May 21, 2010

Post 9/11 Terrorism Incident Database

As a continuation of its policy papers series, which seeks to inform policy makers and public officials, MPAC is releasing the latest version of another important resource its, Post-9/11 Terrorism Incident Database. The first of its kind done by a Muslim American institution, the database tracks plots by Muslim and non-Muslim violent extremists against the United States.As the public at large and our policy-makers continue to engage in the discourse on national security it is critical to understand the contributions that Muslim Americans have made and their various perspectives. Security policies at the federal, state, and local levels have real implications for the lives of Americans and these decisions should be made based on sound data. The database also highlights an under-recognized fact: Since there have been 11 instances post 9/11 which has involved Muslim community members assisting law enforcement agencies in preventing terror plots. This clearly shows Muslim Americans' contributions to our country including as first-preventers for the safety of the nation. Among other key findings are:

• There were 62 total plots by domestic non-Muslim perpetrators against the United States since 9/11. In comparison, there have been 34 total plots by domestic and international Muslim perpetrators since 9/11. 

• Only 42% of individuals publicly associated with terrorism by the Department of Justice were actually charged with violating an anti-terrorism or national security statute. 

• There are at least 5 incidents of non-Muslim domestic extremists possessing or attempting to possess chemical or radiological weapons. One of those occurred since Obama's election. No such cases involving Muslim extremists have been reported since 9/11. 

• There appears to be a general rise in violent extremism across ideologies. If one is to use Obama's election as a starting point for recent trends, since November 4, 2008 there have been 32 terror plots by non-Muslim domestic-only extremists. By comparison, there have been 13 plots by Muslim domestic and international extremists.

The memo also offers the following policy recommendations:

• Increase support for research on combating biased policing
• Expand investments in better human capital acquisitions
• Highlight citizen contributions to national security
• Expand community-oriented policing initiatives 
• Reform the fusion center process to increase coordination among law enforcement

This policy memo is the latest in a series of MPAC publications that aims to effectively address issues of concern to our nation while providing practical policy solutions.

Rather than being passive objects of discussion in counterterrorism discussions, in the public interest, MPAC is providing all Americans, including Muslim communities, with the resources and unique perspectives to proactively engage the policy discourse and provide practical solutions to our overall national security strategy.