Al Qaeda Central report says al Qaeda affiliate in Syria particularly lethal . Al Qaeda Central has had difficulty commanding influence and ordering directives . Next door in Iraq , a weak security environment in the western section of the country along with the de-stabilizing effects of the situation in Syria have allowed a former al Qaeda affiliate , the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant , to move across the border with ease to conduct its own attacks . The civil war in Syria continues to be a magnet for extremists . NEW : Terror attacks increase in annual ; more than 17,800 recorded resulting in More than 9,700 deaths .
Al Qaeda Central report says al Qaeda affiliate in Syria particularly lethal . Al Qaeda Central has had difficulty commanding influence and ordering directives . The civil war in Syria continues to be a magnet for extremists . NEW : Terror attacks increase in annual ; more than 17,800 recorded resulting in More than 9,700 deaths .