Louis Palme
/
Feb 04, 2013
Since the 9/11 attack on New York and Washington, D.C., The Religion of Peace website has maintained a daily log of Islamic terror attacks, and many Internet blogs post the daily scorecard. It is also important to reflect on the trends over time with annual summaries, which this author has been doing for several years. While Islamic terrorism continues unabated in Afghanistan and Iraq, the new focus seems to be North Africa. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently acknowledged before Congressional hearings, “We now face a spreading jihadist threat. We have to recognize this is a global movement.” The perpetrators are no longer just the Taliban and Al-Qaeda, which claimed credit for only 194 and 144 attacks respectively of the total 2,546 attacks in 2012. And the principal victims were not the “Great Satan” (U.S.A.) or Israel, but rather mostly Muslims themselves. Shiites were identified as the targets of 338 attacks, or over three times the number identified as Christian targets. Terrorism has become the tactic of choice in Syria, both by the government and by the rebels. The death and injury tolls inflicted by the rebels alone rival those in Afghanistan for about one-fourth the number of attacks. Sadly, in 2012 the toll of Islamic terror attacks since 9/11/01 surpassed 20,000 on The Religion of Peace (TROP) website (www.thereligionofpeace.com).
A note about the data: While the editors of the TROP website would be the first to admit there may be gaps in the data, they have been as diligent as humanly possible to provide an accurate accounting from newspaper articles, tips, and other information sources. If anything, the data grossly understate the true extent of Islamic terrorism. (See “About the List of Terrorist Attacks” on their website sidebar.)
Terrorism by Year:
|
|
ATTACKS
|
KILLED
|
INJURED
|
ATTACKS EXCLUDING IRAQ/AFGH
|
KILLED
EXCLUDING
IRAQ/AFGH
|
INJURED
EXCLUDING
IRAQ/AFGH
|
|
2002
|
549
|
2,723
|
6,039
|
542
|
2,686
|
5,877
|
|
2003
|
835
|
3,372
|
6,905
|
627
|
2,554
|
5,358
|
|
2004
|
994
|
7,210
|
14,632
|
578
|
4,265
|
8,348
|
|
2005
|
1,539
|
7,662
|
12,850
|
914
|
2,648
|
5,709
|
|
2006
|
2,286
|
15,251
|
19,540
|
1,105
|
3,733
|
6,108
|
|
2007
|
2,649
|
20,172
|
16,013
|
1,387
|
4,758
|
7,422
|
|
2008
|
2,204
|
10,779
|
18,213
|
1,284
|
5,061
|
8,905
|
|
2009
|
1,932
|
9,157
|
18,591
|
1,263
|
4,714
|
9,223
|
|
2010
|
1,867
|
9,008
|
17,032
|
1,000
|
4,796
|
8,147
|
|
2011
|
1,993
|
8,948
|
16,762
|
1,267
|
5,058
|
9,156
|
|
2012
|
2,546
|
11,306
|
20,210
|
1,736
|
7,335
|
11,367
|
Terror in the U.S.:
|
|
ATTACKS
|
KILLED
|
INJURED
|
|
2002
|
12
|
16
|
1
|
|
2003
|
2
|
2
|
-
|
|
2004
|
3
|
2
|
10
|
|
2005
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
2006
|
4
|
6
|
20
|
|
2007
|
2
|
5
|
5
|
|
2008
|
2
|
3
|
0
|
|
2009
|
5
|
17
|
33
|
|
2010
|
1
|
5
|
2
|
|
2011
|
1
|
1
|
-
|
|
2012
|
1
|
-
|
3
|
While several terror attacks were thwarted by authorities 2012, a Muslim father shot his daughter, her boyfriend, and her mother for letting her date a non-Muslim. Shamefully, the trial for U.S. Army Major Nidal Hasan, the Army doctor who shouted “Allah Akbar” and opened fire on fellow soldiers killing 13 and injuring 31 in 2009, has still not begun. He is still receiving a $6,000 per month salary at taxpayers’ expense. This terror attack by a self-proclaimed “Soldier of Allah” is now being described by the government as a case of “workplace violence.”
Afghanistan:
|
|
ATTACKS
|
KILLED
|
INJURED
|
|
2002
|
6
|
36
|
162
|
|
2003
|
58
|
248
|
192
|
|
2004
|
80
|
342
|
329
|
|
2005
|
162
|
530
|
356
|
|
2006
|
229
|
859
|
1,180
|
|
2007
|
289
|
1,293
|
1,491
|
|
2008
|
271
|
1,265
|
1,479
|
|
2009
|
168
|
1,312
|
1,644
|
|
2010
|
302
|
1,350
|
1,695
|
|
2011
|
264
|
1,554
|
2,326
|
|
2012
|
303
|
1,358
|
2,173
|
As the U.S. Coalition is rushing to leave Afghanistan by 2014, the grim reality is that the Afghan police and military forces are not up to the task of securing the country. Many of the Afghan recruits cannot read or write, limiting their ability to absorb the technical knowledge to carry out 21st Century counter-terrorism activities. Worse yet, the rush to recruit soldiers and officers has allowed terrorists to infiltrate the programs, resulting in numerous Green-on-Blue murders of Coalition trainers. The U.S. military operation there is so compromised that more U.S. soldiers are dying of suicide than combat injuries.
China:
|
|
ATTACKS
|
KILLED
|
INJURED
|
|
2007
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
2008
|
7
|
48
|
46
|
|
2009
|
1
|
137
|
800
|
|
2010
|
1
|
7
|
14
|
|
2011
|
4
|
21
|
24
|
|
2012
|
2
|
13
|
5
|
There are between 26 million and 40 million Muslims in China, comprising 2% to 3% of the total population. In recent years they have become more militant in asserting their Islamic prerogatives. The Chinese government crack-down has been severe. Lacking fire-arms and explosives, the terrorists are attacking their victims with knives.
Egypt:
|
2009
|
6
|
6
|
45
|
|
2010
|
10
|
32
|
194
|
|
2011
|
28
|
110
|
949
|
|
2012
|
29
|
53
|
346
|
Egypt’s “Arab Spring” began in January, 2011, with demonstrations that ultimately ended the 30 year rule of Hosni Mubarak. However, terrorism was rarely part of the tactics of the reformists. All but 2 of the 2011 terror attacks were directed at the Christians who comprise about 10 percent of the population. They are leaving the country as fast as they can. In 2012, the acts of terror were a mix of two-thirds violent Sharia Law enforcement and one-third anti-Christian attacks.
India:
|
|
ATTACKS
|
KILLED
|
INJURED
|
|
2002
|
295
|
905
|
1,353
|
|
2003
|
301
|
692
|
1,633
|
|
2004
|
120
|
367
|
1,142
|
|
2005
|
222
|
498
|
1,241
|
|
2006
|
295
|
704
|
2,024
|
|
2007
|
149
|
268
|
483
|
|
2008
|
87
|
547
|
1,445
|
|
2009
|
61
|
99
|
76
|
|
2010
|
67
|
128
|
184
|
|
2011
|
50
|
98
|
253
|
|
2012
|
40
|
44
|
68
|
The low ratio of deaths to attacks indicates that most of the terror attacks in 2012 were against individuals. Twenty-three of the injured were part of car-bomb attack on a road construction crew. One quarter of the targets were Hindus. India is 81% Hindu, 13% Muslim, 2% Christian, and 2% Sikh.
Indonesia:
|
|
ATTACKS
|
KILLED
|
INJURED
|
|
2002
|
14
|
247
|
423
|
|
2003
|
13
|
48
|
142
|
|
2004
|
23
|
80
|
260
|
|
2005
|
11
|
69
|
246
|
|
2006
|
6
|
8
|
2
|
|
2007
|
2
|
1
|
13
|
|
2008
|
3
|
3
|
277
|
|
2009
|
1
|
9
|
50
|
|
2010
|
5
|
8
|
170
|
|
2011
|
14
|
20
|
154
|
|
2012
|
10
|
16
|
33
|
Indonesia has the largest Muslim population of any county in the world. Whereas Christians were the victims of two-thirds of the attacks and casualties in 2011, terror was used primarily by dominant Sunnis against “heritics,” Ahmadis, and security personnel in 2012. Indonesia is 88% Muslim, 8% Christian, and 2% Hindu.
Iraq:
|
|
ATTACKS
|
KILLED
|
INJURED
|
|
2002
|
1
|
1
|
-
|
|
2003
|
150
|
568
|
1,365
|
|
2004
|
336
|
2,603
|
5,955
|
|
2005
|
463
|
4,484
|
6,785
|
|
2006
|
952
|
10,659
|
12,252
|
|
2007
|
973
|
14,121
|
7,100
|
|
2008
|
649
|
4,453
|
7,829
|
|
2009
|
501
|
3,131
|
7,724
|
|
2010
|
565
|
2,862
|
8,147
|
|
2011
|
462
|
2,336
|
5,280
|
|
2012
|
507
|
2,613
|
6,670
|
U.S. combat operations in Iraq ended on August 31, 2011, and all troops had left Iraq by the end of the year, but terrorism increased 2012. Many of the terror attacks were by minority Sunnis against the majority Shiite civilian population. These attacks targeted large numbers of Shiites participating in pilgrimages, funerals, and worship. In six of the attacks, the average deaths were 40 and the average injuries were 120 each. Thanks to democracy, the Sunnis have lost much of their political influence; thanks to terrorism there is still no peace in Iraq.
Israel:
|
|
ATTACKS
|
KILLED
|
INJURED
|
|
2002
|
78
|
373
|
1,799
|
|
2003
|
62
|
202
|
811
|
|
2004
|
43
|
118
|
417
|
|
2005
|
30
|
58
|
283
|
|
2006
|
38
|
89
|
724
|
|
2007
|
7
|
9
|
75
|
|
2008
|
16
|
28
|
151
|
|
2009
|
9
|
8
|
5
|
|
2010
|
7
|
10
|
7
|
|
2011
|
14
|
20
|
120
|
|
2012
|
17
|
11
|
77
|
Israel’s uncompromising stand against Islamic terrorism, including its formidable containment wall, has drawn complaints, but there is no denying its effectiveness in reducing attacks on the country’s civilians. Suicide bombing has also been disrupted by security operations. About half of the deaths and injuries in 2012 were due to unguided missile attacks. Israel has now deployed an Iron Dome missile defense system which is said to be 80% to 90% effective at stopping those rockets. Iron Dome, however, was not designed as a defense against intercontinental ballistic missiles, so that may be the next phase of defending Israel.
Libya:
|
2009
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
2010
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
2011
|
1
|
3
|
-
|
|
2012
|
9
|
22
|
32
|
Libya’s “Brother Leader” Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown (and killed) in October, 2011. The new government has yet to reign in the over 200 independent (and sometimes rival) militias which control various parts of the country. The most notable incident in 2012 was the September 11 attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi by Ansar al-Sharia members which resulted in the deaths of the American Ambassador Christopher Stephens and three service personnel, in addition to seventeen people injured.
Mali:
|
2009
|
3
|
26
|
3
|
|
2010
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
|
2011
|
2
|
1
|
7
|
|
2012
|
9
|
26
|
46
|
Mali has had a constitutional democracy since 1991, but a military coup overthrew the government in March, 2012. The road back to democracy has been thwarted by fundamentalists enforcing Sharia and persecuting Christians. In June, “The Movement of Oneness and Jihad” assaulted a small town killing 17 defenders and injuring another 41. Now the French government, with logistical support from the U.S., is trying to restore order.
Nigeria:
|
|
ATTACKS
|
KILLED
|
INJURED
|
|
2002
|
8
|
195
|
620
|
|
2003
|
47
|
232
|
448
|
|
2004
|
17
|
194
|
60
|
|
2005
|
7
|
59
|
31
|
|
2006
|
9
|
101
|
401
|
|
2007
|
8
|
36
|
66
|
|
2008
|
4
|
12
|
20
|
|
2009
|
6
|
24
|
62
|
|
2010
|
37
|
815
|
866
|
|
2011
|
165
|
1182
|
1250
|
|
2012
|
276
|
1657
|
1689
|
For two years, some of the largest numerical increases in terrorism have occurred in Nigeria, where Muslims are targeting Christians. Of the 276 attacks, 103 were attributed to the radical Islamist group Boko Haram (Western Education Forbidden). These are mass murders. In January in Kano, Boko Haram launched a coordinated bombing and shooting attack that left 256 Christians dead and another 200 injured. Easter was marked by a suicide car bombing outside a church killing 41 and injuring another 33. In July, Muslims attacked twelve Christian villages, killing 80 (including 50 who had taken refuge in a church) and injuring another 300. Christian President Goodluck Jonathan has apparently lost control of his deeply divided nation. Nigeria is 50% Muslim, 40% Christian, and 10% “indigenous beliefs.” The northern part of Nigeria is predominantly Muslim, and some provinces claim to apply Sharia Law. In a recent CNN interview, Jonathan claimed, “Almost 50 per cent of Boko Haram adherents are trained in Northern Mali. Most of the weapons they use come from Libya to Mali and then to Nigeria.” For this reason, Nigeria is now involved in the anti-terrorism efforts in Mali.
Pakistan:
|
|
ATTACKS
|
KILLED
|
INJURED
|
|
2002
|
61
|
152
|
388
|
|
2003
|
39
|
155
|
207
|
|
2004
|
64
|
325
|
800
|
|
2005
|
83
|
274
|
375
|
|
2006
|
189
|
619
|
729
|
|
2007
|
302
|
1,638
|
2,876
|
|
2008
|
448
|
2,133
|
3,499
|
|
2009
|
461
|
2,355
|
4,645
|
|
2010
|
380
|
2,012
|
3,486
|
|
2011
|
453
|
1,837
|
2,913
|
|
2012
|
637
|
1,905
|
2,928
|
As a supposed ally of the U.S. in the fight against terrorism, Pakistan shown no willingness or ability to curb Islamic terror in their own country. Most of the terrorism in 2012 was Sunni violence against minority Shiites. The deadliest single attack was in February, when a Sunni suicide bomber targeted a Shia mosque, killing 43 and injuring another 41. Since Pakistan is 97% Muslim, the attacks there are virtually all Muslim-on-Muslim attacks, both sectarian and anti-government. The cancer of terrorism has metastasized in Pakistan, as evidenced by the fourteen different organizations claiming responsibility for the violence: Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Taliban (“students of Islam”), Jundullah, Tehreek-e-Taliban, Wahhabi, Shahid, Fedayeen, Sipah-e-Sahaba, Lashkar-e-Islam, Qazi Aisar, Sipah-e-Mohammad, Ansar al-Islam, Tauheed-e-Islam, and Abdullah Azzam Brigade.
Palestinian Authority (Gaza and West Bank):
|
|
ATTACKS
|
KILLED
|
INJURED
|
|
2002
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
2003
|
1
|
1
|
-
|
|
2004
|
2
|
5
|
6
|
|
2005
|
2
|
21
|
167
|
|
2006
|
14
|
19
|
27
|
|
2007
|
43
|
146
|
477
|
|
2008
|
9
|
13
|
37
|
|
2009
|
15
|
55
|
125
|
|
2010
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
|
2011
|
4
|
4
|
5
|
|
2012
|
8
|
12
|
35
|
In November, Palestinians succeeded in getting ‘de facto’ recognition via the United Nations as a “non-member observer” and they began calling themselves the “State of Palestine,” despite having no recognized border and no national government. Most of the murders in 2012 were due to enforcement of Sharia Law. In January, thirty Shiites were brutally beaten by Hamas thugs who broke into their worship service.
Russian Federation:
|
|
ATTACKS
|
KILLED
|
INJURED
|
|
2002
|
4
|
256
|
449
|
|
2003
|
56
|
434
|
774
|
|
2004
|
83
|
978
|
1251
|
|
2005
|
82
|
219
|
245
|
|
2006
|
47
|
106
|
110
|
|
2007
|
59
|
157
|
197
|
|
2008
|
59
|
115
|
135
|
|
2009
|
64
|
189
|
367
|
|
2010
|
78
|
217
|
648
|
|
2011
|
74
|
173
|
330
|
|
2012
|
61
|
152
|
209
|
The data above include Russia, Chechnya, Dagestan, and Ingushetia. Russia’s war on terrorism has made little progress since 2004. The most horrific attack in 2012 occurred in February when an Islamic militia attacked and killed thirteen police officers in Dagestan, killing 13 and injuring another 17.
Saudi Arabia:
|
|
ATTACKS
|
KILLED
|
INJURED
|
|
2002
|
1
|
1
|
-
|
|
2003
|
7
|
61
|
321
|
|
2004
|
17
|
64
|
277
|
|
2005
|
4
|
9
|
-
|
|
2006
|
3
|
6
|
13
|
|
2007
|
5
|
9
|
4
|
|
2008
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
|
2009
|
4
|
8
|
14
|
|
2010
|
1
|
1
|
3
|
|
2011
|
1
|
4
|
9
|
|
2012
|
8
|
10
|
17
|
Most of the carnage in 2012 was the result of clashes between Sunnis and minority Shiites.
Somalia:
|
|
ATTACKS
|
KILLED
|
INJURED
|
|
2002
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
2003
|
3
|
4
|
-
|
|
2004
|
2
|
2
|
1
|
|
2005
|
7
|
26
|
53
|
|
2006
|
29
|
544
|
811
|
|
2007
|
201
|
618
|
939
|
|
2008
|
193
|
920
|
1237
|
|
2009
|
135
|
804
|
1601
|
|
2010
|
105
|
655
|
1420
|
|
2011
|
81
|
401
|
637
|
|
2012
|
94
|
341
|
480
|
Somalia remains the world’s poster child for a failed state. The country has not had a functioning government for 20 years. The only good news there is that neighboring countries, members of the African Union, are pushing the al-Shabab militants out of urban areas and disrupting the terrorism in the region, but the effort is far from over.
Sudan/South Sudan/Chad:
|
|
ATTACKS
|
KILLED
|
INJURED
|
|
2002
|
1
|
24
|
23
|
|
2003
|
6
|
261
|
35
|
|
2004
|
20
|
1241
|
908
|
|
2005
|
11
|
325
|
80
|
|
2006
|
26
|
720
|
210
|
|
2007
|
16
|
564
|
157
|
|
2008
|
18
|
322
|
253
|
|
2009
|
5
|
106
|
134
|
|
2010
|
3
|
81
|
95
|
|
2011
|
13
|
67
|
110
|
|
2012
|
13
|
56
|
65
|
In January, 2011, the people in Southern Sudan voted on a UN mandated referendum to secede from the Sudan. Most of the terror incidents in 2012 have been attacks by the Islamic Republic of Sudan militias against Christian civilians and refugees in South Sudan.
Syria:
|
2009
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
2010
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
2011
|
1
|
45
|
166
|
|
2012
|
89
|
1,217
|
2,290
|
A demonstration in March, 2011, protesting the al-Assad government’s Emergency Law which allows arrests without charge, spread into a nation-wide civil war which has resulted in over 60,000 deaths mostly caused by government ground, aerial, and artillery attacks on civilians. The population density of Syria is 32 times that of Libya, the scene of the last civil war in the region. Meanwhile, the terror attacks have exploded to Afghanistan-type figures. In May and June, two Shiite attacks against Sunni villages resulted in almost 200 deaths. Christians, too, have been targets of the terror attacks. Other horrific attacks include three suicide bomb attacks on government buildings in Damascus and Aleppo resulting in 110 dead and 747 injured. The Al-Nursra Front is group most often cited as responsible for terror attacks in Syria. Syria is 74% Muslim, 16% Christian, and 10% Jewish.
Thailand:
|
|
ATTACKS
|
KILLED
|
INJURED
|
|
2007
|
422
|
611
|
625
|
|
2008
|
104
|
317
|
405
|
|
2009
|
133
|
358
|
375
|
|
2010
|
163
|
242
|
269
|
|
2011
|
184
|
298
|
499
|
|
2012
|
175
|
251
|
821
|
Islamic terror attacks remain at a high level in Thailand, where peaceful Buddhists are easy targets. Most of the attacks involve just a few victims. Increasingly, however, the terrorists are targeting train stations, hotels, and shopping centers. Thailand is 94% Buddhist, 5% Muslim and 1% Christian.
Yemen:
|
|
ATTACKS
|
KILLED
|
INJURED
|
|
2007
|
7
|
43
|
81
|
|
2008
|
14
|
14
|
132
|
|
2009
|
14
|
73
|
79
|
|
2010
|
38
|
206
|
131
|
|
2011
|
64
|
485
|
587
|
|
2012
|
108
|
1154
|
917
|
Yemen’s President Ali Abdullah Saleh resigned his 33 year rule in February, 2012, turning the government over to his deputy, Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi. This has not stopped the terror attacks, principally by Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). AQAP is considered by the U.S. to be one of the most active and dangerous wings of the global network founded by Osama bin Laden. In just two AQAP surprise attacks on Yemeni soldiers, 297 were killed and 402 injured. U.S. has assisted the Yemeni government through drone attacks to suppress AQAP, including the targeted killing of American-born cleric and terrorist, Anwar al-Awlaki, in September, 2011.
CONCLUSIONS FOR 2012:
1. Islamic terrorism has metastasized into a world-wide problem. While only a few countries are identified in this report, the TROP list of terrorist incidents in 2012 includes 56 countries – both Muslim and non-Muslim. Three new countries have been added to the score-card above – Libya, and Mali, and Syria.
2. A careful reading of the TROP data indicates that the modal modes of terror are 1) attacks on defenseless individuals or small groups, and 2) horrific multiple bombings of crowds in markets, mosques, or other public gatherings. Muslims continue to be the principal victims of Islamic terrorism, except for Nigeria, Indonesia, and Thailand, where Christians and Buddhists are being killed in large numbers.
3. Terrorism has generally failed to accomplish any political or social objectives. The “Arab Spring” overthrows of the long-standing governments in Egypt and Yemen were accomplished for the most part through peaceful demonstrations. The terrorism was used only later to settle scores and to enforce Sharia Law.
4. The presence or absence of U.S. military forces did not seem to have a significant impact on Islamic terrorism in 2012.
5. Security measures in the U.S. and Israel have been quite effective, but new tactics and technology must be developed to keep ahead of the ever-changing Islamist threat.
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