Nine Terror Groups Gunning for the United States
Policy + Politics

Nine Terror Groups Gunning for the United States

REUTERS/Alaa Al-Marjani

Few had heard of ISIS before it sent the Middle East into chaos. Now, American lives and dollars are attempting to stop the group from forming a caliphate in the Middle East.

ISIS isn’t alone: There are many other terrorist organizations whose goal is to create havoc and strike the West. Here are the nine biggest threats.

Related: Obama’s Approval Rating Climbs the More We Bomb ISIS

AL-QAEDA IN THE ISLAMIC MAGHREB 

Leader: Abu Musab Abdel Wadoud

Operating Theater: North Africa

Stated Aims: al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) has threatened targets in Europe and the United States. It’s raised some $50 million over the last decade, mainly through donations and ransoms. The State Department has designated it a Foreign Terrorist Organization.

ISLAMIC STATE OF IRAQ AND SYRIA (ISIS, ISIL, IS)

Leader: Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi

Operating Theater: Syria and Iraq

Stated Aims: ISIS is attempting to form a caliphate in the Middle East; it has set its sights on land from Saudi Arabia to Israel. While there’s debate about the group’s threat to the west, it has attracted thousands of foreign fighters to its ranks of what some say is over 35,000. The State Department has designated it a Foreign Terrorist Organization.

Related: The War Against ISIS Will Explode Our Nation’s Debt

AL-QAEDA IN THE ARABIAN PENINSULA

Leader: Nasir al-Wuhayshi

Operating Theater: The Arabian Peninsula
Stated Aims: Under the leadership of Anwar al-Awlaki, an American Muslim, the group grew from a disorganized band of militants to a fighting force capable of sending Yemen into chaos. It was responsible for the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole, which killed 17 sailors. It’s already been active on American shores; in 2009, Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammad, a member of the group, opened fire on a military recruiting station in Arkansas, killing one. The State Department has designated it a Foreign Terrorist Organization. 

BOKO HARAM

Leader: Abubakar Shekau

Operating Theater: Northern Nigeria

Stated Aims: Boko Haram claims to want to form a caliphate in Nigeria, but all its really done since it rose to prominence in 2009 is kill Nigerians. Since then, human rights organizations estimate the group has killed 5,000 people (they’re also infamous for kidnapping almost 300 Nigerian school girls). Recently, the Nigerian government said its leader, Abubakar Shekau, was captured and killed. Last week, a video of him alive and well surfaced. The State Department has designated it a Foreign Terrorist Organization. 

Related: Why the War Against ISIS Could Be Doomed to Fail

AL SHABAAB

Leader: Ahmad Umar

Operating Theater: Horn of Africa

Stated Aims: Al Shabaab wants African troops out of Somalia, and has been waging a campaign of terror in Somalia, Kenya and Uganda in an attempt to accomplish this goal. It’s most successful operation occurred last September, when the group attacked a mall in Kenya, killing 68. They work in concert with Boko Haram and AQIM. U.S. officials are concerned that the group could strike in America, with attackers coming from the large Somali diaspora. The State Department has designated it a Foreign Terrorist Organization. 

KHORASAN GROUP

Leader: Muhsin al-Fadhli

Operating Theater: Syria

Stated Aims: Few had heard of the Khorasan Group before the American campaign against ISIS began. Little is known about the group, but Director of National Intelligence James Clapper stated in September, "In terms of threat to the homeland, Khorasan may pose as much of a danger as the Islamic State (IS)." The nature of this threat is unknown – some officials suspect they want to use explosives on airplanes - but the State Department has designated it a Foreign Terrorist Organization.  

AL NUSRA

Leader: Muhsin al-Fadhli

Operating Theater: Syria and Lebanon

Stated Aims: Al Nusra is the formal al Qaeda affiliate in Syria. With 5,000 to 6,000 fighters, it’s been a great help to rebels fighting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The group is considered a more regional threat, but as a part of al Qaeda, its stated aim is to strike the West. The State Department has designated it a Foreign Terrorist Organization. 

JEMAAH ISLAMIYAH

Leader: Unknown

Operating Theater: Southeast Asia

Stated Aims: Jemaah Islamiyah is responsible for the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people in Indonesia. Since then, it’s been involved in a series of smaller terror attacks and remains active in the region. It’s stated goal is to form a caliphate in Southeast Asia. The State Department has designated it a Foreign Terrorist Organization. 

TEHRIK-I-TALIBAN PAKISTAN

Leader: Maulana Fazlullah

Operating Theater: Pakistan

Stated Aims: The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan has come closest to striking America; this group planned the failed 2010 Times Square bombing. It also fights Afghan security forces in efforts to destabilize its neighbor. The State Department has designated it a Foreign Terrorist Organization.  

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