State Department: Global terrorism spiked 43% last year; Al Qaeda & Iranian terror remained the predominant concern

Terrorist attacks worldwide increased 43% in 2013 from 2012, the State Department said in its annual report on terrorism released on Wednesday. There were 9,707 terrorist attacks around the world in 2013, resulting in more than 17,800 deaths and more than 32,500 injuries.

The 43% spike in terrorist attacks worldwide would seem to be a strong indication that President Obama's foreign policy is succeeding. Ahem......

The State Department noted, however, that, "Terrorism by non-state actors related to al-Qaeda and state-sponsored terrorism originating in Iran remained the predominant concern of the United States." [Iranian terrorism might be the "predominant concern of the United States", but it is clearly not the predominant concern of President Obama.]

"Designated as a State Sponsor of Terrorism in 1984, Iran continued its terrorist-related activity", which included increasing "its presence in Africa and [attempting] to smuggle arms to Houthi separatists in Yemen and Shia oppositionists in Bahrain."

[Previous Related Posts: Iranian terror plot discovered in Bahrain

Obama: No regime change for Iran's regime changing regime! ]

"Iran used the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) and its regional proxy groups to implement foreign policy goals, provide cover for intelligence operations, and create instability in the Middle East. The IRGC-QF is the regime’s primary mechanism for cultivating and supporting terrorists abroad."

"Iran views Syria as a crucial causeway in its weapons supply route to Hizballah, its primary beneficiary. In 2013, Iran continued to provide arms, financing, training, and the facilitation of Iraqi Shia fighters to the Asad regime’s brutal crackdown, a crackdown that has resulted in the death of more than 100,000 civilians in Syria... There are reports indicating some of these troops are IRGC-QF members and that they have taken part in direct combat operations."

"Despite its pledge to support Iraq’s stabilization, Iran trained, funded, and provided guidance to Iraqi Shia militant groups. The IRGC-QF, in concert with Hizballah, provided training outside of Iraq as well as advisors inside Iraq for Shia militants in the construction and use of sophisticated improvised explosive device technology and other advanced weaponry."

"On January 23, 2013, Yemeni authorities seized an Iranian dhow, the Jihan, off the coast of Yemen. The dhow was carrying sophisticated Chinese antiaircraft missiles, C-4 explosives, rocket-propelled grenades, and a number of other weapons and explosives. The shipment of lethal aid was likely headed to Houthi separatists in Northern Yemen. Iran actively supports members of the Houthi movement, including activities intended to build military capabilities, which could pose a greater threat to security and stability in Yemen and the surrounding region."

"On December 29, 2013, the Bahraini Coast Guard interdicted a speedboat filled with weapons and explosives that was likely bound for Shia oppositionists in Bahrain... Bahraini authorities accused the IRGC-QF of providing opposition militants with explosives training in order to carry out attacks in Bahrain. The interdiction led to the discovery of two weapons and explosives cache sites in Bahrain, the dismantling of a car bomb, and the arrest of 15 Bahraini nationals."

"Iran remained unwilling to bring to justice senior al-Qa’ida (AQ) members it continued to detain, and refused to publicly identify those senior members in its custody. Iran allowed Al Qaeda facilitators Muhsin al-Fadhli and Adel Radi Saqr al-Wahabi al-Harbi to operate a core facilitation pipeline through Iran, enabling Al Qaeda to move funds and fighters to South Asia and also to Syria. [Related Post: Why is Iran assisting Al Qaeda-linked rebels in Syria? Here's why......] Al-Fadhli is a veteran AQ operative who has been active for years. Al-Fadhli... assumed leadership of the Iran-based AQ facilitation network [in 2011]."

In Syria, "the Assad regime continued its political support to a variety of terrorist groups affecting the stability of the region and beyond, even amid significant internal unrest. The regime continued to provide political and weapons support to Hizballah and continued to allow Iran to rearm the terrorist organization."

"The Syrian government had an important role in the growth of terrorist networks in Syria through the permissive attitude the Assad regime took towards al-Qa’ida’s foreign fighter facilitation efforts during the Iraq conflict. Syrian government awareness and encouragement for many years of violent extremists’ transit through Syria to enter Iraq, for the purpose of fighting Coalition Troops, is well documented. Syria was a key hub for foreign fighters en route to Iraq..."