Databases
of terrorist acts
- Worldwide Incidents
Tracking System (WITS)
http://wits.nctc.gov/
- Source: U.S. National Counterterrorism Center (U.S. government)
- Time: 2004-2007
- Universe: Global
terrorist acts
- Data fields: location, weapons,
victims, facilities, perpetrators
- Definition: “groups or
individuals acting on political motivation deliberately or recklessly
attack civilians/non-combatants or their property and the attack does not
fall into another special category of political violence, such as crime,
rioting, or tribal violence.”
- Dataset download: Yes
- Global Terrorism
Database (GTD)
http://www.start.umd.edu/start/
- Source: National
Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START)
at the University of Maryland; funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland
Security
- Time: 1970-2004; will
be updated
- Universe: Global
terrorist acts
- Data fields:
perpetrator, location, weapon, success of attack, target, casualties and
fatalities
- Definition:
- Through 1997: “The threatened
or actual use of illegal force and violence by a non-state actor to
attain a political, economic, religious or social goal through fear,
coercion or intimidation.”
- 1998-present: “No set
definition; configurable approach covering several definitions of
terrorism.”
- Dataset download: No,
currently limited to government employees; public release planned for
2009.
- Article describing GTD
and all other databases:
http://www.informaworld.com/openurl?genre=article&issn=0954-6553&volume=19&issue=2&spage=181
- Description: The most
comprehensive open-source terror attack database available. Incorporates PGIS (aka
Risks International) and RAND-MIPT data.
- Al-Qa’ida Attacks:
1994-2007 – RAND Corporation
http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/2008/RAND_MG741-1.pdf
- Source: RAND
Corporation
- Time: 1994-2007.
- Universe: Worldwide
al-Qaeda attacks.
- Data fields: date,
location, description
- Dataset format: PDF
table at the end of a detailed report.
- Description: a
reliable, complete list of al-Qaeda attacks since 1994. The report
is also valuable.
- International Terrorism:
Attributes of Terrorist Events (ITERATE)
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/07947.xml
- Source: Edward F.
Mickolus
- Time:
- ITERATE 1-2: 1968-1977
(available from ICPSR)
- ITERATE 3-4: 1978-2004
(subscription only)
- International
Terrorism in the 1980s (in
print, available from Haverford Library)
- Universe: Global
terrorist acts
- Data fields: type of
attack, location of the beginning and end of the incident, terrorist
group involved, casualties, fatalities; information about fates of
perpetrators and victims; data on skyjacking incidents
- Definition: n/a
- Dataset download: Yes
- Access: ICPSR Case no.
7947
- Description: One of the
most comprehensive databases available, along with GTD and the US State
Dept.
- American Terrorism
Database
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/04639.xml
- Source: University of Oklahoma and the University of Arkansas; funding from the National Institute of Justice
- Time: Jan 1980-Aug 2002
- Universe: United States federal domestic terrorism indictments
- Data type:
administrative records data
- Dataset download: Yes
- Access: ICPSR Case no.
4639
- Database of Terrorist
Incidents
http://www.ict.org.il/
- Source: International
Institute for Counter-Terrorism (Israel)
- Time: n/a
- Universe: n/a
- Data type: n/a
- Dataset download: n/a
- Access: Online access
currently disabled.
- Description: Formerly a
major source for terror attack information, the website was updated
summer 2008 and no longer includes this data. Access to an updated
database may be forthcoming.
- Country Reports on
Terrorism
http://www.state.gov/s/ct/rls/crt/
- Source: US State
Department
- Description: One of the
most comprehensive databases available, along with GTD and ITERATE, but
not valuable for empirical analysis due to its chronological narrative
format.
- Definition:
Politically-motivated violence
- Suicide Terrorism Events
– Chicago Project on Suicide Terrorism
- Book: Dying to Win
by Robert Pape
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dying_to_Win:_The_Strategic_Logic_of_Suicide_Terrorism
- Database of Terrorist Incidents,
1940 - 1999
http://www.cdiss.org/pages/Programmes/Revolutionary_Warfare_Counter_Insurgency/Publications.asp
- Source: Center for
Defense and International Security Studies (CDISS)
- Time: 1940-1999
- Universe: global
terrorist events
- Data type: PDF file
listing significant events chronologically
- Aviation Safety Database
http://aviation-safety.net/database/
- Source: Aviation Safety
Network
- Time: 1943-2009
- Universe: global
aviation incidents—including security events like hijackings, suicide
attacks, and shootings—as well as accidents of all types
- Data fields: aircraft,
airline, fatalities, passengers, location, flight origin and destination,
description.
- Dataset download: HTML
access only.
- French Database of
Terrorist Acts (in French)
https://bdt.frstrategie.org/
- Description: Details
attacks since 1965 against France or French interests.
- Language: French
- Source: Fondation pour
Recherche Stratégique (Paris)
- Time: 1965-present
- Universe: terrorist
acts in France and global areas of French interest
- Dataset download: No
- Global Transnational
Terrorism (GTT)
- Description: focuses on
relationships among terrorists
- Preliminary analysis (Southeast Asia only) presented in article:
Magouirk, J., S. Atran, M. Sageman. “Connecting Terrorist Networks” Studies
in Conflict and Terrorism 2008 (31.1), pp. 1-16
- Availability: Under
construction. Plans to be open-source.
<< Back to main
Contact:
nlotito(at)haverford.edu, kdrooyan(at)haverford.edu
Last updated: August 1,
2009.