The greatest terrorist threat in East Africa currently emanates from Somalia. This country, which has lacked a stable government since 1991, created the environment that provided a safe haven for al Qaeda and led to the rise of al Shabaab. Between 1998 and 2012, when the latest data were available, there were 334 terrorist attacks by either al Qaeda or al Shabaab in East Africa, with the vast majority occurring in Somalia. The United States designated al Qaeda as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in October 1999 and designated al Shabaab as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in March 2008. Other violent organizations, such as the Lord's Resistance Army, are also active in East Africa but have not been designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations by State.