Dateline: 05/22/02

Dominated by the "horrific events of Sept. 11," the U.S. State Department's 'Patterns of Global Terrorism 2001' report brands Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Syria, and Sudan as the seven main states sponsoring terrorism. 

While Secretary of State Colin Powell noted that the seven listed countries had "clearly heard" President Bush's Sept. 20, 2001 statement to Congress: "Every nation, in every region, now has a decision to make. Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists," none of them had taken action to, "divest itself fully of ties to terrorism."

"The terrorist threat is global in scope, many-faceted and determined," stated Secretary Powell in releasing the 22nd annual edition of the global terrorism report. "The campaign against terrorism must be equally comprehensive," he said.

The report describes Iran as the most active supporter of terrorism. "Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) continued to be involved in the planning and support of terrorist acts and supported a variety of groups that use terrorism to pursue their goals," states the report. "Although some within Iran would like to end this support, hardliners who hold the reins of power continue to thwart any efforts to moderate these policies."

The report credits Libya and Sudan with making efforts "to get out of the terrorism business" and notes limited efforts by Syria and North Korea to assist in the war against terrorism. 

Even after Cuban leader Fidel Castro signed the UN counterterrorism conventions, the report noted that "Castro continued to view terror as a legitimate revolutionary tactic." 

"Numerous US fugitives continued to live on the island [Cuba], including Joanne Chesimard, wanted in the United States for the murder in 1973 of a New Jersey police officer and living as a guest of the Castro regime since 1979," stated the report.

With some 90 percent of them taking place on Sept. 11, a record number of 3,547 deaths resulted from terrorism during 2001, according to the report. 

Despite the events of Sept. 11, the number of international terrorist attacks in 2001 declined to 346, down from 426 during 2000. One hundred seventy-eight of the attacks were bombings against a multinational oil pipeline in Colombia.

• The report includes a detailed account of the Sept. 11 attacks in a section titled September 11 and Review of Terrorism in 2001

The annual "Patterns of Global Terrorism" report is submitted in compliance with Title 22 of the United States Code, Section 2656f(a), which requires the Department of State to provide Congress a full and complete annual report on terrorism for those countries and groups meeting the criteria of Section (a)(1) and (2) of the Act. [archive of reports]