Terrorism
Latest Terrorism News
Although it has faced grave national security threats in the past, the United States has been transformed as never before by the threat of terrorism since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on New York, Pennsylvania and Washington, DC.
The threat of new attacks on American soil and new - albeit widely debated - imperatives in U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, have the led the nation into costly wars in Afghanistan and Iraq lasting nearly a decade. At home, the country has reconceived its approach to security, creating a new cabinet-level department, the Department of Homeland Security, and granting sweeping new powers to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Central Intelligence Agency and other arms of the national security complex.
The declared enemy in this fight is al Qaeda, a stateless organization founded in the late 1980s and motivated by a radical interpretation of Sunni Islam. Al Qaeda is led by Osama bin Laden, the son of a prominent Saudi family, and operates from bases concentrated in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and North Africa.
Critics of the so-called "War on Terror" say that the threat of terrorism - vague and impossible to ever fully extinguish - had been used to justify costly wars (both in terms of deficit expansion and human lives) and abuses of human rights including torture and indefinite detention without trial for alleged enemies believed but not proven to have committed terrorist acts.
Still, the American populace has broadly assented to the changes of the last 10 years, expressing willingness to trade personal liberties and national resources for a sense of safety.
Certainly, the U.S. has not been alone in contending with Islamist terrorism. Al Qaeda and associated groups have killed civilians in attacks in England and Spain and a significant number of attempted attacks on airliners, airports and other sites have either been foiled by authorities while still in planning stages or interrupted in the attempt (as in the case of the attempted Christmas Day, 2009 bombing of a Detroit-bound jet and a man's attempt to set off a car bomb in Times Square, New York in May, 2010).
Latest Video
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Play CBS Video 6/18: Officials say NSA stopped over 50 potential terror attacks; Hi-tech giant creates next generation of Edisons - Play CBS Video Afghan military officially takes control of country's security
- Play CBS Video President Obama defends decisions on surveillance and Syria
- Play CBS Video David Coleman Headley: Terror sleeper agent foiled by NSA
- Play CBS Video Obama: Afghan-Taliban talks "important first step"
- Play CBS Video 6/15: Wildfire continues to burn in Colorado; Teen's impact on fighting poverty
- Play CBS Video Egypt cuts diplomatic ties with Syrian regime
- Play CBS Video 6/12: Winds feed wildfires in Colorado; 10-year-old gets an adult lung transplant
- Play CBS Video NSA director says agency is "trying to protect Americans"
More Headlines
- U.N. office in Mogadishu attacked by al Qaeda-linked Somalia militants
Officials say at least a dozen killed in siege begun by multiple bomb blasts in Mogadishu; Al Qaeda-linked al-Shabab claims responsibility
- Why Obama needs to explain America's national interest in Syria
John Dickerson: If Obama's decision to arm the Syrian opposition comes under fire, he'll need a better rallying cry to explain why America got involved in the first place
- Drug traffickers' vehicle of choice
These intriguing boats are being used by Colombian cartels to move large amounts of cocaine. Could terrorists use them for WMDs?
- Officials: NSA programs broke terror plots in 20 nations
Intel officials said that information gleaned from NSA data-collection programs thwarted potential terrorist plots in the U.S and other countries
- Al Qaeda has feared weapon, Mali documents suggest
Papers left behind strongly suggest group has SA-7 surface-to-air missile, capable of taking down a commercial jet
- Police: Vandals cut locks leading to Boston water supply
Authorities say no sign of contamination after several locks breached at aqueduct west of city
- Here's what the feds have on you: Everything
The government has access to enough data about Americans that it can paint an accurate picture of any one person's life
- Susan Rice and her attackers
John Dickerson: She survived the Benghazi investigation; now she and her critics can discuss the danger of drawing conclusions from thin evidence
- London mosque torched, far-right group's initials found at scene in wake of soldier's brutal murder
No clear link to recent murder of U.K. soldier in London, but far-right, anti-immigrant group's name found scrawled at scene
- U.S. puts bounties on al Qaeda, West African terror suspects
For the first time, the U.S. is offering rewards for help in finding the leaders of four terrorist groups
- Afghanistan suicide blast targeting NATO patrol kills 2 troops, 9 school kids
ISAF confirms 2 troops killed, but police chief says attack aimed at joint U.S.-Afghan patrol killed mainly kids outside a school
- Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula warns Americans to "mind your own internal affairs"
In an online message, Yemen al Qaeda commander cites Boston bombings and ricin-tainted letters as warnings
- Ben Stein: Declaring end to War on Terror is surrender
Says peace cannot be declared as long as terrorists are still making war on us
- Cuba denounces continued inclusion on U.S. terror list
Government is condemning U.S. decision to keep Cuba on its annual list of state sponsors of terrorism
- State Dept.: Iran support for global terror surged in 2012
Also, while core al Qaeda elements are headed for defeat, its affiliates remain severe threats to the U.S., according to a new report
Photo Essays
Photos: Looking for land mines
A device that adds GPR features to a standard metal detector is the latest tech advance in the search for buried explosives.
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Photos: Web coverage of Zarqawi's death
News organizations rushed Thursday to cover the U.S. air strike that killed al-Qaida leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
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Photos: Making 'The War Tapes'
Soldiers in Iraq, filmmaker in U.S. use inexpensive camcorders and constant stream of IMs and e-mail to create award-winning documentary.
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Images: War caught on video
Insurgents are videotaping and then posting clips of successful operations to the Web.
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