Terrorism Down After Bin Laden’s Death

The world, it seems, is a safer place without Osama bin Laden. New State Department numbers reveal that worldwide terror attacks dropped from 11,641 to 10,283 last year following the death of the al Qaeda leader and other top members—the lowest number since 2005. Still, the State Department warned that al Qaeda affiliates in Yemen and parts of Africa are still active. "Inspiring as the moment may be, we are not blind to the attendant perils," Dan Benjamin, the counterterrorism coordinator said. "Terrorists could still cause significant disruptions for states undergoing very challenging democratic transitions.” He mentioned, particularly, countries like Egypt and Iraq becoming susceptible to the influence of terror groups following the Arab Spring.