TERRORISM

Terrorism is the sudden and violent. Groups of men, mostly from middle eastern countries, gather together and train to attack innocent people around the world. Their only reason for attack is to make others pay for not being like them and believing in the same things that they do. Terrorists use weapons that they purchase, are given by governments that support them, or take from their enemies. Over the past centuries terrorists have committed many attacks on the world. Some of their attacks are to hijack and kill hostages on ships and airplanes, use airplanes as bombs, and to use car bombs to blow up large buildings. At all times the goal of terrorists is to kill as many people as they can at one time. Terrorist groups also would like to see the world believe in a religion called Islam and are fighting a terrorist war against those who do not believe in Islam. Islam is a religion that began in the middle east, but has spread over the world. It is very important for you to know that most people who believe in Islam are not violent people and do not support terrorist acts. (Do not be angry with everyone who worships using the religion of Islam.) Terrorists take the Quran, a book about Islam that is for religious study of Islam, and make their own violent interpretations. Islam is a peaceful religion that does not attack and kill others. Terrorists have organized themselves and placed terrorist groups all over the world. The many different terrorist groups have begun to work together with the goal of defeating and taking over any non-Islamic government. There are seven countries that do sponsor terrorism by allowing terrorist groups to live, train, and find ways to make money inside their borders. These same countries have some laws that allow for terrorist attacks on other countries, and have a way to protect terrorists if they want to live with them. Terrorism has become so violent and happen so often, that a list of most wanted terrorists has been made by the FBI. The non-terrorist countries of the world are using this list to help them find and arrest terrorists.

GLOBAL TERRORISM
Terrorist have struck in just about every country of the world. Sometimes terrorist groups coordinate attacks on more than one target at the same time. On September 11, 2001 terrorists attacked in a new and unexpected way. The terrorist group called Al-Qaeda and an unknown number of groups that would like to destroy the United States and their allies, attacked more than 80 countries at one time. They did this by hijacking airliners filled with fuel and used them as bombs to destroy the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and at least one more target in the United States that is unidentified because one plane did not strike its target. Citizens from many nations were at work on the day of the attacks. The map below shows the countries that lost citizens on September 11, 2001 when they were killed in the terrorist attacks.

TERRORIST NETWORKS
Terrorist groups send smaller groups of terrorists, that belong to the larger group, to places around the world. All of these smaller groups of terrorists, called cells, are sent all over the world. These groups are connected together forming a wide network of terrorists who can strike at any place all over the world. All terrorist networks have a leader who makes decisions about all of the activities of terrorists groups.

TERRORIST CELLS
Terrorists do not work alone. They work together in small groups that belong to the larger terrorist network. Sometimes different terrorist organizations work together when carrying out their acts of terror. The world is working together to uncover terrorist cells. Al-Qaeda has more terrorist cells all over the world than any other terrorist group. The terrorists who hijacked the planes and used them to kill so many people were living together in Al-Qaeda cells in Florida.

HOW HAS THE WORLD RESPONDED TO TERRORISM?

Terrorism has always been a problem, but until recently it has become large enough for the world to come together to fight against terrorism. The world community has responded to the terrorist attacks in the United States with full support from all countries that do not support terrorism. The response from the world have made it possible to work to stop terrorism. The efforts of the world community to work together has made it possible for them to work against terrorism using diplomacy, law enforcement, intelligence, financial investigation, military action, and humanitarian aid. Many terrorists and their supporters have been arrested, places that raised money for terrorist activities have been shut down, and camps where terrorists train have been destroyed. In order for the war against terrorism to succeed, the world must work together until terrorism is finished.