NCJ Number
189899
Date Published
November 1999
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This document examines terrorism in the Middle East and South Asia, as well as the countrys' efforts to combat it.
Abstract
In the past decades, the Middle East has been the center of activity for some of the world’s most dangerous anti-United States terrorist groups and for some of the most brazen state sponsors of terrorism. But the center of anti-American terrorism has moved eastward, from Libya, Syria, and Lebanon to South Asia. Following years of coordinated, generally U.S.-led international pressure and sanctions, governments realize they can no longer blatantly support terrorist groups, plan terrorist attacks, and harbor criminals with impunity. However, Iran remains an active sponsor, and Syria, Libya, and Iraq provide safehaven and material support to terrorist groups--but their direct sponsorship of terrorist acts has diminished. Governments are taking more decisive action against terrorists. Many countries are taking steps to prevent terrorists--including those claiming religion to justify violence--from using their territory for their activities. In the Middle East and South Asia, the United States has established more effective counterterrorism cooperation with other countries than ever before. Bilateral and multilateral intelligence-sharing and law enforcement cooperation has been dramatically improved across the board. However, some groups, such as Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and Hizballah continue actively to plan terrorist attacks aimed at derailing the Middle East peace process. Today’s terrorist threat comes primarily from groups and loosely knit networks with fewer ties to governments. For example, Usama bin Ladin’s organization operates on its own, without having to depend on a state sponsor for material support.