The US National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) is pleased to present the International Terrorism Guide Website, a ready reference guide for law enforcement, intelligence, military and security personnel, contingency planners, or citizens concerned about international terrorist threats. This site contains many features across the full range of issues pertaining to international terrorism: technical pages on various threat-related topics, terrorist groups, and wanted terrorists.. Each individual whose picture is portrayed is listed on the US Government’s Rewards for Justice website devoted to international terrorism. The Rewards for Justice program is mandated by federal law (1984 Act to Combat International Terrorism) and is administered by the U.S. Department of State. The Secretary of State authorizes rewards for information that leads to a terrorist that commits an act of terrorism directed against Americans, leads to the locations of a key terrorist leader, or that disrupts terrorism financing. The site also contains a timeline of events relating to international terrorism, including dates that international terrorists may believe are important if planning attacks to commemorate particular events.

By law, NCTC serves as the “primary organization in the United States Government” for analyzing and integrating information pertaining to international terrorism. NCTC’s legal authorities and mission are focused on the terrorism threat emanating from outside the United States. The guide reflects that statutorily mandated mission. Thus, this Guide focuses on the international terrorist organizations that are assessed to present the most serious threats to the United States.



Currently, these threats come from violent extremists inspired by the Islamic State in the Levant (ISIL) and al-Qa'ida, including its allies and affiliates. Committed to conducting attacks inside the United States and against United States interests abroad, these groups promote an ideology that presents a radical vision of Islam that is not followed or endorsed by most Muslims, including those within the United States. Muslims are an extremely diverse group geographically, ethnically, and religiously, and the vast majority reject violent extremist ideology. Indeed, Muslims around the world comprise the main victims of attacks by these groups.



There are other organized groups that engage in violent acts—some are criminal organizations with no political or social agenda, and some are domestic terrorist groups. These include other types of violent extremists—such as white supremacists and eco-terrorists—who commit violence in this country and present significant terrorist threats. Such domestic terrorist groups are of concern to law enforcement, but because they fall outside of NCTC’s international terrorism mission, they are not included in this guide.