Terrorist Attacks Down in 1998, but Record Number Killed

WASHINGTON — Although the number of attacks fell to the lowest level since 1971, terrorism took a record toll last year, with 741 people killed and 5,952 injured worldwide. Most of the casualties were the result of the bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa, the State Department said Friday in its annual report to Congress.

The attacks in Kenya and Tanzania and then the indictment of Osama bin Laden, a longtime sponsor with ties to groups in several countries, reflect the changing face of terrorism.

Although state-sponsored terrorism remains a grave problem, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said Friday that “direct government involvement in committing such acts continues to decline.”

“Unfortunately, this progress has been countered by the rise of terrorist groups that are less directly dependent on states,” she said in a statement.

There were 273 terrorist attacks in 1998, down from 304 in 1997 and the lowest total in 27 years, the department said. There were no acts of terrorism on U.S. territory.