What is a Terrorist?

I was over at Snopes.com checking on the latest upon legends and false mass emailings when I came across this email item claiming Al-Qaeda terrorists had poisoned one in five cans of Coca-Cola with anthrax and arsenic.

Al Qaeda terrorists infiltrate Coca-Cola Factorys

Dear Reader,

This is a category one ALERT from CNN.

CNN have learned from government sources today that the Coca-Cola factories that supply the United States of America and our friends in the United Kingdom have been infiltrated by Al Qaeda terrorists.

Traces of arsenic and anthrax have been found in one out of every five cans of Coke tested. Reports have been sent out to all major networks and newspapers to put out a "Red Alert Category One", warning all drinkers of Coke to make their way to the nearest hospital for a check-up

If you have drunk or bought Coca-Cola on or after the 25th of March 2005 then do not panic, just inform your nearest medical centre and make your way there as soon as possible.

In the best interests of The USA and our friends in the UK could you forward this mail to all Coke drinkers you know, we will be posting more updates as they come in.

Regards
James Martin
http://www.CNN.com/

This is obviously false and I'm sure few people fell for it but shouldn't the author of this email be treated as a terrorist? I mean, their purpose, other than maybe to suppress the sale of Coke, was to scare people, i.e. terrorize them.

The problem, I suppose, would be where to draw the line; there certainly are free speech issues involved. Still, I get tired of these phony, usually politically motivated, scare-mails flooding inboxes throughout the land.