International Terrorism Has Increased Since 9/11 Attacks

By Author: Henry Ford
Total Articles: 189
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Although there have been several terrorist attacks in the world, September 11 attacks on Twin Tower in U.S was considered as a turning point in global terrorism. This attack spread fear in the world and showed vulnerability facing the world on face of growing terrorism. September 11 attack is still consider the most daring act of terrorism in the world as it portrayed the extent to which terrorists can go to get their message across. This marked a new era of terrorism in which terrorist groups showed their capability to use sophisticated means to carry out terror activities. Response to this attack was coordinated global war on terror in which countries collaborated to flush terrorists groups like Al-Qaeda out of their hide out cells in all corners of the world. The global war on terror led to invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq, which were believed to be two countries that supported terrorist groups. The desired impact of the global war on terror was to mitigate threat of terrorism by breaking down the chain of operation of terrorist groups. However, this is far from being achieved as new terror groups have already been established ...
... in other areas, with connection to major terrorist groups like Al-Qaeda. It is evident that since the global war on terror began, terrorism activities have increased although no major attack with magnitude of September 11 attack that has happened. Global war on terror has fallen short of its original aspirations and has increased latency for terrorism activities in other parts of the world while shielding United States. It has reinforced determination of terrorist to commit more attacks on the West and motivated others to take up terrorist activities. Can we say that the global war on terror has really failed? Or has the terrorist groups become more determined to carry out more attacks? These and other questions will be closely discussed in this study. The study will look at the trend in global terrorism and reason that could have motivated increase in terrorism activities.
Trend in international terrorism after September 11 attack
Since the U.S global war on terror, there has been major achievements in curtailing global terrorism. Activities of terrorists group like Al Qaeda, which was centered on Osama bin-Laden, has been degraded and its latency has been curtailed. Most of the high ranking cadre of the formerly commanded by bin Laden have been killed during the Afghanistan war and the groups is almost falling into disarray (Conneta, 2006). Most of leading terrorist leaders in the world at the time of September 11 attack have either being captured or killed and this list includes Mohammed Atef, Abu Zubaydah, and Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and other regional associates like Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi (Conneta, 2006). However this does not mean that the group has been completely dismantled. It continues to emerge and gain affiliate in other parts of the world like the war torn Somalia. This means that the group still continues to operate though in a decentralized manner (Alam, 2005).
Evidence shows that Osama bin-Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri continue to provide guidance and encouragement for thousands of followers of the terror groups. Together, they have issued more than 35 videos and audio recordings from their hideouts in Pakistan. It is also on record that since September 11 attack, Al-Qaeda has directed and financed more than 30 fatal attacks in about 12 countries and in total, they have resulted to more than 2500 casualties and 440 deaths (Conneta, 2006). This is considered barely minimal comparing 3000 deaths from the September 11 attack. This is an indication that global war on terror has largely concentrated its effort ton Al-Qaeda and it has succeeded in reducing terrorist activities of the group. However, it is important to understand that these statistics do not account for deaths which can be attributed to Al-Qaeda arm in Iraq lead by al-Zarqawi and other deaths which could be attributed to other groups which are affiliated to the terrorist group (Barik, 2007).
However, this theory may be applicable for only one group only. Evidence shows that terrorist activities on the global scale have been on the rise since the global war on terror began (Priest & White, 2005). Terrorist groups have gained impetus to plan more attacks especially in countries like Somalia which have not received attention in the course of global war on terror. On average, the level of terrorist violence has been considered quiet extreme and spread compared to pre-September 11 period. There is no trend indicating that this trend is abating and may continue for a long time so long as there is military suppression of the terrorist groups. A review of terrorism database which is maintained by National Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism (MIPT) funded by U.S Department of the Homeland Security, shows that the trend in global terrorism activities have been on the rise between 1998 and 2006.
Data excerpted from this database shows that terrorism fatalities for the period after the September 11 attack in 2001 was 250 percent compared to the period that preceded the September 11 attacks (Conneta, 2006). This data shows that there has been an average of 150 percent per month increase in the rate of terrorism fatalities during this period. This means that the period between 1998 and 2001 experienced less terrorism fatalities compared to period between September 2001 and 2006 both in terms of deaths, injuries, and incidents.
Comparing the terrorism incidents, the database shows that terrorism incidents post-September 11 attack stands at 268 percent compared to the period before September 11 attacks (Conneta, 2006). This means that the rate of terrorism incidents have increased by more than 167 percent per month for this period. In addition, the database also reveals terrorism incidents in areas which were previously considered not prone to the attacks and terrorist groups spread their attacks beyond their usual targets.
MIPT database also reveal that terrorism incidents have increased in areas where global war on terror has been implemented. A fair share of increased terrorism attacks can be traced to Iraq and Afghanistan where the war on terror has been ongoing for a long time now. If Iraq and Afghanistan are removed from the picture the average increase in terrorism fatalities would greatly decrease to about10 percent per month (Conneta, 2006). When Iraq is removed from the picture, the rate of increase in the rate of international terrorism incidents will stand at 75 percent down from 167 on monthly bases, which means almost 100 percent increase in the number of terrorism incidents can be accounted for by Iraq.

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