(EST PUB DATE) TERRORISM REVIEW FOR MARCH 1997

• Document Type: FOIA
• Keywords: PLO
• Keywords: GLOBAL NUCLEAR TERRORISM
• Keywords: HIZABALLAH
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0000257473
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 33
• Document Creation Date: June 24, 2015
• Document Release Date: August 1, 2011
• Case Number: F-2008-00992
• Publication Date: March 1, 1997

APPROVED FOR RELEASE^ DATE:
07-25-2011
 National Security Unauthorized Disclosure
Information Subject xo Criminal Sanctions
Dissemination Control NOFORN (rtF)
Abbreviations
ORCON (oc) Dissemination and extraction of information
controlled by originator
 Terrorism Reviewl
Highlights
i Suet
DI TR~97-003
March 1997
 Se et
'tizen Kidnapped) 19
The Terrorism Diary for April and May 21
Chronology_of International Terrorism
Summary of Indigenous Terrorism February 1997 ~ 27
Center. Comments and queries are welcome and may be directed to
This review is published monthly by the DCI Counterterrorist
Information available as of 21 March 1997 was used in this Review
 1 Sec et
D! TR 7-003
March l997
 Set 2
 Sec et 4
 Se et
 S ret 6
 9 Self
DI T~q7-003
March 1997
 Secret 10
 13 Sec t
 5e et 14
 Highlights
Significant Developments
15 Se~et
DI T~g7-003
March 1997
 Se et 16
 Se et 1 g
 Se et
Another US Citizen Kidnapped
S mining engineer Frank Skee was kidnapped on
7 March in southwestern Colombia, apparently by members of the Revolutionary
Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the country's largest guerrilla group. Mem-
bers of the FARC's 29th Front for several weeks had called a rarely used telephone
number to demand extortion payments from the victim's employer, a US-owned
mining company based near the Ecuadorian border. The kidna pers called the
same number to set up ransom talks with the company.
Colombian guerrillas already held four US citizens:
? The FARO kidnapped three US missionaries from Panama in 1993. Although the
guerrillas have not rovided an news on their status or whereabouts since 1994,
information ndicates that all three were alive
and in FAR captivity in a ruary
? Another kidnapped US citizen was found dead last month in northeastern
Colombia.
 The Terrorism Diary for April and Ma~
April
1 April 1979
4 April 1947
4 April 1979
7 April 1916
8 April 1947
8 April-6 May
11 April 1968
13 April 1975
l4-IS April 1986
19 April 1973 .
24 April 1915
28 April 1937
29 April 1986
1 May
1 May 1980
Below is a compendium of April and May dates of known or conceivable signifi-
cance to terrorists around the world. Our inclusion of a date or event should not by
itself be construed to suggest that we expect or anticipate a commemorative terror-
Armenians. April is dedicated by Armenian groups to the memory of the massacre
of Armenians by Turks during World War I.
Iran. Islamic Republic Day.
Syria. Founding of Bath Party.
Pakistan. Ex-President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto executed; the terrorist group
Al-Zulfikar, founded by his two sons, is named after him.
Ireland Beginning of insurrection that led to independence.
Iraq. Founding of ruling Bath Party.
Muslim World. Month of the hajj. The pilgrimage will take place probably
16-18 April.
Palestinians. Founding of Populaz Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General
Command (PEEP-GC).
Lebanon. Phalange militiamen attack bus, triggering Lebanese civil war.
Libya. US aircraft bomb Tripoli and Banghazi in retaliation for Libyan involve-
ment in anti-US terrorism.
Colombia. Populist group National Popular Alliance extremists founded 19th of
April Movement (M-19).
Armenians. National Day of Sorrow. Commemorates Turkish massacre.
Iraq. Birthday of Saddam Husayn.
India. Sikh militants declare independent republic of Khalistan at Golden Temple
in Amritsar; militants expelled from temple next day.
Socialist World May Day (commemorates labor violence in Chicago).
Peru. Destruction of electoral material in Chuschi, Province de Cangallo, marks
beginning of armed struggle by Sendero Luminoso; anniversary is commemorated
by acts of violence throughout May, but especially on 16 May.
Sec et
Dl TR 7-003
Mash 1997
 2 May 1953 Jordan. King Husayn assumed constitutional power.
4 May 1997 Jewish World. Commemoration of the Holocaust.
6 May 1900 Iran. Birthday of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
I2 May 1997 Israel Independence Day.
14 May 1948 Middle East. Beginning of first Arab-Israeli war.
IS May 1948
Palestinians. Palestine Day (end of iJN mandate); 15 May Organization, founded
in 1979 by remnant of Special Operations Group of Popular Front for the
Liberation of Palestine (PEEP), takes its name from this event.
17 May 1983 Lebanon, Israel. Signing of troop withdrawal accord (known as 17 May
agreement).
 Chronology of International Terrorism
The following incidents were considered by the Intelligence Community's Incident
Review Panel since publication of the previous issue of the Terrorism Review and
were determined by the Panel to constitute international terrorism. Such incidents
provide the basis for the State Department's Patterns of Global Terrorism, which is
publish d lly as the US Government's official record of international terror-
ism ~rtttua
23 Sec et
DI T 97-003
March 1997
 S January
2 February
South Africa: A bomb exploded at a mosque in Rustenburg, injuring a Sudanese
citizen and a South African. The Boere Aanvals Troepe claimed responsibility for
Rwanda: An unidentified gunman entered a church in Ruhengeri and shot and
killed a priest as he served communion. No one claimed responsibility for the
~~
4 February Rwanda: In Cyangugu Prefecture, suspected Hutu militants killed five members
2 January
13 January
of the UN Human Rights Field Operation in Rwanda using firearms, grenades,
and machetes. The victims included a Briton, a Cambodian, and three Rwandans.
Authorities believe Islamic opposition fighters may be responsible
Tajikistan: Gunmen shot and killed a Russian medical service o,,~cer and a Tajik
nurse in an apartment in Dushanbe. No one claimed responsibility for the attack.
pected of leading the kidnappers
Russia: Unidentified assailants kidnapped two Russian journalists in Chechnya.
The kidnappers issued a ransom demand of $500,000__A Jordanian militant is sus-
23 January Tajikistan: Gunmen shot and killed a retired Cossack military commander, his
mother and his ncee in Dushanbe. No one claimed responsibility for the
 Europe
1 January
10 January
12 January
13 January
Greece: Unidentified assailants ignited two incendiary devices underneath the
company car of a Wackenhut guard in Athens, destroying the vehicle but caus-
ing no injuries. No one claimed responsibility for the attack
nec~h sympathizers of the Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA) organization.
Spain: Unknown attackers hurled several molotov cocktails at a Renault car
dealership in Anoeta, causing extensive damage but no injuries. Authorities sus-
Spain: Assailants in San Sebastian set fire to two French-registered vehicles dur-
ing apro-ETA dew anon. Authorities suspect ETA-organized youth groups
United Kingdom: A letter bomb detonated at a London building housing the
AI-Hayat newspaper and the Al-Majallah magazine, injuring two guards and
causing minor damage. Authorities defused three additional devices. The bombs
were postmarked in Alexandria, Egypt, and are similar to others found at Al-Hayat
offices in the United States and Saudi Arabi
 22 January
23 January
5 February
PKK is suspected
Turkey: A device exploded-on an Iraqi-owned pipeline in Mardin. The .pipeline,
extending from Kirkuk Ira to Yumurtalik, Turkey, sustained major damage. The
~
lutionary Movement (MRTA) prisoners in Peru
Italy: Italian leftists seized the o,,~4ce of the Peruvian Honorary Consul in Padua,
holding the Consul and several workers hostage for several hours. The intruders
left painted messages on office walls calling for the release of Tupac Amaru Revo-
Germany: Suspected PKK members or sympathizers firebombed aTurkish c -
tural club in Goeppingen, injuring two Turks and causing extensive damag~
10 January Colombia: Alleged National Liberation Army (ELN) members dynamited a sec-
tion arrancabermeja pipeline in Barrancabermeja, causing minor dam-
age
27 January Colombia: Two aircraft, including one piloted by a US civilian, were hit by
ground' fire while eradicating coca crops in the southeastern part of the country.
No one was injured, but one aircraft had to make an emergency land~in . No group
claimed responsibility, but Colombian guerrillas are suspected)
4 and ll January
Saudi Arabia: In two separate incidents, bomb disposal experts safely detonated
two letterbombs received at the AI-Hayat newspaper o,~ce in Riyadh. No one
claimed responsibility. The devices were postmarked in Alexandria, Egypt, and are
similar to those received by AI-Hayat bureaus in the United States and the UK~
 Europe
Spain
Summary of Indigenous Terrorism-February 1997
This description of incidents and situations is not meant to be a detailed account-
ing of all domestic terrori nts, but rather to provide an overview of indige-
nous terrorism worldwide
A bomb exploded on a bus in Panipat, Haryana State, on 1 February, killing one
person and injuring at least 19 others. No one claimed responsibility, but Kashmiri
or Sikh separatists are suspected
On 11 February unidentified extremists attacked Pakkajala Village in ~:riDUra_State~
killing 15 persons, injuring three others, and burning down 22 houses
On 19 February suspected Muslim militants detonated a bomb three miles from the
airport in Srinagar, where the US Ambassador was scheduled to arrive within the
hour. One person was killed, and two Indian soldiers were injured
On 11 February in the district of Pollanruwa, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
(LTTE) guerrillas attacked th n av li police post, killing at least 15 constables
and wounding several other
Police defused an explosive device that was. found outside the Athens home of a
terrorist expert and former adviser to the Greek Ministry of Public Order on
23 February. The Fighting Guerrilla Formation claimed responsibility in warning
A car bomb exploded outside a San Sebastian wine shop on 2 February, causing
minor damage but no in'uries. The Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA) organiza-
~
tion is suspected
Two gunmen shot and killed a Spanish Supreme Court judge outside his Madrid
ho bruary. No one claimed responsibility, but authorities suspect the
ETA
On 11 February an unidentified gunman shot and killed a prominent local business-
man as he conducted a band during a carnival celebration in Tolosa. The ETA is
suspected
27 Seclceet
DI TR~7-003
March 1997
 Sed~et
 An explosive device detonated under the car of a Bilbao policeman on 17 February,
killing theme and causing minor damage to a nearby school. The ETA is sus-
Turkey
pected
Party (PKK), is suspected
A group of militants clashed with security forces on 9 February near the Gomece
village in Hatay, killing a village guard and wounding a soldier. The Kurdistan
Peoples' Liberation Army ARGK the military arm of the Kurdistan Workers'
organization's pamphlet near the victim's bod
On 3 February in Istanbul, two gunmen kidnapped and killed the Kartal district
leader of the National Action Party. The assailants left an unnamed illegal leftist
February in Mardin.
The ARGK claimed res onsibility for executing a government employee on 10
~~
United Kingdom On 5 February unknown assailants hurled an explosive device at a police vehicle in
Dungannon, Northern Ireland, causing minor dama a but no injuries. The Irish
Republican Army (IRA) probably was responsible
Authorities deactivated a large bomb placed in an empty lot next to a hotel in Stra-
bane, Northern Ireland, on 9 February. l:n a coded telephone call to a local police
station ~e IRA warned officials and claimed responsibility for planting the device.
A suspected IRA sniper opened fire on a Bessbrook, Northern Ireland, veh'
checkpoint on 12 February, killing a British soldier and injuring a motoris
Colombia Two hundred National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrillas attacked the town of
Cubaza on 8 February, killing five women and five policemen and destroying the
Alleged Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrillas ambushed a
prison van and freed 10 FARC prisoners in Caqueta Province on 1 S February. The
six prison guards were stripped of their weapons but unharmed, and the van was set
there were no injuries. No group has claimed responsibility
On I2 February an explosive device activated by an electronic mechanism deto-
nated on the runway as Colombian President Samper's aircraft approached the air-
strip in Barranquilla. The crew had to abort their landing because of the blast, but
in 1992 and is serving a life sentence in prison
Sendero Luminoso (SL) rebels threw a bomb near an electric company office in
Lima on 9 February, causing minor damage. Leaflets were left at the site that read:
"Viva Presidente Gonzalo" referring to SL's leader and founde"r, who was arrested
29 Sect
 Algeria
Egypt
beheaded 33 villagers. The Armed Islamic Group (GIA) is suspected.
On 18 February some 30 militants attacked the village of Kerrach in Blida and
son and wounding 13 others. The GIA may be responsiblq~
A bomb exploded at a market in Boufarik, Blida, on 24 Febru killing one per-
~~
side the church. Al-Gama'at al-Islamiyya is suspected
On 12 February six gunmen broke into a village church in Abu Qurgas, Al-Minya
Governorate, closed the doors, and opened fire randomly, killing nine persons and
wounding six others. During their escape the assailants killed another person out-