History Behind the Headlines, volume 4, was in the middle of production when the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, occurred in the United States. The editors considered adjusting the content of the volume to reflect the current news emphasis on terrorism, but determined that the best way to serve you, the reader, was not to postpone volume 4 but instead devote an entire volume to terrorism topics.

Volume 5 of History Behind the Headlines is a special edition scheduled to publish soon after volume 4. It will contain twenty-five to thirty entries on various aspects of terrorism, from Osama bin Laden and state sponsors of terrorism to civil rights, extremism, and biological, chemical, and nuclear threats.

The editors hope that you will turn to this comprehensive special edition of History Behind the Headlines, authored by those knowledgeable in the field, for objective, straightforward and in-depth information on the terrorism headlines upon which global eyes are focused.