The Most Violent Terrorist Groups in the World Right Now
There are dozens of terrorist groups around the world. Which ones are the most violent and dangerous?
Image via Complex Original
In an episode of The West Wing called “Isaac and Ishmael,” White House Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman scribbles this SAT stylized question—the room is full of high schoolers—on a dry erase board: "Islamic extremist is to Islam as _______ is to Christianity."
You may recognize the proper noun that fills the blank, the Klu Klux Klan, for burning wooden crosses, a symbol of Christian faith. Lyman illustrates a valid truth: Muslims aren't terrorists. Brown skinned people with a lineage that ties back to the Middle East aren't terrorists. But, what exactly is terrorism? The Oxford English Dictionary defines it as so:
Terrorism: A system of terror. 1. Government by intimidation as directed and carried out by the party in power in France during the revolution of 1789-94; the system of `Terror'. 2. gen. A policy intended to strike with terror those against whom it is adopted; the employment of methods of intimidation; the fact of terrorizing or condition of being terrorized.
To wit: Terrorists are people of any creed or code on the far left or right of a political or religious spectrum who act on their extremist views. Al-Qaeda and the Klan and the Nazis are one in the same. Terrorism is about power and politics. In order to carry out an ideology, terrorists often commit violent acts. And though the definition of terrorism from the famously erudite OED may be changing (see: recent developments in cyber-terrorism), violence remains the most prominent word. With that in mind, here is a list of the Most Violent Terrorist Groups in the World Right Now.
Al-Qaeda
Where: Basically everywhere
Enrollment: Thousands upon thousands
Leader: Ayman al-Zawahiri
The Bush presidency was a mist of buzzwords. War on terror. Axis of Evil. Weapons of mass destruction. Taliban. Then comes the one with the most robust terrorist group on the planet, Al-Qaeda. The organization is an international terrorist group with dozens of affiliates and disciples across the globe. Most notably, they're responsible for the September 11th attacks in the United States, but have been behind a host of suicide bombings, kidnappings, and warfare scenarios. Al-Qaeda's main objectives are to drive Western influence from Islamic lands, implement sharia law in South Asia, and to carry out terrorist attacks on the U.S. and its allies.
Today Al-Qaeda controls more land than it ever has in the Middle East, which makes you wonder what the actual hell the United States has been doing out there for the past decade.
Ansar al-Sharia
Where: Libya
Enrollment: Between 200 and 5,000
Leader: Ben Qumu
Libya had its civil war and Quadaffi's tyranny is now in the rear view. The aftermath however, has left the country with a handful of militias. One of which is Ansar al-Sharia. This group is suspected to be the force behind the attacks on Benghazi in 2012, which has devolved from a tragedy into a conservative pundit mating call.
Ansar al-Sharia translates to "patrons of Islamic law," and their main objective is to implement strict Sharia law across Libya. Since the organization is so new, it is unclear whether or not the group is highly organised, or if they're a bunch of former militiamen who believe the same things.
Hamas
Where: Palestine
Enrollment: Between 7,000 and 10,000
Leader: Mohammed Deif
Hamas, which was founded in 1987 as a response to an uprising in Palestine, is not all bad. But they want to control Palestine and—like a gazillion other terrorist organizations—to destroy Israel.
Here's the good: Hamas funds schools, orphanages, mosques, health clinics, soup kitchens, and they even back sports teams.
The bad: Hamas has a military wing called Izz ad-Din al-Qassam which gets its hands dirty.
The ugly: Hamas is responsible for numerous attacks on Israel. All of which are of the standard terrorist type—suicide bombings, launching rockets, assault rifle attacks, and kidnappings. In 2011 they kidnapped roughly 20 Palestinian civilians and 30 political leaders.
Lashkar-e Taiba
Where: Pakistan, India
Enrollment: Thousands
Leader: Hafiz Muhammad Saeed
Lashkar-e Taiba, or "Army of the Righteous," traces its roots back to a missionary program created by two professors at Lahore, Pakistan's University of Engineering and Technology. The program was created to spread their interpretation of Islam. The professors' program, JuD, merged with a similar one called Markaz al-Dawa-wal-Irshad (MDI). Lashkar-e Taiba, an organization that equally values violence and missionary work, eventually formed as MDI's military wing. The organization's most notorious act of violence was the 2008 attack in Mumbai, India. Ten gunman killed 164 people in four days.
Palestine Islamic Jihad
Where: Gaza Strip, Syria, Israel
Enrollment: Approximately 2,000
Leader: Ramadan Shallah
Palestinian Islamic Jihad, an Islamic Palestinian extremist organization's main qualm is with Israel. In order to foster a sovereign Islamic Palestinian state, the PIJ carries out the destruction of Israel with acts of violence, like targeting civilians and the military for suicide bombings.
In contrast with other similar Palestinian groups, PIJ does not to participate in diplomatic negotiations. According to the U.S. State Department, Iran funds most of the PIJ budget.
Kurdistan Workers' Party
Where: Turkey, Iraq, and Europe
Enrollment: Approximately 4,000 to 5,000
Leader: Murat Karayılan
The Kurdistan Workers' Party, a Marxist-Leninist separatist organization comprised of mostly Turkish Kurds, was founded in 1978. Originally the Kurdistan Workers' Party wanted to establish an independent Kurdish state in southeastern Turkey, but have since set their sights on autonomy within a Turkish state.
When the Turkish army captured PKK's leader Abdullah Ocalan in 1999, he announced a “peace initiative,” therefore ceasing violence involving the group. This action led to his death sentence being reduced to a life in prison. However, in 2004, PKK reverted back to it's old ways targeting Turkish government security forces, local Turkish officials, and civilians. Hundreds of Turks have been killed since.
Abu Sayyaf Group
Where: Philippines
Enrollment: Between 200 and 400
Leader: Radullan Sahiron
Abu Sayyaf is one of the most powerful terrorist groups operating in the Philippines. The group’s goal is to create an independent Islamic state on western Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago in the Philippines. In order to get their point across, the Abu Sayyaf Group has been known to take part in kidnappings for ransom, bombings, beheadings, assassinations, and extortion.
Revolutionary People's Liberation Party
Where: Turkey
Enrollment: A few hundred
Leader: Musa Asoglu
Though the group was at its most active in the 1980's, they've experienced a resurgence. The Revolutionary People's Liberation Party are a far-left terrorist group with the goal of overthrowing the Turkish government and implementing a Marxist based government. They're extremely opposed to the United States and the European Union and have been known to target attacks at U.S. diplomats and military personnel. Though the group was at its most active in the 1980's, they've experienced a resurgence.
Hezbollah
Where: Lebanon
Enrollment: Thousands
Leader: Hassan Nasrallah
Hezbollah, or "party of God," was founded in 1982 as a reaction to a growing Israeli military presence in Lebanon. In its three decades of existence the militant group has repeatedly used acts of violence to express their disdain for Western and Israeli presence in Lebanon. In 2006 Hezbollah attacked an Israeli army patrol. Three soldiers died and two were kidnapped.
They also get a good chunk of ideas and money from Iran. The general ideology behind Hezbollah is inspired by the former and current Supreme Leaders of Iran, Ayatollah Khomeini and Ali Khamenei, respectively. Iran also funds Hezbollah $200 million a year.
Hezbollah has that whole power thing down to a tee. The group is more than just a terror organization, they're also one of the most influential political parties in Lebanon's parliament.
Taliban
Where: Afghanistan, Pakistan
Enrollment: 36,000
Leader: Mullah Mohammed Omar
The Taliban formed after Soviet troops left Afghanistan in 1989 following a decade long conflict. By 1996 the Taliban, Pashto for "students," were running the country. In 2001 the Taliban was uprooted as the official government in Afghanistan by United States forces, but the organization still populates and controls large portions of Afghanistan and parts of Pakistan as well.
The group is known for their ultra conservative and misogynistic views. On many occasions women have been publicly beaten and executed for breaking Taliban rules, which are a strict interpretation of Sharia law. Women aren't allowed to be educated, work, or drive cars, and are required to wear burqas in public.
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC)
Where: Colombia
Enrollment: 8,000
Leader: Rodrigo Londono
The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia earn the distinction of being the oldest terrorist organization in Latin America. The Marxist guerrilla organization was founded in 1964 in an effort to fight the conservative government in Colombia. In its 50 years of existence, FARC has used extortions, kidnappings, guerilla warfare, and bombings in an effort to radically their distaste for imperialism the distribution of wealth. FARC is responsible for over 700 kidnappings of wealthy Colombians, politicians, and tourists—which often end in execution. One way the group has funded all of this anarchy is by dabbling in the drug trade, netting about $600 million annually.
Boko Haram
Where: Nigeria
Enrollment: ???
Leader: Abubakar Shekau
Boko Haram has made headlines recently for kidnapping over 200 Nigerian girls. "I abducted your girls. I will sell them in the market, by Allah," Boko Haram's leader, Abubakar Shekau said. Let's be black and white here; Boko Haram said it was planning on turning over 200 kidnapped girls into sex slaves under the guise of God.
Boko Haram, which aims to create an Islamic state in Nigeria with Sharia courts, was founded in 2003 but only recently made its way onto the U.S. Department of State's list of terrorist organizations in 2013. If Boko Haram had its way, under its strict interpretation of the Quran, its Sharia courts would carry out punishments with stonings, amputations, beatings, and executions. Boko Haram is responsible for burning villages, executions, and bombings—leaving thousands of civilians dead.