The article examines the state and prospects of the state policy of countering terrorism. It was concluded that certain decisions taken by the state authorities in the field of combating terrorism are belated. In particular, this concerns the recognition as terrorist and the prohibition of the organization "Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant" (now known as the "Islamic State") in the territory of Russia. In order to inform the public about the crimes committed by terrorists against the civilian population, the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, following the example of the parliaments of a number of foreign states, is urged to recognize and condemn the genocide of the ethnoconfessional group of Yezidis of Iraq committed by the international terrorist organization "Islamic State" (IS). The Report of the UN Special Commission for Investigation in Syria contains a similar recommendation to the parliaments of other states around the world (June 2016). The shortcomings of the domestic anti-terrorism legislation and its controversial novels are noted. The proposals for its improvement are formulated, taking into account the modern achievements of science and the needs of practice. In particular, it is proposed to modernize the Concept of Counter-Terrorism in the Russian Federation, approved by the President of the Russian Federation on October 5, 2009. The bill on establishing criminal liability of legal entities for crimes of a terrorist nature is supported. It is proposed to reconsider the contradictory explanations of the Resolution of the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation of February 9, 2012 No. 1 "On Some Issues of Judicial Practice in Criminal Cases on Crimes of a Terrorist Attitude" concerning the qualification of terrorist crimes and the imposition of punishment for their commission.