Advocates of beleaguered Christians in northern Nigeria have long argued that members of Boko Haram—known for attacking churches and other targets—should be considered terrorists. Now the U.S. State Department, which recently ranked the group No. 2 on its list of worldwide perpetrators of attacks, finally agrees.

Yesterday's decision to officially label Boko Haram as a "foreign terrorist organization" drew strong praise from Christian Solidarity Worldwide and other observers of religious freedom in Nigeria. The welcomed new designation follows a recent report from the International Criminal Court, prompted by Nigerian Christians attempting a new legal tactic, arguing that Boko Haram's actions constitute crimes against humanity.

The State Department calculates that Boko Haram committed more than 360 attacks in 2012, killing more than 1,100 people. It also calculates that "the most lethal terrorist attacks in 2012 were those in which the primary target was ...

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