This is a highly original analysis of terrorism and its implications for international law and politics, focusing on the "Achille Lauro" affair where a luxury liner was hijacked and hostages were killed.

Antonio Cassese was an Italian jurist who specialized in public international law. He was the first President of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and the first President of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon which he presided over until his resignation on health grounds on 1 October 2011.