in force in the West Bank Act, as well as the Palestinian Revolutionary Penal Code of 1979 (Special military personnel), which is in force in the West Bank and it refers to non-civilian population.