We have seen some pretty bad attacks in Europe over the past decade or so. But are we at greater danger than before?
If you measure by deaths from terrorism, then no. The 70s and 80s were far worse.
https://www.statista.com/chart/4093/peo ... ince-1970/
This shows deaths from terrorism from 1970 to last year in Western Europe. What it shows is that before the 1990s, the rates were much higher. After 2001, there are two trends - an underlying low rate of less than 25 deaths per year, punctuated by a low number of "spectaculars" - Madrid, London, Oslo/Utoya, Paris.
These also happened before that time - the events shown on the graph are the Munich Olympic hostage taking by Palestinians, the 1980 bombings in Bologna and Munich by neo-fascists, and Lockerbie which we think was Libya.
What is not brought out are the 1974 Birmingham pub bombings, which killed 19, the 1979 Warrenpoint ambush which killed 18 (and was the same day as Lord Mountbatten and three others were killed with a bomb), or the 1998 Omagh bombing which killed 29. All of those were carried out by the Provisional IRA or a derived group.
The high figures for United Kingdom are (aside from Lockerbie and 7/7/2005) mainly due to the "Troubles", which have killed over 3,000 people in Northern Ireland and mainland Britain, and carried out by both Republicans and Loyalists.
Neither are significant ETA attacks highlighted, such as the 1987 Hipercor bombing in Barcelona which killed 21. Between them and the far right reactionary groups, over 900 people were killed.
We have had it worse than we do now.
If you measure by deaths from terrorism, then no. The 70s and 80s were far worse.
https://www.statista.com/chart/4093/peo ... ince-1970/
This shows deaths from terrorism from 1970 to last year in Western Europe. What it shows is that before the 1990s, the rates were much higher. After 2001, there are two trends - an underlying low rate of less than 25 deaths per year, punctuated by a low number of "spectaculars" - Madrid, London, Oslo/Utoya, Paris.
These also happened before that time - the events shown on the graph are the Munich Olympic hostage taking by Palestinians, the 1980 bombings in Bologna and Munich by neo-fascists, and Lockerbie which we think was Libya.
What is not brought out are the 1974 Birmingham pub bombings, which killed 19, the 1979 Warrenpoint ambush which killed 18 (and was the same day as Lord Mountbatten and three others were killed with a bomb), or the 1998 Omagh bombing which killed 29. All of those were carried out by the Provisional IRA or a derived group.
The high figures for United Kingdom are (aside from Lockerbie and 7/7/2005) mainly due to the "Troubles", which have killed over 3,000 people in Northern Ireland and mainland Britain, and carried out by both Republicans and Loyalists.
Neither are significant ETA attacks highlighted, such as the 1987 Hipercor bombing in Barcelona which killed 21. Between them and the far right reactionary groups, over 900 people were killed.
We have had it worse than we do now.