---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If inciting people to do that is…"
description: "\"If inciting people to do that is terrorism, and if killing those who kill our sons is terrorism, then let history be witness that we are terrorists.\" —..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/152/osama-bin-laden-10612_history_if-inciting-people-to-do-that-is-terrori_2828149.jpg"
---

#  If inciting people to do that is terrorism, and if killing…

![“If inciting people to do that is terrorism, and if killing those who kill our sons is terrorism, then let history be witness that we are terrorists.” quote by Osama bin Laden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/152/osama-bin-laden-10612_history_if-inciting-people-to-do-that-is-terrori_2828149.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/152/osama-bin-laden-10612_history_if-inciting-people-to-do-that-is-terrori_2828149.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/152/osama-bin-laden-10612_history_if-inciting-people-to-do-that-is-terrori_2828149.jpg)

> “If inciting people to do that is terrorism, and if killing those who kill our sons is terrorism, then let history be witness that we are terrorists.”

[Osama bin Laden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osama-bin-laden/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

If killing those who kill our sons is terrorism, then we too are terrorists; history will bear witness.

**In simple terms:** Acts of vengeance can be labeled terrorism.

Key Takeaway

Consider the moral weight of retaliation.

Themes

conflict ethics terrorism

Mood

controversial thought‑provoking

Type

political ethical

When to use this quote

- legal tribunals
- peace negotiations
- public discourse

Key Concepts

moral relativism justice historical judgment

Questions to Reflect On

- Who defines terrorism?
- Can violence ever be justified?

A Different Perspective

May oversimplify complex geopolitical issues.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Killing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killing/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/son/) [Terrorism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorism/)

## Related quotes

> [We cannot continue to allow immigrants to come here illegally. And in this age of terrorism, we must not let in refugees whose intentions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-haley/we-cannot-continue-to-allow-immigrants-to-come-here-illegally-and-in/)

[Nikki Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-haley/)

> [The definition of terrorism is killing civilians with the intent of changing their political affiliation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caleb-carr/the-definition-of-terrorism-is-killing-civilians-with-the-intent-of/)

[Caleb Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caleb-carr/)

> [People are easily shocked when their routine is disrupted and their ease of travel is restricted. We are dealing with a complete new face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashraf-ghani/people-are-easily-shocked-when-their-routine-is-disrupted-and-their/)

[Ashraf Ghani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashraf-ghani/)

> [Banning the burkini doesn't produce terrorists. But it does make the people who are already alienated, who are already disenfranchised, I many cases, economically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leiter/banning-the-burkini-doesn-t-produce-terrorists-but-it-does-make-the/)

[Michael Leiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leiter/)

> [We are always just one successful terrorist attack away from a nuclear disaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/we-are-always-just-one-successful-terrorist-attack-away-from-a/)

[Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/)

> [You will recall that for months after 9/11, there was incredible support and sympathy for the US. I really hoped and wished they had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/you-will-recall-that-for-months-after-9-11-there-was-incredible/)

[Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/)

> [You don't bargain with terrorists. You don't appease terrorists. And anybody who believes that this is about something we've done has to ask themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chertoff/you-don-t-bargain-with-terrorists-you-don-t-appease-terrorists-and/)

[Michael Chertoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chertoff/)

> [The terrorists-those nineteen people, with hundreds or maybe thousands behind them-did the worst thing you can possibly imagine. But tens of millions people did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/the-terrorists-those-nineteen-people-with-hundreds-or-maybe-thousands/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

> [The terrorist attacks of September 11th and the courageous actions of our armed forces in Afghanistan and Iraq remind us that friends of tyranny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-levin/the-terrorist-attacks-of-september-11th-and-the-courageous-actions-of/)

[Carl Levin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-levin/)

> [Take a look at Israel's history and you would know who the terrorist is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/take-a-look-at-israel-s-history-and-you-would-know-who-the-terrorist/)

[Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/)

> [Erdogan wants a caliphate. We Kurds are in his way. Erdogan can't stop us politically, so he is denouncing us as terrorists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selahattin-demirtas/erdogan-wants-a-caliphate-we-kurds-are-in-his-way-erdogan-can-t-stop/)

Selahattin Demirtas

> [I have clearly said we faced terrorist enemies who use Islam to justify slaughtering innocent people and we have to stop them and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-have-clearly-said-we-faced-terrorist-enemies-who-use-islam-to/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [Poverty is a crime and the poor are terrorists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/poverty-is-a-crime-and-the-poor-are-terrorists/)

[Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/)

> [We in US need active intelligence: people being on the streets, people being able to stop and ask questions of individuals that they suspect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-guilfoyle/we-in-us-need-active-intelligence-people-being-on-the-streets-people/)

[Kimberly Guilfoyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-guilfoyle/)

> [Pakistan now is like a horror film franchise. You know, it's 'Friday the 13th, Episode 63: The Terrorist from Pakistan.' And each time we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/pakistan-now-is-like-a-horror-film-franchise-you-know-it-s-friday-the/)

[Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/)

## More by Osama bin Laden

> [Praise be Allah and prayers and peace upon Mohammed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osama-bin-laden/praise-be-allah-and-prayers-and-peace-upon-mohammed/)

[Osama bin Laden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osama-bin-laden/)

> [We have not found it difficult to deal with the Bush administration in light of the resemblance that it bears to the regimes in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osama-bin-laden/we-have-not-found-it-difficult-to-deal-with-the-bush-administration/)

[Osama bin Laden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osama-bin-laden/)

> [“We are following with great concern the preparations of the crusaders to launch war on the former capital of Muslims...and to install a puppet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osama-bin-laden/we-are-following-with-great-concern-the-preparations-of-the-crusaders/)

[Osama bin Laden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osama-bin-laden/)

> [The war is between us and the Jews. Any country that steps into the same trench as the Jews has only itself to blame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osama-bin-laden/the-war-is-between-us-and-the-jews-any-country-that-steps-into-the/)

[Osama bin Laden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osama-bin-laden/)

> [As long as I am alive there will be no rest for the enemies of Islam. I will continue my mission against them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osama-bin-laden/as-long-as-i-am-alive-there-will-be-no-rest-for-the-enemies-of-islam/)

[Osama bin Laden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osama-bin-laden/)

> [When people see a strong horse and a weak horse, by nature they will like the strong horse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osama-bin-laden/when-people-see-a-strong-horse-and-a-weak-horse-by-nature-they-will/)

[Osama bin Laden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osama-bin-laden/)

> [They were overjoyed when the first plane hit the building, so I said to them: be patient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osama-bin-laden/they-were-overjoyed-when-the-first-plane-hit-the-building-so-i-said/)

[Osama bin Laden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osama-bin-laden/)

> [We treat them in the same way. Those who kill our women and innocent, we kill their women and innocent, until they refrain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osama-bin-laden/we-treat-them-in-the-same-way-those-who-kill-our-women-and-innocent/)

[Osama bin Laden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osama-bin-laden/)

> [Acquiring weapons for the defense of Muslims is a religious duty... If I seek to acquire these weapons, I am carrying out a duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osama-bin-laden/acquiring-weapons-for-the-defense-of-muslims-is-a-religious-duty-if-i/)

[Osama bin Laden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osama-bin-laden/)

> [For us, the idea was not to get involved more than necessary in the fight against the Russians, which was the business of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osama-bin-laden/for-us-the-idea-was-not-to-get-involved-more-than-necessary-in-the/)

[Osama bin Laden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osama-bin-laden/)

> [Even as you enter the fourth year after the Sept. 11 attacks, Bush is still misleading and deluding you and hiding the real reason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osama-bin-laden/even-as-you-enter-the-fourth-year-after-the-sept-11-attacks-bush-is/)

[Osama bin Laden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osama-bin-laden/)

> [All that we have to do is to send two mujahedeen to the furthest point east to raise a piece of cloth on which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osama-bin-laden/all-that-we-have-to-do-is-to-send-two-mujahedeen-to-the-furthest/)

[Osama bin Laden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osama-bin-laden/)

> [Speaking about climate change is not a matter of intellectual luxury – the phenomenon is an actual fact … all of the industrialised countries,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osama-bin-laden/speaking-about-climate-change-is-not-a-matter-of-intellectual-luxury/)

[Osama bin Laden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osama-bin-laden/)

> [I support any Muslims, whether here or abroad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osama-bin-laden/i-support-any-muslims-whether-here-or-abroad/)

[Osama bin Laden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osama-bin-laden/)

> [We are continuing this policy in bleeding America to the point of bankruptcy. Allah willing, and nothing is too great for Allah,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osama-bin-laden/we-are-continuing-this-policy-in-bleeding-america-to-the-point-of/)

[Osama bin Laden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osama-bin-laden/)

[Explore all 64 Osama bin Laden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osama-bin-laden/)

## More History quotes

> [Histories never conclude; they just pause their prose. Their stories are, if they are truthful, untidy affairs, resistant to windings-up and sortings-out. They beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-schama/histories-never-conclude-they-just-pause-their-prose-their-stories/)

[Simon Schama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-schama/)

> [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/)

[Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/)

> [The history of mankind interests us only as it exhibits a steady gain of truth and right, in the incessant conflict which it records…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-history-of-mankind-interests-us-only-as-it-exhibits-a-steady-gain/)

[Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/)

> [In the entire history of the universe, let alone in your own history, there has never been another day just like today, and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/in-the-entire-history-of-the-universe-let-alone-in-your-own-history/)

[Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/)

> [The NBA is my history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-hardaway/the-nba-is-my-history/)

[Penny Hardaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-hardaway/)

> [History has often showed us the strength of the forces that are unleashed by the yearning for freedom. It moved people to overcome their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/history-has-often-showed-us-the-strength-of-the-forces-that-are/)

[Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/)

> [We find few historians who have been diligent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method to take on trust what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/we-find-few-historians-who-have-been-diligent-enough-in-their-search/)

[John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/)

> [What is history after all? History is facts which become lies in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-cocteau/what-is-history-after-all-history-is-facts-which-become-lies-in-the/)

[Jean Cocteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-cocteau/)

> [Things live and die, and then someone processes them into edible portions. This is a complete telling of the story, 'Food.' The basic plot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fahrenthold/things-live-and-die-and-then-someone-processes-them-into-edible/)

[David Fahrenthold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fahrenthold/)

> [History is a certain way, but you just change the point of view a little bit, and you discover a whole new side of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-schroeder/history-is-a-certain-way-but-you-just-change-the-point-of-view-a/)

[Allison Schroeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-schroeder/)

> [We're at a point in history were we have to become a part of the neighborhood of inhabited planets, like a neighborhood of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/we-re-at-a-point-in-history-were-we-have-to-become-a-part-of-the/)

[Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/)

> [Today is a reality, tomorrow's a promise, and yesterday's history!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-blanks/today-is-a-reality-tomorrow-s-a-promise-and-yesterday-s-history/)

[Billy Blanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-blanks/)

> [Truth be told from compulsive liars with a history/Everything must change 2nd chances are a mystery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-dash/truth-be-told-from-compulsive-liars-with-a-history-everything-must/)

C-DASH

> [Every army in the history of the world has always had some deserters, usually much greater than we have today, because once again every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-hilferty/every-army-in-the-history-of-the-world-has-always-had-some-deserters/)

[Bryan Hilferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-hilferty/)

> [“To those great geniuses now in petticoats, who shall write novels for the beloved reader's children, these men and things will be as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/to-those-great-geniuses-now-in-petticoats-who-shall-write-novels-for/)

[William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/)

[Browse all 27,263 History quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "If inciting people to do that is terrorism, and if killing those who kill our sons is terrorism, then let history be witness that we are terrorists.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Osama bin Laden"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osama-bin-laden/if-inciting-people-to-do-that-is-terrorism-and-if-killing-those-who/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "History"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osama-bin-laden/if-inciting-people-to-do-that-is-terrorism-and-if-killing-those-who/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/152/osama-bin-laden-10612_history_if-inciting-people-to-do-that-is-terrori_2828149.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/152/osama-bin-laden-10612_history_if-inciting-people-to-do-that-is-terrori_2828149.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/152/osama-bin-laden-10612_history_if-inciting-people-to-do-that-is-terrori_2828149.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“If inciting people to do that is terrorism, and if killing those who kill our sons is terrorism, then let…” — Osama bin Laden",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Osama bin Laden",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osama-bin-laden/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "If inciting people to do that...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osama-bin-laden/if-inciting-people-to-do-that-is-terrorism-and-if-killing-those-who/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osama-bin-laden/if-inciting-people-to-do-that-is-terrorism-and-if-killing-those-who/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
