Few states had terror legislation before the terror attacks on the USA in 2001. What happened was that terrorism became a clearly defined crime. As long as the intention behind an act is considered to be terrorism, the sentencing framework will be higher than for other similar crimes.

The Faculty of Law has leading expertise in criminal law and criminal theory. The course Terrorism in International and European Criminal Law concerns the use of criminal law measures in the fight against terrorism, at the global as well as at the regional level (Europe). There will be special focus on the definition of terrorism, the criminalisation of terrorism and preparatory acts, the prosecution of and international cooperation in terrorist cases, and the role of human rights in counter-terrorism.