State Department officials says Al Qaeda is in Syria particularly lethal . Al Qaeda Central has had difficulty commanding troops and ordering directives . `` The terrorist threat continued to evolve rapidly in 2013 , with an increasing number of groups around the world - including both AQ affiliates and other terrorist organizations - posing a threat to the United States , our allies , and our interests , '' the annual report on global terrrorism trends found . The civil war in Syria continues to be a magnet for terrorism . 2013 : Terror attacks increase in 2013 ; More than 9,700 recorded resulting in more than 17,800 deaths .
State Department officials says Al Qaeda is in Syria particularly lethal . Al Qaeda Central has had difficulty commanding troops and ordering directives . The civil war in Syria continues to be a magnet for terrorism . 2013 : Terror attacks increase in 2013 ; More than 9,700 recorded resulting in more than 17,800 deaths .