What type of terrorism involves the planned destruction of equipment or infrastructure?

The type of terrorism that involves the planned destruction of equipment or infrastructure is sabotage. Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at causing damage or disruption to facilities, machinery, or other critical infrastructure. This act can disrupt operations, create fear, and undermine trust in the systems that support daily life or military operations.

In the context of terrorism, sabotage is often utilized by groups seeking to make a statement or to weaken an opponent's capabilities. By strategically targeting specific assets, perpetrators can achieve significant political or social impacts without directly engaging in violent conflict with individuals.

The other options, while they involve forms of violence or disturbance, do not specifically focus on the destruction of equipment or infrastructure. For instance, arson refers specifically to the deliberate setting of fires, which could be a method of sabotage but is not synonymous with it. Assassination involves killing individuals, often for political motives, and hostage taking is the act of unlawfully capturing individuals to leverage demands. Each of these actions serves different purposes and impacts and does not encapsulate the broader aim of sabotaging infrastructure.