Terrorism unadulterated

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Terrorism unadulterated: "The annual US State Department report on terrorism is interesting to say the least. The positive factors noted by the report list a decline in terror attacks in 2009 and Al Qaeda having suffered a series of setbacks.

According to the findings of the report, there was a 6 per cent decrease in attacks and a 5 per cent drop in number of terror related deaths the world over. This may sound good on paper, but the lowdown is that the lethal global terror organisation has also shown that it is “adaptable and resilient”. Simply translated it remains a potent and credible threat, with its presence in Pakistan considered a bigger concern.

More interesting is the mushrooming of radicalisation among US citizens and those in the West. A fact corroborated by a number of high profile cases that came to limelight last year, including that of US Army Major Nidal Hassan of the Fort Hood shooting. No wonder that Daniel Benjamin, coordinator of the State Department’s Office for Counterterrorism, has said that, “the assumption that Americans have some special immunity to Al Qaeda’s ideology was dispelled.” While US domestic radicalisation is notably lesser than other western countries, it does require vigilance. To coincide with the report, US Attorney General Eric Holder has charged 14 people, including some US citizens for helping the Somalian terror group Al Shabab affiliated with Al Qaeda. It serves a reminder of how varied terror groups have sped up efforts to extend their reach to targets in the west.