Quantico :: A Novel by Greg Bear

On Tuesday, May 8, 2007 six men arrested in New Jersey were charged with plotting to attack that state’s Fort Dix Army base and, as federal authorities said, “kill as many soldiers possible.”

The six men, including three ethnic Albanians who were in the country illegally, were reported to have been inspired by Osama bin Laden and willing to sacrifice their lives in the name of Allah, yet they weren’t actual members of Al Qaeda or any other terrorist group. In a press conference, Christopher J. Christie, the United States attorney for New Jersey said, “This is a new brand of terrorism where a small cell of people can bring enormous devastation.”

While this group of men was acting independently, many terrorist organizations continued to foment violence across the globe. At any given time, these may be quiet, or they may explode into activity, and the results can be devastating. The Internet spreads videos of Jihadist training, influencing the clueless and uprooted in our country and abroad in much the same way that white supremacist literature helps shape American skinheads or that Nazi and anti-Semitic propaganda propels young toughs to violent action in Russia and Germany.

In this list, we will focus on Islamic terrorists.

Some of their groups include:

Abu Nidal Organization

Al-Gamaa Al-Islamiya: A group that specializes in attacks on the Egyptian security services, and maintains a worldwide terror network

Al-Qaeda: Osama bin Laden's loose-knit terror organization.

Egyptian Islamic Jihad: An extremist organization led by bin Laden's number two, Ayman Zawahiri, which has merged with al-Qaeda

Hamas: The largest and most influential Palestinian militant movement, also known as Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya or "Islamic Resistance Movement." Hamas grew out of the Muslim movement in Egypt. In January 2006 the party won the Palestinian Authority’s general election. Sponsoring a broad social services network Hamas also maintains a terrorist wing that organizes suicide bombings and other military actions.

Harakat Mujahideen: An armed group based in Kashmir with direct links to bin Laden.

Hezbollah: The Shi’a “Party of God,” formed in 1982 by a group of clerics in Lebanon, following Israel’s invasion of that country, with the goal of driving out all Israeli troops. Considered a terrorist organization by many nations of the world, Hezbollah is considered a legitimate political movement in much of the Middle East,

Islamic Army of Aden: The group responsible for kidnapping Western tourists in Yemen, perhaps connected with Abu Hamza, a cleric based in Great Britain.

Jaish-E-Mohamed: A group with ties to the Taliban, actively opposing the Indian presence in Kashmir, and seeking to unite Kashmir with Pakistan.

Justice and Equality Movement: A rebel group in the Sudan opposing the Sudanese government and its Janjaweed militia.

Laskar Jihad: An Indonesian Muslim militant group launching attacks on Christian populations on the islands of Moluccas and Sulawesi, suspected of links with Al-Qaeda.

Moro National Liberation Front: The MNLF was formed to create an autonomous Muslim state on the southern Philippines islands of Mindanao and Sulu Archipelago, led by Nur Misuari.

Palestinian Islamic Jihad: One of the most notable terrorist organizations, committed to the destruction of Israel and the forming of an Islamic state in Palestine

Salafist Group for Call and Combat: Another Algerian faction with cells across Europe which split from the Groupe Islamique Armée in 1998

Sudan Liberation Army: Also known as the Haraka Tahrir Sudan, the SLA is a loose confederation of Sudanese rebel groups opposing the Sudanese government and its Janjaweed Arab militia in the ongoing Darfur conflict.

Takfir-Wal-Hijra: This Algerian group seeks to overthrow the Algerian military, and counts all enemies of their brand of radical Islam--including moderate Muslims--as viable targets.

The Taliban: Also known as the “Students of Islamic Knowledge Movement,” the Taliban formed in opposition to Soviet occupation in Afghanistan, and took control from 1996 until 2001. They sponsored smuggling and the opium trade, and hosted Osama bin Laden’s Al Queda training camps. Though driven from power, they still control a region along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

Abu Sayyaf: An Islamic splinter group in the Philippines that has been implicated in kidnapping Western tourists

Mujahideen-E-Khalq: The largest dissident group in Iran.

United States federal authorities track domestic persons and groups suspected of terrorist activity, as well, including those who might target pro-life organizations, clinics, and doctors who perform abortions.

In an interview, John Lewis, an FBI deputy assistant director in charge of domestic terrorism indicated, “The number one domestic terrorism threat is the eco-terrorism, animal-rights movement.” Lewis went on to say that from January 1990 to June 2004, animal and environmental rights extremists had claimed credit for more than 1,200 incidents nationwide.

The agency expressed particular concern over the Animal Liberation Front (ALF), whose members have broken into laboratories, destroyed equipment and threatened scientists working there. They also noted the Earth Liberation Front (ELF), whose supporters attack sports utility vehicles and housing developments they consider to be harmful to natural habitats.

There are many online resources through which to learn more about international terrorism, and these include: