The paper undertook a critical analysis of the features and trends of modern international terrorism with a focus on its social and political effects. It highlighted the fact that modern terrorism which took its roots from European brand of terrorism has assumed a more violent and devastating dimension as typified by the destruction of the pentagon building and the World Trade Centre in the US on 11th September, 2001 by the Islamic fundamentalists led by Bin Laden. The struggle for independence in some parts of Africa took the form of terrorist actions in the form of Guerilla warfare. It was argued in the paper that the political and social effects of terrorism on people and society are a mixed bag of blessings and cause. Politically, terrorist movement targeted at dethroning a regime with a dominant ideology often leads to civil crisis and destruction of monumental proportion. The social benefits of terrorism as highlighted in the paper include the fact that terrorism creates a sense of oneness and solidarity among people of society. On the negative side of social effects, the analysis showed that terrorism undoubtedly causes displacement of people and discourages foreign investments. It was recommended that terrorist acts in any guise should be avoided, and that the US should desist from using her military might to deal with small countries that are branded terrorists by her.
