America's Terrorist Enemies
A Worldwide List

The State Department, in its annual report on global terrorism released in April, identified several extremists groups that may have had reasons to stage attacks in the USA. Among them:

al-Qa'eda
Abu Sayyaf
Armed Islamic Group
Al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya

Hamas
Hara
kat ul-Mujahidin
Hezbollah

Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan
Al-Jihad

Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization
Palestinian Liberation Front
Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine - General Command


al-Qa'eda

Location: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bosnia, Canada, Chechnya, Ecuador, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Jordan, Kenya, Kosovo, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Mauritania, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Yemen.

Background: Led by Osama bin Laden. In February 1998, bin Laden said it was the duty of all Muslims to kill U.S. citizens and their allies. He was indicted in the bombings of U.S. embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in August 1998. He has ties to Sunni extremists and has an estimated $300 million inheritance that he uses to finance terrorist activity.

Numbers: Several thousand.

Goal: Eject non-Muslims from Muslim countries and overthrow U.S.-allied regimes in the Arab world.

 

Abu Sayyaf group

Location: Philippines, Malaysia.

Background: Responsible for attacks in the southern Philippines. Some members fought and trained in Afghanistan. May receive support from Islamic groups in Middle East and South Asia.

Numbers: Estimated 200, but could be as many as 2,000.

Goal: Independent Islamic state in the southern Philippines.

 

Armed Islamic Group

Location: Algeria

Background: Began violent activities in 1992 after Algiers voided the electoral victory of the country's largest Islamic opposition party. The Algerian government has accused Iran and Sudan of supporting the group.

Numbers: Several hundred to several thousand.

Goal: Make Algeria an Islamic state.

 

Al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya

Location: Egypt

Background: Leader Omar Abdel-Rahman is in jail in the USA for the 1993 bombing of New York's World Trade Center. The Egyptian government says Osama bin Laden, Afghan militants and Iran might be providing support.

Numbers: Believed have fallen from a peak of several thousand.

Goal: To overthrow the Egyptian government and create an Islamic state.

 

Hamas

Location: Israel and the occupied territories of the West Bank and Gaza.

Background: Responsible for many suicide bombings in Israel. Receives financial support from Saudi Arabian sympathizers, Iran, moderate Arab countries and Palestinian expatriates.

Numbers: Unknown number of hard-core supporters. Tens of thousands of sympathizers.

Goal: Replace Israel with an Islamic Palestinian state.

 

Harakat ul-Mujahidin

Location: Pakistan, disputed region of Kashmir, Afghanistan.

Background: Former leader Fazlur Rehman Khalil signed Osama bin Laden's fatwa (religious decree) against the United States. Believed to be responsible for the hijacking of an Indian aircraft in December 2000. Operates training camps in eastern Afghanistan. Financial support unknown.

Numbers: Several thousand.

Goal: Ending India's control of disputed region of Kashmir.

 

Hezbollah (Islamic Jihad)

Location: Lebanon

Background: Suspected involvement in bombings of the U.S. Embassy and U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut in 1983. Close association with Iran. Has cells in North and South America, Asia, Africa and Europe.

Numbers: Several hundred.

Goal: Increase its political power in Lebanon and opposing the Middle East peace process.

 


Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan

Location: Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan.

Background: Coalition of Islamic militants from Central Asian states opposed to Uzbekistan's secular regime. Took four U.S. citizens who were mountain climbing hostage in August 2000. Support from Central Asian and South Asian Islamic extremist groups.

Numbers: In the thousands.

Goal: Establishment of an Islamic state in Uzbekistan.

 

Al-Jihad

Location: Egypt. Network in Afghanistan, Lebanon, Pakistan, Sudan, Yemen, United Kingdom.

Background: Established in the late 1970s. Responsible for the assassination of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat in 1981. Close partner of bin Laden.

Numbers: Unknown.

Goal: Overthrow of the Egyptian government.

 

Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization
(National Liberation Army of Iran)

Location: Iraq

Background: Anti-Western dissidents who supported the takeover of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran in 1979.

Numbers: Several thousand.

Goal: Overthrow of Iran's government.

 

Palestine Liberation Front
Location: Iraq.

Background: Responsible for the attack on the Achille Lauro cruise ship in 1985. Libya provided support in the past. Support now comes from Iraq.

Numbers: Unknown.

Goal: Independent Palestinian state.


Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
Location: Syria, Lebanon, Israel and the occupied territories.

Background: Responsible for numerous international terrorist attacks in the 1970s and attacks against Israel and moderate Arab states since.

Numbers: About 800

Goal: Independent Palestinian state.

 

 

Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine - General Command

Location: Syria, Lebanon.

Background: Opposed to Yasser Arafat and the Palestine Liberation

Organization: Close ties to Syria. Responsible for attacks on Israel.

Numbers: Several hundred.

Goal: Independent Palestinian state.


Sources: State Department's Patterns of Global Terrorism - 2000; Research by Joan Murphy, USA TODAY