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Secret

Overview of International Terrorism in 1985 (b)(3)

The level of international terrorism has increased

International Terrorist Incidents, 1980-85 dramatically over the last two years, both in number of incidents and degree of lethality. From an annual average of about 500 incidents during the early 1980s, the level increased to nearly 600 in 1984. Preliminary Number of incidents (hundreds) figures for 1985 indicate the total is higher still about 800 incidents.' Several disturbing trends are discernible from the 1985 figures:

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8

Worldwide incidents

6

• The United States and its friends and allies

continued to be primary targets. Israel, Egypt, and Jordan, for example, suffered more attacks in 1985 than in any previous year, and several of our West European allies were attacked by resurgent domestic terrorist groups, ostensibly because of their ties to NATO and the United States.

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uut

2

• Terrorists increased their attacks on businessmen

and other nongovernment targets, thereby widening the impact of their operations.

-Incidents involving US

0

1980

  • Preliminary

"(b)(3)

• The number of persons killed or injured in

international terrorist attacks in 1985 exceeded 2,200—more than any other year. The previous record year was 1983, when the US and French contingents of the peacekeeping force and the US Embassy in Lebanon were bombed, causing record levels of death and injury.

308673 486

accounted for 28 percent of all international terrorist incidents. In 1984, this share grew to 47 percent-a larger share of a larger total. Such pround operated at nearly the same level in 1985. (b)(3)

• International terrorists continued to exhibit a

greater willingness to harm innocent bystanders through indiscriminate attacks. Increased use of large bombs accounted for many of the heightened casualty figures. (b)(3)

The continued high level of international terrorism by Middle Eastern groups owes much to state sponsorship-particularly by Syria, Iran, and Libya. Although the percentage of such incidents has declined from the level of the previous year, statesponsored terrorism still constituted a significant proportion-about 25 percent

of all Middle Eastern-origin incidents in 1985. (b)(3)

Middle East Terrorism of Middle Eastern origin accounts for much of the increase in international terrorism over the past two years. In 1983, Middle Eastern groups

-(b)(3)

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-Secret

DI TR 86-005 April 1986

Approved for Release: 2017/09/13 C05632837