Attacks on Worshippers Are Acts of Genocide, Not Terrorism

           The recent attacks on Jewish, Christian and Muslim worshipers around the world are not acts of terrorism, as they do not appear intended to influence government policy, but genocide.  Terrorism is violence intended to intimidate the populace to demand changes in government policy.  The attacks were not primarily motivated by opposition to government policies, but are targeted at the faithful to kill them, with an occasional secondary motivation of inspiring further attacks.

           These distinctions are necessary so as not to dilute the meaning of terrorism and to apply it selectively because of the religion of the attacker or the victims.  Both terrorism and genocide are great evils, but different kinds of evils.