Today the denotation and the connotation of the term have expanded to also include other actions that might be perceived as challenging the power of the state, e.g. "insurgency," "civil war, "and even "freedom struggle."

The publication under review examines this contemporary interpretation of terrorism in the context of South Asia. The articles also consider the role and the means by which modern weapons technology has virtually re-conceptualized terrorism, not only nationally but internationally.

It is also interesting to see how the "pool of scholars" associated with the publication carefully consider terrorism from different perspectives and sometimes agree on some common denominators. Quite correctly, it is explained that misgovernance of the state, marginalization of communities and national deprivation have contributed directly to the expansion and consolidation of non-state terrorism.

It would also be correct to underline in this context that the process of globalization has also, in all probability, provided fresh impetus to terrorism in terms of international networks and the supply of raw materials for this purpose. What is happening today in Iraq and Afghanistan are appropriate examples of this state of affairs.

Nira Wickramasinghe, one of the authors in the book, while treating this facet, points out that the tentacles of terrorism are beginning to assume extra-territorial dimensions also in South Asia. It is not as bad as the Middle East, but the Nepali Maoists are slowly expanding their links with the Maoist Communist Centre, which operates next door in the Indian state of Bihar, and also with the People's War Group, which is active in five other Indian states. Nevertheless, it is also agreed that, in US terms, South Asia organizations that practice terrorist acts, which affect the global order, are negligible.

The publication also analyses the different elements that constitute counter-terrorism and compares it with what one would term as anti-terrorism. The values are examined philosophically and also in terms of reality. In this regard, it is revealed that as yet, there is no common, universally accepted definition of terrorism. It is pointed out that the US State Department, uses the definition contained in Title 22 of the United States Code, Section 2656 f (d), where emphasis is laid on the act being "premeditated, politically motivated, violent and perpetrated against non-combatant targets by sub-national groups or clandestine agents."

Scrutiny in this context then turns to South Asia and the South Asian perspective. It is noted that initially, although the Saarc Regional Convention on the Suppression of Terrorism was approved on November 4, 1987, South Asian countries refrained from the task of defining terrorism.

It was only later, in January 2004, that Saarc through an Additional Protocol identified a more explicit meaning of the word "terrorism." It was agreed that a person would be committing such an offence "if the act intended to cause death or serious bodily injury to a civilian" and that "the purpose of this act, by its nature or context, is meant to intimidate a population, or to compel a government or an international organization to do or to abstain from doing any act."

This was a movement forward. However, the next step, a common South Asian extradition treaty has unfortunately not yet been agreed upon.

Contributors of the different articles included in this publication have also attempted to draw the reader's attention to the different factors that lead to forms of terrorism other than "International Terrorism." The introductory chapter in this connection also refers to "religious terrorism," "ethnic terrorism," "cultural terrorism," "domestic terrorism," "transnational terrorism," "bio-terrorism," and also to "cyber terrorism." As expected, there is also discussion on "suicide terrorism," which now clearly dominates news all over the Middle East and particularly in Iraq.

Rubina Saigol and Shahedul Anam Khan focus on the reason of the state and the limits of counter-terrorism with particular reference to two sets of countries, Pakistan and Sri Lanka on one hand, and India and Bangladesh on the other. Saigol tends to question the religious identification of terrorism and blames much of it to western prejudices and the contemporary trend of being anti-Islamic in most things.

Shahedul Anam Khan on the other hand thinks that there is an integral connection between the state and terrorism. He distinguishes between the terrorist canvas of India and Bangladesh in terms of origin and scope, but also reiterates that both countries appear to be relying on combatting terrorism on the basis of the "statist" formula, which does not appear to be the best solution.

The chapter on "Weapons Technology and the Reconceptualization of Terrorism" asserts that modern weapons technology has added qualitative difference and intensity to violence and terror. It also highlights the "complicity" of the state in this regard.

There is also a very scholarly and academic examination of terrorism and its effect within the social and the political fabric of Sri Lanka, Nepal, and North-East India. The responsiveness of the existing political systems in these countries and sub-region are also evaluated objectively.

The use of the historical perspective in the treatment of the different subjects has been important. However, this has made the analysis a bit more complex than was perhaps necessary.

The other significant feature has been the inclusion of several tables with statistics. One presumes that the authors took special care while compiling these tables and that they will stand up to scrutiny. These will be very useful for serious students who desire to undertake further research on this subject.

The Regional Centre for Strategic Studies (RCSS) deserves felicitation for this, their latest work.