Assassins

An assassin is a person who deliberately kills another person, usually a targeted individual rather than a random victim. Throughout history, assassination has been used as a political, religious, or ideological tool. Motives vary, and assassins may act alone or as part of a group or state operation.

Etymology and origins: The term assassin derives from the Arabic Hashshashin, a medieval Nizari Ismaili sect active in the 11th to 13th centuries. European writers during the Crusades borrowed the label to describe covert killers who pursued political ends. Over time, "assassin" came to denote political murderers more broadly, sometimes aligning with myths as much as history.

Medieval to modern: In many periods, assassination served dynastic or strategic aims, with tactics ranging from disguise and infiltration to poisoning and weapon strikes. The practice persisted into the modern era, where political killings sometimes altered leadership, policy, or international relations, and audiences increasingly separated the act from its mythologized legends.

Legal and ethical context: Most jurisdictions classify assassination as murder and treat it as a criminal offense. International law generally restricts or condemns state-sanctioned killings, though clandestine operations have occurred. Debates continue about the ethics and consequences of political assassination, including its impact on civil society, accountability, and the rule of law.