"This is a much needed text dealing specifically with terrorism in the United States. The legal and political material is particularly useful, and the painstaking studies of groups and individuals make it a very useful tool for law enforcement, criminal justice, or political science students." -- Stephen G. O'Brien, Macomb Community College

Using extensive records from federal district courts, national archives, the U.S. Sentencing Commission, and the Administrative Office of U.S. Courts, Brent Smith examines the activities of persons investigated for acts of terrorism during the 1980s. He traces the lives of the men and women who turned to terrorism in America, the goals that motivated their behavior, and the crimes they committed. In addition, the book provides detailed information regarding how shifts in federal priorities led to the capture and subsequent conviction of most of these offenders, as well as the severity with which these men and women were punished.