2014 Global Terrorism Index: Number of Lives Lost to Terrorism Increased 61% YOY; Number of Countries Experiencing 50 or More Deaths Increased 60% YOY

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LONDON, Nov. 18 /PRN=KYODO JBN/ --

- There were almost 10,000 terrorist attacks recorded in 2013 representing a

44% increase on 2012, resulting in nearly 18,000 deaths representing a 61%

increase from the previous year.   

- 24 countries experienced more than 50 deaths in 2013, increasing 60% from 15

in 2012.   

- Terrorism in 2013 was dominated by four organizations; ISIL, Boko Haram, al

Qa'ida and the Taliban, collectively responsible for 66% of all fatalities.   

- Over 80% of the deaths from terrorist incidents in 2013 were recorded in

just five countries: Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nigeria and Syria.     

- Iraq continues to be the country most impacted by terrorism. The number of

fatalities in the country rose 164% to 6,362 - the largest increase in the

index.    

- At least 13 countries have been identified as facing a greater risk of

significant terrorist activity in the coming years.   

- In 2013 the eight OECD countries that recorded deaths from terrorism were

Turkey, Mexico, the United States, the United Kingdom, Greece, Israel, Czech

Republic and Chile.   

The number of lives lost to terrorist attacks increased by 61% in a single

year, according to the second edition of the Global Terrorism Index (GTI),

rising from 11,133 in 2012 to 17,958 in 2013. The index also recorded a 44%

increase in the number of terrorist incidents, rising from 6,825 in 2012 to

9,814 in 2013. Explosives accounted for the majority of these attacks, while

suicide bombings accounted for less than 5%.

     (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141118/717092 )

First launched by the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP) [

http://economicsandpeace.org/ ] in 2012, the GTI ranks countries by the impact

of terrorist activities as well as analysing the economic and social dimensions

associated with terrorism. The index scores 162 countries, covering 99.6% of

the world's population, and examines trends from 2000 to 2013. The indicators

used include the number of terrorist incidents, fatalities, injuries and

property damage.

Over 80% of the deaths from terrorist attacks in 2013 were in just five

countries: Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nigeria and Syria. Iraq continues to be

the country most impacted by terrorism with 2,492 attacks killing 6,362 people,

which represents a 164% increase from 2012. ISIL was responsible for most of

the deaths in the country.

Terrorism has also grown significantly in intensity and breadth outside of

these five countries. In 2013 there were 3,721 attacks recorded in the rest of

the world killing 3,236 people, an increase of over 50% YOY. A total of 60

countries recorded deaths from terrorist attacks in 2013.

Steve Killelea, Executive Chairman of IEP, said, "Terrorism doesn't arise on

its own; by identifying the factors associated with it, policies can be

implemented to improve the underlying environment that nurtures terrorism. The

most significant actions that can be taken are to reduce state-sponsored

violence such as extra-judicial killings, reduce group grievances and

hostilities, and improve effective and community-supported policing."

There are three statistically significant factors associated with terrorism:

state sponsored violence, group grievances and high levels of criminality.

Interestingly, poverty rates, levels of school attendance and most economic

factors have no association with terrorism. The strong relationship between

terrorism and other forms of violence underlines how the persistent targeting

of police forces and the instability generated by terrorist activity can

undermine the rule of law.

Steve Killelea commented, "Since we first launched the GTI in 2012, we've seen

a significant and worrying increase in worldwide incidences of terrorism. Over

the last decade the increase in terrorism has been linked to radical Islamic

groups whose violent theologies have been broadly taught. To counter-act these

influences, moderate forms of Sunnis theologies need to be championed by Sunni

Muslim nations. Given the theological nature of the problem it is difficult for

outside actors to be influential."

The report also sources both high and low estimates of foreign fighters who are

actively fighting in Syria, utilizing the best available data. The low

estimations for number of fighters from Europe are 396, with the high estimates

at 1,846, while the low estimate for the MENA is 1,930 and the high estimate is

6,664.

The two most successful strategies for ending terrorist groups since the late

1960s have been either policing or the initiation of a political process; 80%

of organisations that ceased operations ended this way. Only 10% of terrorist

organisations ended due to having achieved their goals while 7% were eliminated

by full military engagement.

The GTI also provides guidance for assessing the risk of the potential of

future attacks in countries where there are currently low levels of activity.

Based on measuring various political, violence and group relationship

indicators, countries at risk of substantial increases in terrorism have been

identified. At least 13 countries are facing a greater risk of substantial

terrorist activity: Angola, Bangladesh, Central African Republic, Cote

d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Iran, Israel, Mali, Mexico, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Uganda.

Since 2000, around 7% of all terrorist incidents and 5% of all fatalities have

occurred in OECD countries resulting in 4,861 deaths from 3,151 attacks.

OECD-based terrorism in 2013 was slightly down from 130 deaths and 333

incidents in 2012 to 113 deaths and 311 incidents in 2013.

Many more people die in homicides than in terrorist attacks, with an individual

being 40 times more likely to be a victim of homicide than be killed by

terrorism. In the UK an individual is 188 times more likely to be victim of a

homicide, and in US 64 times more likely.

NOTES TO EDITORS  

The full GTI report and interactive map available at:

http://www.visionofhumanity.org

Follow: @GlobPeaceIndex #TerrorismIndex

Like:  http://www.facebook.com/globalpeaceindex

Contacts:  

Global Terrorism Index press office at H+K Strategies - GTI2014@hkstrategies.com

Isabel Davies, Isabel.davies@hkstrategies.com, +44(0)20-7413-3027

Danielle Mathews, Danielle.mathews@hkstrategies.com, +44(0)207413-3432

For comment from Khalid Mahmood MP: Elaina Cohen, cohene@parliament.uk,

+44(0)20-72198141

Source: Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP)