Code of the Terrorist

Terrorism is such a complex phenomenon that little consensus exists on what the term actually means or on which groups can be described as terrorists. Despite this complexity, the terms terrorism and terrorist typically carry a negative connotation because they involve the use of deliberate and random violence primarily against noncombatants—whether from planes flown into buildings, trucks driven into pedestrians, assault weapons spraying bullets into a crowd, bombs left on subways, or knife-wielding perpetrators stabbing unsuspecting lone victims. Contrary to the common perception that the violence of terrorists is always indiscriminate and abides by no rules, the terrorism of the PKK is bound by certain regulations. Based on interviews conducted with a former longtime member of the PKK, we reveal that rather than being indiscriminate, violence by the PKK is purposeful, restrained, and used primarily in response to Turkish oppression. As with any code of conduct, there is of course, occasional deviations and lapses in observance, but the PKK has established a formal enforcement system to minimize such events and to correct them when they happen. Understanding that a terrorist group is governed by a code has important policy implications for peaceful resolution of conflicts.