The opening chapter presents a quantitative analysis examining how the compromising of religious liberty can create conditions ripe for the emergence of religious terrorism. When states restrict religious belief and practice through oppressive laws and policies, prevent certain religious groups from participating in politics, promote sectarian polarization in society, fail to confront intolerance based in religion or engage in brutal counterterrorism campaigns, they foster alienation and sow the seeds for radicalization. This chapter examines two ways through which states commonly repress religion: minority religious discrimination and majority religious cooptation. Both forms of restriction carry the potential to generate terrorism in unique ways.