Take 9/11 for example: they attacked the US by taking out a financial center and trying to take out the Pentagon and White House. Those are moves to grab attention, and only served to piss us off and resulted in their homes in Afghanistan and other places in the Middle East being blown up and/or getting them killed. If they were truly trying to terrorize us they would do attacks in towns across the country. Not just grandstanding for media attention. I won't mention specific ways, hi NSA!, but if you want an idea, look up the book Dead or Alive by Grant Blackwood with Tom Clancy's name on it.