Global Terrorism

The spread of terrorism is perhaps the greatest threat facing the world today. Attacks have occurred in growing numbers during the past fifty years. The destruction of the World Trade Center in New York, and the simultaneous attack on the Pentagon, on September 11, 2001, awakened the attention of the United States to the threat posed to civilian populations throughout the world. Terrorism first assumed an international dimension in 1964 with the establishment of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO). No longer was it only the ruling authority that was targeted: innocent nationals, many of whom had no connection with the conflict, were equally at risk. The 1960s saw the rise of the "urban guerillas," whose motive was often no more than social frustration. More recently, Osama bin Laden's Al Qaeda and the emergence of Islamic State has escalated the international fight against terrorism.