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Glite Dictionary
foreign terrorist organization

foreign terrorist organization

3 7.1
A group based in another country that uses violence to get political change and is often named by a government
  • noun
  • /ˈfɔrɪn ˈtɛrərist ˌɔrgənɪˈzeɪʃən/
  • NSFW
translation icon : organización terrorista extranjera
  • The United States officially designated Hamas a foreign terrorist organization in 1997.
  • designated as a foreign terrorist organization

He has declared the drug cartels to be foreign terrorist organizations.

Examples

  • Two-thirds of the 33 designated foreign terrorist organizations in the 2002 Report are either secular Palestinian ones or Arab and non-Arab Muslim ones.

    Academic text (2002)

  • Clinton recently designated the Pakistani-based Haqqani network a foreign terrorist organization.

    Blog text (27)

  • In just the past few weeks, multiple foreign terrorist organizations have called for attacks against Americans and the West.

  • Section 2339B of the U.S. Code makes it criminal to knowingly provide "material support or resources" to a foreign terrorist organization, as well as any attempt or conspiracy to do so.

    Academic text (2011)

  • The U.S. State Department designated Hezbollah as a foreign terrorist organization in 1997, and U.S. officials have repeatedly called on EU governments to implement a similar ban to allow their own law enforcement and intelligence agencies to curb Hezbollah operations.

    Academic text (2010)

  • The State Department today designated the group a foreign terrorist organization.

  • The United States officially designated Hamas a foreign terrorist organization in 1997.

  • Reynolds has been charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization.

Synonyms

terrorist group
vsforeign terrorist organization
  • NSFW
57 4.9

A group that uses violence and fear against civilians to reach political goals

is based outside the country rather than having no location specified
terrorist organization
vsforeign terrorist organization
  • NSFW
48 5.3

A group that uses violence to frighten people to reach political goals

is based outside the country rather than having no location specified

How Violent

foreign terrorist organization
  • NSFW
3 7.1
terrorist cell
  • NSFW
15 6.0

Surface Forms

foreign terrorist organization singular
foreign terrorist organizations plural

Morphology

foreign + terrorist + organization

The meaning is directly compositional: 'foreign' (from another country) + 'terrorist' (engaging in politically motivated violent acts) + 'organization' (a group) together yield a group based abroad that uses terrorism. While legal/official designation nuances (e.g., being officially listed as a terrorist organization) are extra details, the core referent is immediately derivable by a B1 learner who knows the constituents.

Etymology

Foreign terrorist organization is an official name made from three simple words: foreign (from another country), terrorist (a group that uses violence to frighten people), and organization (a group). Governments use this label for groups based outside the country that use violence for political goals, so the phrase means a group abroad that is officially listed as 'terrorist'.