Top 5 interesting facts about modern terrorism

It's not easy to imagine something as mean, cowardly and disgusting as terrorism. Accomplishing the attacks, criminals not only intimidate civilians, but also try to influence the decisions of governments and international organizations.

The Listverse publication analyzed a number of terrorist acts( including the events of September 11, 2001 in the US and November 13, 2015 in Paris) and published interesting facts about the modern terrorism of , which contradict the generally accepted notions.

5. Not all terrorists practice Islam

No group in the history of terrorism probably was as large or well-funded as IGIL.This is the richest terrorist organization on Earth, according to the Israeli Forbes for 2014.Its annual income is $ 2 billion.

But the cliche that all the big "exporters" of terror are associated with Islam is a myth. Some do not depend on religion in general. For example, the organization "Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia", which is the third in the list of the world's richest terrorist organizations( $ 600 million), "professes" the ideas of Marxism and Leninism.

4. Most victims of terror do not live in the West

Between 2004 and 2013, the US was attacked by terrorists 131 times, 20 attacks were fatal. France was attacked 47 times. And during this period Iraq suffered from 12,000 terrorist attacks, 8,000 of which were fatal.

About 50% of all terrorist attacks and 60% of deaths from terrorist attacks occurred in only three countries: Iraq, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. Further in the ranking of countries on the level of terrorism are India, Nigeria, Somalia, Yemen, Syria, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

3. Home-grown terrorists kill more Americans than jihadists

Jihadists are responsible for the largest massacre of Americans in the history of terrorism( September 11, 2001).But here's an interesting fact about terrorism: jihadism is not the main deadly source of extremism in modern America. Domesticized terrorists killed more Americans.

For example, in 1995, a car bomb exploded in Oklahoma City, destroying the Alfred Marr Federal Building.168 people were killed. A veteran of the operation in the Persian Gulf, Timothy McVeigh, was responsible for this act. And in 2012, the neo-Nazi Wade Michael Paige attacked the Sikh temple, killing six people and seriously injuring three.

2. Research: Terrorism does not work

In 2009, the American University of George Mason analyzed 457 terrorist campaigns since 1968 and found that 94% of extremist groups could not achieve even one of the stated goals.

It can be argued that the IGIL group succeeded in creating a partially functioning, barbaric state in the Middle East.

But the exception only confirms the rule. Despite the decades of the existence of the IRA, Northern Ireland remains part of the UK.Even the Colombian guerrilla, which was close to overthrowing the Colombian government in the late 1990s, is now ready to conduct peace talks with the political leaders of the country.

1. Religion or ideology - only a part of terrorism

There are two points of view on why terrorists kill innocent people. One of them: terrorists just like to hurt people. Another is that terrorists forcibly try to spread ideology or religion. However, studies show that religion and ideology do not really care for extremists. Most of them are motivated by insignificant reasons.

Ohio State University conducted a study involving 52 Islamic extremists to find out what was driving them. It turned out that the overwhelming motive of the actions of modern terrorists is revenge. They wanted to punish the US for supporting Israel or for working in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Researchers from the University of Michigan went further. They argue that most of the terrorists( and this, as a rule, young people) are acting for adventure, women, camaraderie and raising the status.