Why Has Terrorism Increased? Chapter 8 Key Issue 4 Why Has Terrorism Increased?

Terrorism by Individuals and Organizations Terrorism is the systematic use of violence by a group in order to intimidate a population or coerce a government into granting its demands. There have been a number of terrorist attacks against the U.S. in recent years but the most dramatic and devastating was on September 11, 2001. Al-Qaeda has been implicated in many of these attacks including the September 11 attack. Founded by Osama bin Laden, al-Qaeda consists of numerous cells, unites jihad fighters and has used fundamentalist Islam to justify attacks, especially against the United States. Several states in the Middle East have also provided support for terrorism at three levels. Some have provided sanctuary for terrorists wanted by other countries. They have supplied weapons, money, and intelligence to terrorists, and some have planned attacks using terrorists. These countries have included Libya, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Iran.