Lapse is separating non-drinker from bomb thrower (9)
I believe the answer is:
terrorist
'bomb thrower' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both people as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'lapse is separating non-drinker' is the wordplay.
'lapse' becomes 'error' (I've seen this in another clue).
'separating' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'non drinker' becomes 'tt' (abbreviation for teetotaller).
'error'+'is'='erroris'
'erroris' placed inside 'tt' is 'TERRORIST'.
'from' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for terrorist that I've seen before include "Guerrilla" , "Political fighter" , "User of violence to intimidate governments" , "one likely to cause mayhem?" , "Fanatic" .)