HOW COMMON ARE TERRORIST HOSTAGE-TAKING EVENTS?
Although terrorist hostage-takings like the one in Silver Spring are extremely rare globally, representing less than 1% of all terrorist attacks worldwide since 1970, three have occurred in the District of Columbia, accounting for 2.7% of all attacks in the area. These include a two-day siege in March 1977 when a group of Hanafi Muslims took approximately 150 hostages at the District Building (city hall), the Bnai Brith International Center, and the Islamic Center. During this attack one person was killed and several others were wounded, including then-D.C. Council member Marion Barry. • SUICIDE TERRORISM IN THE UNITED STATES Early media reports on the Discovery Communications attack indicated that the perpetrator had explosives strapped to his chest and back, suggesting that Lee might be willing to die in this attack. Suicide attacks are extremely rare in the United States. Less than 0.5% of terrorist activity in the United States is classified as suicide terrorism, in which the perpe
