Why Do Some Insurgent Groups Mostly Attack the General Public?

This chapter applies the embeddedness argument to types of civilian targeting. It explores why some insurgent groups mostly attack the general public. In other words, it examines why some insurgent groups focus their attacks on civilians who are not government employees or symbols of institutions such as religious leaders or members of the news media. This seemingly random type of targeting has been described as an “ideal type” of terrorism because it makes other members of the public fear that they might be the next victims. Government coercion, intergroup rivalries, and ethnic motivation appear to be important for explaining this type of targeting.