What are the two main types of terrorism?

• A. International terrorism (outside of the US) and domestic terrorism (within the US)
• B. State terrorism and non-state terrorism
• C. Cyberterrorism and chemical terrorism
• D. Economic terrorism and political terrorism

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is to categorize terrorism by geography: whether it involves actors or activities that cross borders or stay within a country’s borders. International terrorism refers to acts tied to groups or operations that span multiple countries or have transnational implications. Domestic terrorism occurs entirely within one country, carried out by individuals or groups with local ties and targeting that country itself.

This distinction helps responders and investigators know which authorities lead, what kind of intelligence and cross-border cooperation is needed, and how resources should be allocated. International cases typically require collaboration with other nations and international agencies, while domestic cases concentrate on federal, state, and local agencies within the country.

The other groupings focus on different aspects—who commits the act (state vs non-state), how it’s carried out (cyber, chemical), or the motives (economic, political)—but they don’t describe the broad, practical split used in most safety and security contexts. That’s why international terrorism and domestic terrorism are the two main types.