Newswise — Terror attacks on religious targets are relatively rare in the United States, but are often deadly, according to researchers at the University of Maryland-based National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START). http://www.start.umd.edu/start/
The researchers add that private businesses are the most frequent U.S. target.
START compiled the data following arrests by the FBI in the alleged terrorist plot to bomb a New York City synagogue and Jewish community center and shoot down military aircraft.
The targeting of a military aircraft by terrorists in the U.S. may be a first, the researchers add.
The data come from START's Global Terrorism Database (GTD) - the world's biggest and most comprehensive open-source terror database, including information on over 80,000 attacks between 1970 and 2007:http://www.start.umd.edu/start/data/
# There have been 25 terrorist attacks against religious figures or institutions in the United States, four of which were unsuccessful attempts. These 25 attacks resulted in a total of eight fatalities. Nine of the 25 attacks involved explosives or bombs.
# Nine of these attacks involved Jewish targets, including synagogues in Dallas, Nashville, New York, and Sacramento.
# Worldwide, there have been 1615 attacks on religious figures and institutions, with largest concentration in South America, Middle East, and South Asia.
# There have been 38 terrorist attacks against military targets in the United States, eight of which were unsuccessful attempts. Attacks against military targets were frequently aimed at recruiting centers.
# The GTD contains no records of attacks against military aircraft in the United States.
# The United States has experienced over 1350 terrorist attacks since 1970, peaking in the mid 1970s with 120 attacks per year.
# Since 1977 there have been fewer than 50 attacks per year. More than half of these have involved bombs or explosives, and the most common type of target has been private businesses.
# While attacks against religious targets are far more rare than attacks against business targets in the U.S., 20 percent of all U.S. attacks on religious figures and institutions result in at least one fatality compared to only 4 percent of all U.S. attacks on private businesses.
"People often have a misleading conception of terrorism," says University of Maryland professor Gary LaFree, who directs START and the GTD. "The 9/11 attack has become the symbol of terrorism - even though it was an incredibly atypical event. Unlike 9/11, most terrorist attacks in the U.S. and elsewhere come from domestic groups, not international ones. Unlike 9/11, most terrorist attacks include few if any fatalities. Unlike 9/11, most attacks do not involve in-depth planning or sophisticated weaponry. Unlike al Qaeda, most terrorist groups are not long lasting. There's no denying the impact of 9/11, in part, precisely because it was so unusual."
GLOBAL TERRORISM DATABASE
The GTD is an open-source database including information on terrorist events around the world from 1970-2007. Unlike many other event databases, the GTD includes systematic data on domestic as well as transnational and international terrorist incidents that have occurred during this time period. For each GTD incident, information is available on the date and location of the incident, the weapons used and nature of the target, the number of casualties, and-when identifiable-the perpetrator.
The National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) is a U.S. Department of Homeland Security Center of Excellence based at the University of Maryland. START uses state-of-the-art theories, methods, and data from the social and behavioral sciences to improve understanding of the origins, dynamics, and social and psychological impacts of terrorism. Additional information on START is available at: www.start.umd.edu .
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