A Modern History of Maritime Terrorism

A Modern History of Maritime Terrorism: From the Fenian Ram to Explosive-Laden Drone Boats is a comprehensive and insightful examination of the evolution of maritime terrorism in the modern era. Navigating the past, present and future of maritime terrorism, Peter Lehr outlines its history and definitions, its current manifestations, locations and actors, and its possible future trajectories.

Structured in three key parts, this book takes a critical and historical approach to the study of maritime terrorism. Focussing on the terrorist actors’ perspectives, chapters investigate existing academic literature, official reports, newspaper articles and the actors’ own descriptions of their acts of terrorism. Lehr considers the motivations and expectations behind why terrorists take terrorism to the sea; the weapons and tactics used to do so; where they struck, and against what; and ultimately what they achieved. Considering the lessons learned from the history of maritime terrorism, the book concludes with an examination of the near-future trajectories it could take.



A vivid and detailed account of the various forms of maritime terrorism that have emerged in the last century, this topical book will be invaluable to students and scholars of international relations, terrorism and security studies, and maritime politics and policy. Its comparative analysis of the patterns in the actors, locations and tactics in maritime terrorism will prove useful to practitioners seeking to plan and execute counter-terrorism operations.