Terrorism as the main threat to the state defence

The article focuses on the analysis of terrorism as the main threat to the state defense. One of the main problems in combating this threat is lack of the uniformity in understanding and definition of terrorism on national and international level, what complicates the search of the means reducing this threat. In addition, because of possible use of armed forces against this threat, the absence of understanding of this term as the basis for introducing relevant legal regimes may lead to violation of human rights. The article presents definitions of terrorism from normative acts of foreign countries and sources of international law. It traces the historical development of the understanding of terrorism in different countries in terms of the evolution of the content of this term.