PATTERNS OF INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM: 1981

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83B00231R000200200002-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 30
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 31, 2007
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: June 1, 1982
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2007/01/31 : CIA-RDP83BOO231 R000200ZQ0002-9
Directorate of ecret
Intelligence
Patterns of
International Terrorism:
1981
MASTER FILE COPY
03 E CT GIVE OUT
O IRK ON
 Approved For Release 2007/01/31 : CIA-RDP83B00231 R000200200002-9
Approved For Release 2007/01/31 : CIA-RDP83B00231 R000200200002-9
 Approved For Release 2007/01/31 : CIA-RDP83B00231 R000200200002-9
Directorate of Secret
Intelligence
Patterns of
International Terrorism:
1981
Information available as of 25 June 1982
has been used in the preparation of this report.
The author of this paper is
Office of Global Issues. Comments and queries are
welcome amd may be directed to the Chief,
Intenational Terrorism Branch. Instabilit and
Insurgency Center, OGI,
Secret
GI 82-10132
June 1982
 Approved For Release 2007/01/31 : CIA-RDP83B00231 R000200200002-9
The threat or use of violence for political purposes by individuals or groups,
whether acting for, or in opposition to, established governmental authority, when
such actions are intended to shock, stun, or intimidate a target group wider than
the immediate victims.
International Terrorism conducted with the support of a foreign government or organization
Terrorism: and/or directed against foreign nationals, institutions, or governments. Terrorism
has involved groups seeking to overthrow specific regimes to rectify national or
group grievances or to undermine international order as an end in itself.
Secret ii
 Approved For Release 2007/01/31 : CIA-RDP83B00231 R000200200002-9
Secret
Patterns of
International Terrorism:
1981
Since 1968 we have recorded 7,425 attacks in which 8,088 victims were
held hostage and 12,139 were killed or injured. (u)
Both the number of international terrorist incidents and the number of
casualties resulting from incidents fell in 1981. Deaths caused by terrorist
attacks dropped dramatically from 642 in 1980 to 173 in 1981 (figure 1).
Despite the decline in the number of casualties, the long-term trend is
toward more serious threats to human life. In 1970 about half the
international terrorist incidents were directed against people and half were
directed against property. In 1981, 80 percent of such incidents were
directed against people.
Attacks against Americans also declined in number with fewer casualties,
but all the Americans killed in 1981 (as in 1980) were killed because of
their nationality. In earlier years most were victims of indiscriminate
terrorist attacks that had little or nothing to do with their citizenship.
The trend toward a broader geographic spread of international terrorism
continued in 1981; incidents occurred in 91 countries, more than in any
previous year. Government-sponsored international terrorist attacks were
mainly directed against Middle Easterners in the Middle East.
iii Secret
G182-10132
June 1982
 Approved For Release 2007/01/31 : CIA-RDP83B00231 R000200200002-9
Secret
Activities of Significant Groups in 1981 14
 Approved For Release 2007/01/31 : CIA-RDP83B00231 R000200200002-9
2.
Deaths and Injuries Due to International Terrorist Attacks, 1968-81
6
3.
International Terrorist Attacks on US Personnel and
Facilities, 1981
10
4.
Geographic Distribution of International Terrorist Attacks, 1968-81
11
5.
Nationality of Victims of International Terrorist Attacks, 1968-81
12
6.
Type of Victim of International Terrorist Attacks, 1968-81
13
9.
International Terrorist Attacks on US Personnel and
Facilities, 1968-81
 Approved For Release 2007101131 : CIA-RDP83B00231 R000200200002-9
Secret
Patterns of
International Terrorism:
1981
Twenty-four countries have granted asylum to terror-
ists after a hostage seizure. Cuba, Libya, Algeria, and
South Yemen granted asylum most often.
Key Patterns in 1981
Type of Attack. In 1981, international terrorists used
a variety of methods to achieve their goals-including
kidnaping, hostage taking, assassination, bombing,
threats, and hoaxes (table 1). The number of serious
incidents-kidnapings, major bombings, assassina-
tions, and skyjackings-dropped. Even though assas-
sinations and assasssination attempts dropped from
111 in 1980 ` to 70 last year, 1981 still had the
second-highest total since we began to record such
incidents in 1968.
In the first part of 1981 the number of skyjackings
was high, but after a few well-publicized failures their
incidence declined. In March a Pakistani commercial
airliner was hijacked first to Afghanistan and then to
Syria by the Pakistan Liberation Army. The resulting
release of prisoners in Pakistan, combined with pub-
licity and eventual freedom for the terrorists, prob-
ably encouraged other, less-successful attempts. An
Indonesian plane was also seized in March and taken
to Thailand where all the terrorists were killed by
Indonesian forces, and the hijacking of a Turkish
plane to Bulgaria was foiled by the pilot and passen-
gers. Fewer incidents occurred during the rest of the
year, apart from several attempts by Eastern Europe-
ans to hijack planes to the West. One dramatic
exception was the simultaneous hijacking of three
planes from Venezuela via Central America to Cuba,
where the hostages were released. The total number
of skvi-1-ings reported in 1981 was 32, four less than
the previous year. Caution is indicated in using these
Figure 1
figures, however, as we suspect far more incidents
may have occurred in Eastern Europe than we have
recorded.
Location of Attack. Figures for 1981 confirm a clear
trend toward a greater geographic spread of interna-
tional terrorism.
1975 57 countries
1980 76 countries
1981 91 countries
 Geographic Distribution of International
Terrorist Incidents, 1981, by Category
The great majority of incidents, however, continued to
occur in a few areas where conditions facilitate
publicity and in some cases provide greater safety for
the perpetrators-Western Europe, Latin America,
the Middle East, and North America. More incidents
occurred in the United States than in any other
country, but Argentina, Lebanon, West Germany,
France, and Italy were also sites of frequent terror-
ism.
Approved For Release 2007/01/31 : CIA-RDP83B00231 R000200200002-9
Victims. In 1981, citizens of 77 countries were the
victims of international terrorist incidents, more than
in any previous year since we began to record such
statistics in January 1968. As in past years, US
citizens were the primary target, followed by those of
the UK, USSR, France, Israel, Turkey, and Iraq.
Attacks or threats against citizens of these seven
countries accounted for more than 60 percent of the
709 incidents (including threats and hoaxes) recorded
in 1981. Incidents directed against American citizens
or facilities totaled 258 last year.
Western USSR/ Sub-
Europe Eastern Saharan
Europe Africa
In terms of who or what is attacked, there are several
clear and ominous trends. In 1970 about half of the
incidents were against people, the rest against proper-
ty. Now, 80 percent are directed against people.
Diplomats are the foremost category; the number of
attacks against them rose from an average of 165 per
year during 1975-79 to 409 in 1980 and then dropped
to 368 in 1981, when they constituted more than half
of all victims. This is due in part to the rising number
of attacks sponsored by governments, which tend to
single out enemy diplomats, dissidents, and prominent
exiles living abroad. Businessmen, mostly Americans
in Latin America, were the victims in 12 percent of
the incidents, and military personnel were involved in
about 9 percent. Attacks against military personnel
constitute one of the fastest growing categories.
Approved For Release 2007/01/31 : CIA-RDP83B00231 R000200200002-9
 Approved For Release 2007/01/31 : CIA-RDP83B00231 R000200200002-9
Secret
Table 1 (continued)
Middle East/
North Africa
Asia
Assassination c
20
3
1
0
70
Sabotage
0
0
0
0
1
Exotic pollution
0
0
0
0
1
Subtotal
79
9
1
0
353
Bombing (minor)
13
4
0
0
122
Threat
7
6
0
0
73
Theft, break-in
2
1
0
0
13
Hoax
6
5
1
0
85
a Bombings where damage or casualties occurred, or where a group
claimed responsibility.
b Hijackings of air, sea, or land transport.
c Includes assassination or attempt to assassinate where the victim
was preselected by name.
d Includes conspiracy, and other actions such as sniping, shootout
with police, and arms smuggling.
Terrorist Groups. A total of 113 groups claimed credit
for international terrorist incidents in 1981, down
slightly from the high of 128 in 1980. These numbers
are undoubtedly inflated: some groups create cover
names to avoid responsibility for a particular action,
others use them to commemorate an anniversary, and
common criminals create still others to mislead inves-
tigators. The terrorists represented 86 nationalities,
but, as in the past, Palestinians, Armenians, West
Germans, and Central Americans were responsible
for the majority of incidents.
Terrorist Events Causing Death or Injury. Only about
one-fourth as many people were killed in terrorist
attacks in 1981 as in the previous year-173 com-
pared with 642. The number injured also dropped, but
not as dramatically (figure 2). The patterns were,
however, similar to previous years. Assassination at-
tempts and bombings accounted for the majority of
attacks that involved casualties, and most of these
incidents occurred in Western Europe and the Middle
East. Terrorists appear to have been more careful in
selecting their targets, and more than half of such
attacks resulted in harm only to the intended victim,
whereas in the past innocent bystanders were much
more often killed or injured.
 Approved For Release 2007/01/31 : CIA-RDP83B00231 R000200200002-9
Pakistani airliner held by
Pakistan Liberation Army at
Damascus Airport-one 32
hijackings in 1981.
Attacks that produced casualties occurred in 56 coun-
tries. The greatest number took place in Lebanon,
where many of the Middle Eastern terrorist groups
are headquartered and where responsibility for securi-
ty is fragmented. Included in the Lebanese total are a
number of Iraqi and Iranian attacks on each other's
diplomats.
Fifty-eight terrorist groups claimed responsibility for
attacks that produced casualties in 1981, compared
with 49 in 1980. The Armenian and Palestinian
groups were responsible for most of these attacks.
Nationalities most victimized changed little from
1980: Americans were most numerous among casual-
ties, followed by Israelis, Britons, Iraqis, and Iranians.
Between 1968 and 1981, 189 American citizens were
killed in international terrorist attacks. Almost half
of them were victims of indiscriminate killings, but
the number of Americans singled out for assassina-
tion has increased steadily since the mid-1970s, and
all Americans killed in 1981 had been selected for
assassination
Attacks Against Americans. A total of 258 interna-
tional terrorist incidents were directed against Ameri-
can citizens or property during 1981-slightly more
than in most previous years but not as many as in
1978 and 1980. There were nine kidnapings, 14
assassination attacks, and 91 bombings of US proper-
ty-about the same as in 1980. Threats dropped
significantly from 50 to 29, but hoaxes rose from 25 to
51 (table 2 and figure 3).
A new and ominous development is that all the
Americans killed by international terrorist attacks in
1980 and 1981 were assassinated because of their
nationality. In earlier years, most Americans killed in
such incidents were victims of indiscriminate attacks
that had little or nothing to do with their nationality.
Moreover, at least one terrorist group, the Red Bri-
gades, is known to have shifted to less well protected
American officials after initially planning to attack a
closely guarded target.
Approved For Release 2007/01/31 : CIA-RDP83B00231 R000200200002-9
 Approved For Release 2007/01/31 : CIA-RDP83B00231 R000200200002-9
Secret
Kidnaping
Seizure of one or more victims, who are then moved to
a hideout.
Barricade-hostage
Seizure of a facility with whatever hostages are
available; their release is made contingent on meeting
terrorists' demands.
Bombing
Major bombing-use of any type of explosive or
incendiary device for terrorist purposes, including
those delivered through the mail, when significant
damage or casualties occur or a terrorist group claims
responsibility.
Minor bombing-same as above except that there are
no casualties and little or no damage, and no group
claims responsibility.
Armed attack
An attempt to seize or damage a facility, with no
intent to hold it for negotiating purposes.
Hijacking
An attempt to seize an airplane, ship, or other vehicle,
with whatever hostages may be in it, to force some
action-movement to another country and/or agree-
ment by the authorities involved to some terrorist
demand.
Assassination
An attempt, whether or not successful, to kill a
preselected victim, usually with small arms or bombs.
Letter bombs are excluded from this category, al-
though, in at least some cases, there probably is a
specific intended victim.
Sabotage
Intentional destruction of property by means other
than bombing.
Exotic pollution
Use of exotic substances-atomic, chemical, or bio-
logical-to contaminate material; for example, the
introduction of mercury into oranges shipped from
Israel.
Threat/hoax
The stated intent by a terrorist group to carry out an
attack, or a false alert to authorities about a coming
terrorist attack by a named group.
These incidents serve terrorists' purposes in that they
tend to alarm and intimidate potential victims, their
parent states and organizations, and often the local
populace. They usually cause facilities to be evacuat-
ed, absorb the time of investigative authorities, and
generally disrupt the work of the threatened group.
Well over half the recorded threats and hoaxes are.
directed against US citizens-673 out of a total of
1,081 threats and 78 out of 143 hoaxes. This is at
least partially attributable to the fact that we have
much more information about such incidents than we
do about threats or hoaxes directed against other
nations' citizens. Moreover, much of the information
we have on such incidents directed against foreigners
is derived from their reports to US authorities about
such attacks in the United States-frequently at the
UN.
Theft, break-in
Illegal entry into a facility to intimidate or harass its
owners.
Other
Includes sniping, shootouts with police, arms smug-
gling, and credible reports of plotting a terrorist
attack that is subsequently foiled or aborted. In all
cases a terrorist group is named.
I
 Approved For Release 2007/01/31 : CIA-RDP83B00231 R000200200002-9
Deaths and Injuries Due to International Terrorist Attacks
In 1981, 17 percent of incidents directed against
Americans resulted in at least one casualty. Six
Americans were killed and 31 wounded in interna-
tional terrorist attacks in 1981. These numbers are
slightly lower than in the last few years. This is
partially due to good fortune; the number of attempt-
ed violent attacks has not decreased.
Seventy-two international terrorist groups took credit
for attacks against Americans in 1981. The Colom-
bian leftist group, 19th of April Movement (M-19),
claimed the largest number. The Red Army Faction
(RAF) and its sympathizers in West Germany and
terrorist groups in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Peru
also carried out a significant number of attacks
against Americans.
In addition to non-government-sponsored terrorist at-
tacks in 1981, the United States was confronted by
Qadhafi's threat to assassinate President Reagan and
other senior US Government officials and to attack
US facilities abroad.
Total Killed: 3,841
All six American citizens killed in 1981 were assassi-
nated in Latin America, where more than one-third of
the incidents directed against Americans occurred.
While the attacks were no more frequent than in 1980,
the number of attacks in both 1980 and 1981 was
higher than in any previous year. Five assassination
attacks, eight kidnapings, 37 bombings, and four
skyjackings that involved Americans were recorded in
Latin America during the year:
? In El Salvador 15 incidents took place, including a
series of armed attacks against the US Embassy in
March and April and the murder of two Americans
in January.
? In Guatemala there were 14 attacks, including five
kidnapings and the murder of three US citizens.
 Approved For Release 2007/01/31 : CIA-RDP83B00231 R000200200002-9
Secret
The Iraqi Embassy in Beirut
was destroyed by a car bomb on
? In Costa Rica, a bomb destroyed a van carrying US
Marine guards to the US Embassy, injuring three
guards and their driver.
? In Colombia, the M-19 carried out eight attacks on
Americans during the year, including the murder of
kidnaped missionary Chester Bitterman.
residence were bombed on 31 August.
0
A total of 30 attacks were directed against US
personnel and property in West Germany during
1981-more than in any other year. They were
carried out by RAF members or sympathizers, and
included an attempt to assassinate General Kroesen
as well as numerous bombings of US facilities. The
last bombing of the year, on 31 August at Ramstein
AFB, damaged the headquarters building and injured
18 people, including a US brigadier general.
The Broader Picture
Since we began recording international terrorist inci-
dents in 1968, a number of broad patterns have
emerged. Some are relatively unchanging, such as the
distribution of terrorist incidents-where Western
Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East continue
to account for about three-fourths of all incidents
(figure 4). Almost half the incidents recorded since
1968 have occurred in only nine countries. The great-
est number were recorded in the United States (partly
because information is better); other nations with a
large number of incidents include Argentina, Italy,
France, West Germany, Iran, Turkey, Greece, and
Israel. These are convenient locations for terrorist
operations, and in many cases the incident did not
even involve citizens of the country in which the event
occurred. Fewer than 20 percent of the events in
France involved French terrorists, for example, and
an even smaller portion involved French nationals as
victims.
Over the past 14 years more than 20 percent of all
international terrorist incidents occurred in Latin
America, and the number in that region has been
increasing faster than in other parts of the world.
More attacks were recorded in 1980-81 than in any
other two-year period since 1968, primarily reflecting
Aooroved For Release 2007/01/31 : CIA-RDP83B00231 R000200200002-9
 Approved For Release 2007/01/31 : CIA-RDP83B00231 R000200200002-9
Secret
Geographic Distribution of International
Terrorist Attacks on US Citizens
and Property, 1981, by Category
Type of Event North Latin
America America
the spillover of increased domestic violence into the
international arena. In most cases the attacks were
carried out by indigenous groups against foreigners in
an attempt to discredit or undermine the local regime.
In some cases the attacks were by rightwing groups
against foreigners who were thought to sympathize
with antigovernment forces.
From 1968 through 1981, we recorded 1,512 interna-
tional terrorist incidents in the Middle East and
North Africa. The number of attacks in the region
was highest in 1978 (reflecting increased anti-Ameri-
can activity in Iran), remained high in 1979 and 1980,
and declined somewhat in 1981. As in Latin America,
much of the international terrorism is a spillover from
domestic violence. Iran in 1978 is a good example.
Most of the attacks in the region were carried out by
Middle Eastern terrorists, and about half were direct-
ed at other Middle Eastern citizens. Responsibility
was claimed b 151 different terrorist groups-mostly
Palestinian.Z
0
Western USSR/ Sub-
Europe Eastern Saharan
Europe Africa
While citizens of almost every country have been
victimized by international terrorism, most incidents
have been directed against those of only a few coun-
tries (figure 5). Our records show that between 1968
and 1981, citizens of 131 different countries were
victimized by international terrorism; attacks against
US, Israeli, UK, West German, French, and USSR
nationals account for more than 60 percent of all the
incidents. Americans were by far the most often
targeted.' Of the 7,425 attacks recorded, 38 percent
were directed against American citizens. This reflects
the wide geographic spread of American interests and
the fact that US citizens are regarded as symbols of
Western wealth and power.
Each year, between 35 and 45 percent of all the
international terrorist incidents are directed against
US personnel or property. The second-highest number
25X1
25:
25:
 Approved For Release 2007/01/31 : CIA-RDP83B00231 R000200200002-9
Table 2 (continued)
Middle East/ Asia
North Africa
Assassination c 5 1
Sabotage 0 0
Subtotal 8 5
a Bombings where damage or casualties occurred, or where a group
claimed responsibility.
b Hijackings of air, sea, or land transport.
c Includes assassination or attempt to assassinate where the victim
was preselected by name.
d Includes conspiracy, and other actions such as sniping, shootout
with police, and arms smuggling.
Secret
0
0
14
0
0
1
0
0
101
of incidents against any single country has consistent-
ly been far less-about 10 percent of the total.
Usually either Israel or the UK has been the second
most victimized country. In 1979, however, it was
France and in 1980, the USSR.
Diplomats have been the foremost target of terrorist
incidents, accounting for nearly 40 percent of the total
(figure 6). Businesses and businessmen are the second
most frequent victims of terrorist incidents. During
the 14 years, almost one-fourth of the incidents were
directed against business, especially American busi-
ness in Latin America. The number reached a high in
1978 and declined thereafter-in part because of
increased security, improved operating procedures in
high risk areas, and, most importantly, a shift in focus
by many terrorist groups.
 Approved For Release 2007/01/31 : CIA-RDP83B00231 R000200200002-9
Figure 3
International Terrorist Attacks on US Personnel and Facilities, 1981
Number of Incidents
Location of Event
Pacific
Mideast and North
Africa H
Sub-Saharan Africa ^
Asia
North America
Western Europe
Latin America
Type of Attack
Barricade-Hostage
Armed Attack
Sniping
Kidnaping
Assassination
Hijacking
Threat, Hoax
Bombing
0 50 100
U
Type of Victim
Other US
Governmenta
Tourists,
Missionaries
Nationality of Terrorists
Italian F
Peruvian
Palestinian
Turkish
Guatemalan
Colombian
Salvadoran
West German
Secret 10
 Approved For Release 2007/01/31 : CIA-RDP83B00231 R000200200002-9
Figure 4
Geographic Distribution of International
Terrorist Attacks, 1968-81
Middle East and
North Africa
1,512
For the last two years, incidents involving hostage-
seizures have been more successfully countered as
governments became better trained and equipped to
deal with the situation. Our records show that hos-
tages were successfully rescued by forces from Brit-
ain, the Philippines, Turkey, Italy, Cuba, and Mexico
in 1980; and from Indonesia, Bolivia, France, Paki-
stan, Poland, Sweden, Spain, and the Netherlands in
1981.
In recent years, however, assassination attempts have
increased dramatically, especially from 1977 to 1980.
1968-76 20 (annual average)
1977 34
Latin America 1,597 1978 54
1979 65
1980 111
diplomats or their own exiles.
This increase is attributable to the fact that several
countries-Libya, Syria, and Iran among them-have
increasingly used their military and intelligence ser- 2
vices to carry out terrorist attacks against foreign
Although military personnel are not as large a seg-
ment of the victim population as diplomats or busi-
nessmen, we have recorded 600 terrorist attacks (few-
er than 10 percent of the total) against them. The
number of attacks against the military is increasing at
the greatest rate
The pattern of terrorist events that produce casualties
appears to be changing. In 1,614 such incidents
(figure 7), 3,841 people were killed and 8,298 wound-
ed. Bombings and assassinations account for more
than 70 percent of the attacks that produced casual-
ties. Bombings have always been the most prevalent,
perhaps the most serious being the 15 December 1981
bombing of the Iraqi Embassy in Beirut, which killed
at least 55 and injured another 100.
US citizens have been the victims of only 20 percent
of all attacks that produced casualties, while suffering
more than 40 percent of all international terrorist
incidents. US businessmen have been the primary
target of casualty-producing attacks, but attacks on
US diplomats and military personnel have increased
at a faster rate in recent years.
Over the period 1968-81, attacks on Americans that
produced casualties occurred in 69 countries, most
frequently in Argentina, Iran, and the Philippines.
More than 155 terrorist groups claimed responsibility
for one or more attacks. The Argentine Montoneros
and Iranian and Palestinian groups have been the
most prominent perpetrators.
2
25X1
 Approved For Release 2007/01/31 : CIA-RDP83B00231 R000200200002-9
Figure 5
Nationality of Victims of International Terrorist Attacks, 1968-81
Number of Incidents
Oceania
Sub-Saharan Africa
Transregional
Asia
USSR/Eastern
Europe
Latin America
Middle East and
North Africa
Western Europe
This year, for the first time, we have grouped terrorist
incidents into more serious and less serious categories.
As shown on figure 8, the number of serious inci-
dents-such as kidnapings, the taking of hostages,
assassination attacks, and major bombings-rose rap-
idly in the early 1970s, remained fairly steady be-
tween 1974 and 1979, then jumped to new highs in
1980-81. Less serious incidents have fluctuated more
widely. The peak year for relatively minor incidents,
1978, saw a drop in serious incidents. Minor bombings
and threats account for more than 80 percent of the
less serious incidents.
The trend of serious international terrorist incidents
involving US citizens or property has shown little
variation (figure 9). It peaked in 1975, declined
thereafter, only to rise somewhat in the past two
years. Less serious incidents account for most of the
year-to-year variation in total incidents involving the
United States.
Terrorist Groups
More than 670 groups have claimed credit for at least
one international attack since we began keeping sta-
tistics in 1968. This number is undoubtedly inflated:
some of these are cover names for organizations
wishing to deny responsibility for a particular action,
and some have probably been used by common crimi-
nals to throw off investigators or by psychotics seeking
public recognition. The list includes the names of
nations that conduct international terrorism such as
Libya and Syria, insurgency groups that use terrorist
tactics, separatist groups such as the ETA, and
nihilist groups such as the Red Army Faction and the
Japanese Red Army. It includes leftwing groups,
rightwing groups, anti-American groups, anti-Soviet
groups, environmentalist groups, and even religious
groups. They represent the spectrum of ideologies,
classes, cultures, and races.
Approved For Release 2007/01/31 : CIA-RDP83B00231 R000200200002-9
 Approved For Release 2007/01/31 : CIA-RDP83B00231 R000200200002-9
Figure 6
Type of Victim of International Terrorist
Attacks, 1968-81
Leaders 209
Figure 7
International Terrorist Incidents That
Caused Casualties
(Tourists, students,
missionaries, etc.)
1,415
1968 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81
2
The annual number of groups that claim credit for
attacks has increased markedly since we began keep-
ing statistics. For example, 49 groups claimed credit
for attacks in 1970, rising to 111 groups by 1975, and
to 128 groups by 1980. It dropped slightly to 113 in
1981.
While some terrorist groups have dropped out during
the 14-year period, a large number have persisted.
These groups are well organized, with a dedicated
core of well-trained and highly motivated terrorists.
Moreover, they usually have at least some popular
support. Although the Provisional Irish Republican
Army (PIRA) is primarily a domestic terrorist group
that conducts operations in Northern Ireland, our
records show that the PIRA and its sympathizers
have conducted more international terrorism than any
other group. The PIRA has launched attacks from
several countries, and the attacks have involved citi-
zens from at least 15 countries, although the majority
were against British nationals.
Black September has carried out the second-largest
number of attacks, most of them in Europe and the
Middle East, targeted against Israelis and moderate
Palestinians. Other Palestinian groups-particularly
the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
(PFLP), the PFLP-General Command, and Black
June-have conducted terrorist incidents during the
past 14 years. Together, the Palestinian groups perpe-
trated more international attacks than any other
movement. Our records show 9 percent of all terrorist
attacks, almost 700 attacks, have been carried out by
Palestinians
Other significant groups that have been active in
international terrorism are the Montoneros, the Ar-
menian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia
(ASALA), the Basque Fatherland and Liberty, the
 Approved For Release 2007/01/31 : CIA-RDP83B00231 R000200200002-9
International
Terrorist Attacks on US Citizens
and Property, 1968-81, by Category
Type of Event 1968 1969 1970
April 19 Movement, and the Red Army Faction.
Among the states most active in carrying out interna-
tional terrorist attacks are Libya, Iran, Syria, and
Activities of Significant Groups in 1981
We recorded 113 terrorist groups that claimed credit
for international attacks during 1981. The terrorists
represented 86 nationalities, and, as in the past,
Palestinians, Armenians, Germans, Salvadorans, and
Guatemalans carried out the most attacks. The fol-
lowing describes the domestic and international ac-
tivities in 1981 of the major international terrorist
groups.
Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia.
ASALA carried out more international attacks dur-
ing 1981 than any other terrorist organization. Its
primary targets in the past have been Turkish diplo-
mats and diplomatic facilities, but open sources show
that under the cover names 3 October and 9 June
ASALA has attacked Swiss interests in retaliation for
the arrest of ASALA members on those dates, and,
using the name Orly Organization, it has attacked
French interests in retaliation for the November
arrest of an Armenian carrying a false passport at
Orly Airport. ASALA carried out 40 attacks in 11
countries during the year. Although most of the
attacks were bombings against French and Swiss
property, the most serious were attacks against Turk-
ish diplomats. These included the 24 September sei-
zure of the Turkish Consulate in Paris and the
assassination of Turkish diplomats in Switzerland,
Denmark, and France.)
Palestinian Terrorists. Palestinian terrorists have not
been as active in international terrorism in recent
years as during the mid-1970s, with most groups
standing down in response to Yasir Arafat's pursuit of
the diplomatic track. In 1981, some radical Palestin-
ian groups, with the support of the Libyan and Syrian
Governments, resumed international terrorist attacks.
Palestinian terrorists carried out a total of 49 attacks
during 1981; groups such as the 15 May Organiza-
tion, Black June, and the PFLP-SC were the most
Approved For Release 2007/01/31 : CIA-RDP83B00231 R000200200002-9
 Approved For Release 2007/01/31 : CIA-RDP83B00231 R000200200002-9
Secret
Table 3 (continued)
Armed attack
8
5
12
10
11
7
97
Hijacking b
5
4
3
15
20
21
97
Assassination c
15
6
7
10
18
14
106
71
72
133
91
58
44
1,077
53
22
161
47
50
29
673
Hoax
0
0
0
1
25
51
78
Otherd
13
13
23
28
27
27
192
Subtotal
138
107
324
171
173
157
2,088
a Bombings where damage or casualties occurred, or where a group
claimed responsibility.
b Hijackings of air, sea, or land transport.
c Includes assassination or attempt to assassinate where the victim
was preselected by name.
d Includes conspiracy, and other actions such as sniping, shootout
with police, and arms smuggling.
active. This is far more than recorded in 1979 or 1980
but about the same as during the mid-1970s. The
attacks were committed in 14 countries, the majority
of them in Lebanon. They were primarily against
Israelis, but citizens of 13 other countries were also
victims and five of the attacks were directed against
other Palestinian groups. Most of the incidents were
bombings, six were assassination attempts, five were
armed attacks, and one was a rocket attack.
The 15 May Organization and the PFLP-SC are both
radical splinter groups of the PFLP's former terrorist
apparat. The former carried out attacks against Israe-
li targets in Europe, including bomb attacks on the
embassies in Vienna and Athens and on El Al offices
in Italy and Turkey. It also claimed credit for the
bombing of a Cypriot cruise ship in Haifa, Israel, on
20 December. The PFLP-SC carried out a series of
bombings in Kuwait and is believed responsible for
the 20 October bombing of a synagogue in Antwerp,
Belgium, which killed two women and injured 107
other persons.
 Approved For Release 2007/01/31 : CIA-RDP83B00231 R000200200002-9
Figure 8
International Terrorist Incidents, 1968-81
Number of Incidents
1
1968 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81
The Black June Organization (BJO), a radical Pales-
tinian group which opposes political settlement with
Israel and Arafat's moderate policies, was also very
active during 1981. The group originally worked only
for Iraq but now operates from both Syria and Iraq
and is supported by both countries. Black June has
targeted moderate Palestinians, Israelis, and non-
Israeli Jews.
jOn 23
September, BJO launched a hand grenade attack on
the offices of an Israeli shipping line in Cyprus. Black
June killed moderate Palestinian leaders on 1 June in
Brussels and on 9 October in Rome. (This is the group
that attempted to assassinate the Israeli Ambassador
in London on 3 June 1982, an incident that preceded
the Israeli invasion of Lebanon.)
Figure 9
International Terrorist Attacks on US
Personnel and Facilities, 1968-81
Provisional Irish Republican Army. The PIRA was
more active in 1981 than in most previous years. It
retaliated for the attempted assassination of Berna-
dette Devlin McAliskey with the murder of Sir
Norman Stronge and his son. Both were leading
Protestants in Northern Ireland, and both served in
various police capacities
PIRA expanded the tactic of prisoner hunger strikes.
After a 66-day fast, Bobby Sands died on 5 May. He
was the first and most widely publicized PIRA mili-
tant to die in 1981. Nine other PIRA and Irish
National Liberation Army members died in vain
attempts to gain prisoner-of-war status for the terror-
ist inmates. After the failure of the hunger strikes, the
PIRA intensified its campaign of violence in England.
 Approved For Release 2007/01/31 : CIA-RDP83B00231 R000200200002-9
Secret
In October and November it claimed credit for
bombing facilities in London, mailed several bombs to
British facilities, kidnaped the son of a wealthy Irish
businessman, and attempted to assassinate the Com-
manding General of the British Royal Marines. PIRA
sympathizers destroyed British cars in West Ger-
many, bombed a British cultural center in Greece,
attacked British targets in Portugal, and threatened
British facilities in Switzerland.
Red Army Faction. The Red Army Faction in 1981
launched a series of attacks against the US presence
in West Germany despite a series of setbacks in 1980.
The RAF had been rebuilding its operational struc-
ture for some time, and in an attempt to capitalize on
the controversy over NATO nuclear weapons modern-
ization plans and "squatters' rights" in West Berlin,
the RAF and its sympathizer groups, the Black Block
and the so-called antifascist groups carried out 27
attacks during 1981.
The RAF or its supporters claimed credit for numer-
ous attacks during the year. It firebombed US mili-
tary facilities in Frankfurt and Wiesbaden. It at-
tempted to bomb the US library in West Berlin and
the Dow chemical plant in Dusseldorf. On 31 August
the RAF exploded a car bomb at the US Air Force
Headquarters at Ramstein. It attempted to assassi-
nate US Gen. Frederick Kroesen on 15 September,
firing two rocket-propelled antitank weapons at Kroe-
sen's car; one missed, and the other hit the trunk. The
car was severely damaged, but no one was seriously
injured. Sympathizer groups also attacked West Ger-
man and US targets in Germany and other European
countries. The Black Block bombed two US military
facilities near Frankfurt and attempted to bomb the
railroad line to the Rhein/Main airbase. Others
bombed the US Consul General's office and a mili-
tary base near Frankfurt and US military facilities in
Kassal, Wiesbaden, and West Berlin. They also at-
tacked a West German consulate in Switzerland and
the US Embassy in Sofia.
Red Brigades. Despite some setbacks early in the
year, the Red Brigades broadened their targets to
include foreign nationals in 1981. The confessions of
Patrizio Peci, the arrest of RB planner Mario Moretti,
and increased government antiterrorist activity con-
tributed to pressure on the Brigades.
The Red Brigades claimed credit for numerous at-
tacks during the past year-the assassination of a
hospital director in Milan, a prison warden in Rome,
and four police officials. The Brigades kidnaped three
individuals, murdering one and releasing the other
two after holding them for lengthy periods. In retali-
ation for Peci's testimony, the Brigades kidnaped and
killed his brother and shot one of his defense attor-
neys. During the year, the Brigades also wounded 12
victims, bombed four facilities, and robbed a bank in
Rome.
Approved For Release 2007/01/31 : CIA-RDP83B00231 R000200200002-9
 Approved For Release 2007/01/31 : CIA-RDP83B00231 R000200200002-9
Jewish synagogue in Belgium
after bombing by Popular Front
for the Liberation o Palestine
Special Command.
On 17 December, the Brigades kidnaped US Army
Brig. Gen. James Dozier from his home in Verona,
Italy. Italian authorities subsequently arrested more
than 300 suspects and uncovered large amounts of
weapons and supplies in the search for Dozier and
subsequent counterterrorist operations. On 28 Janu-
ary 1982, Italian officers rescued Dozier from a
safehouse in Padua.
Bilbao, and kidnaped and murdered the chief nuclear
engineer at the Lemoniz power plant in northern
Spain. During the same month, the Spanish police
freed unharmed a prominent doctor who had been
kidnaped in Madrid and was being held in northeast
Spain by ETA-PM for a US $2 million ransom. F_
On 20 February, in a coordinated operation, the ETA
kidnaped the honorary consuls to Spain from Austria,
El Salvador, and Uruguay. The consuls were held for
a week, and the attack received widespread publicity.
Basque Fatherland and Liberty. In Spain, the ETA-
PM and the ETA-M, both Marxist-Leninist-oriented
Basque separatist organizations, continued their cam-
paign of violence against the Spanish Government.
They also targeted citizens from six other countries in
Spain, including threats to bomb the US airbase near
Torrejon.1
Early in January the government granted greater
autonomy for the Basque region in an attempt to
decrease tension, but this did not stop the terrorists;
they claimed credit for many attacks during the next
few months. Near the end of January the terrorists
fired antitank weapons at government buildings in
two Basque cities, kidnaped a prominent citizen in
On 23 February the ETA-PM announced its intention
to abandon terrorism. Shortly thereafter the ETA-M
increased its terrorist campaign. In February and
March it bombed facilities, attacked police patrols,
and assassinated prominent members of the Spanish
Government. A few months later the ETA-M carried
out another series of attacks, which included assaults
on police and Civil Guard facilities and bombings of
the Spanish electric company.
Approved For Release 2007/01/31 : CIA-RDP83B00231 R000200200002-9
25
25
 Approved For Release 2007/01/31 : CIA-RDP83B00231 R000200200002-9
Secret
During 1981 the Provisional Irish Republican
Army contiued its tactic of prisoner hunger
Government. M-19 suffered another major setback
when a truckload of sophisticated weapons, including
rocket grenades and machineguns, was captured by
the Colombian border guard.
Muslim Brotherhood. The Muslim Brotherhood
(MB), a fundamentalist Islamic group, has attacked
Soviet and Syrian Government targets in Syria. Our
files (which may not be complete in this area) record
that 14 Soviet military officers were assassinated in
1980. In 1981 the assassination campaign against
Soviet nationals was set back by more active Soviet
and Syrian security precautions. We recorded two
MB attacks against Soviet facilities: the TASS office
in Damascus was bombed on 16 June, and the Soviet
military assistance headquarters in Damascus was
attacked on 5 October. The latter resulted in at least
four Soviets killed and 20 injured.
April 19th Movement. The Colombian April 19th
Movement (M-19) carried out 11 international terror-
ist operations in 1981, including bombings, hijackings,
and one kidnaping. All of the incidents occurred in
Colombia and almost all were targeted against the
United States. A faction of the group kidnaped a US
citizen, Chester Bitterman, and after weeks of negoti-
ations and threats Bitterman's body was found in an
abandoned bus in Bogota.
The M-19 attempted large-scale military operations
on 8 and 11 March, launching amphibious attacks on
three remote villages in southern Colombia. Govern-
ment forces killed or captured some of the terrorists;
other M-19 members, including several leaders, fled
to Ecuador and surrendered to Ecuadorean authori-
ties. They were quickly returned to the Colombian
Marxist-Leninist Armed Propaganda Unit. In Tur-
key the Marxist-Leninist Armed Propaganda Unit
(MLAPU), a faction of the Turkish People's Liber-
ation Party/Front, the most anti-US of all the leftist
groups in Turkey, was responsible for the deaths of
seven Americans in 1979 and one in 1980. MLAPU
killed no Americans in 1981 and met with very little
success in other terrorist attacks during the year.
Since imposition of martial law in September 1980,
the Turkish military government has killed or arrest-
ed a number of MLAPU members, raided safehouses,
and executed convicted MLAPU members already in
captivity. Although the group suffered setbacks dur-
ing the year, it was able to conduct some terrorist
 Approved For Release 2007/01/31 : CIA-RDP83B00231 R000200200002-9
operations, both against the US presence in Turkey
and against the Turkish Government. On 22 January
three men attempted to assassinate two US soldiers as
they walked to a bus stop. As one of the attackers
raised a pistol, one of the intended victims threw a
portable radio at him and the attackers ran. One of
the assailants was later identified as a known member
of the MLAPU. On 6 April, the MLAPU claimed
credit for an attack on a US military vehicle. Al-
though the vehicle was hit by machinegun fire a
number of times, no one was seriously injured. The
terrorists who carried out this attack were arrested in
a raid on a safehouse the following day.
Special Cases-Guatemala and El Salvador. In Gua-
temala and El Salvador prolonged domestic strife has
created fertile soil for terrorism, both domestic and
international. Terrorism is a major tactic of both
leftwing and rightwing groups in El Salvador. Of the
five leftwing groups forming the Farabundo Marti
National Liberation Front (FMLN), the Popular Lib-
eration Forces (FPL) is the strongest and largest.
Groups operating under the rubric FMLN or FPL
claimed responsibility for most of the attacks in 198 1,
including 18 attacks on US personnel or facilities and
10 attacks on the embassies or private facilities of
other Central American countries. Among the inci-
dents involving Americans was a series of attacks on
the US Embassy during March and April. Other
attacks on Americans in El Salvador included the
bombing of the Exxon compound, a Hardees restau-
rant, and the Citibank facilities.
Rightwing terrorists were also active in El Salvador,
with most attacks against other Salvadoran citizens.
On 3 January the head of the agrarian reform
program and two American advisers were assassinat-
ed by three terrorists while at a dinner meeting at the
Sheraton Hotel in San Salvador. Two men arrested in
connection with this case have ties with extreme
rightwing groups opposed to Salvadoran land reform.
In Guatemala terrorism figured as a major tactic of
the right, the left, and the Guatemalan Government.
Our files contain records of 27 international terrorist
attacks in 1981. These included bombings, kidnap-
ings, and four assassination attempts. While most of
the international attacks were carried out by leftwing
groups such as the Guerrilla Army of the Poor, two
Americans were assassinated by rightwing groups.
Thirteen of the attacks were directed at American
personnel and property. Other victims of international
terrorism in Guatemala included citizens of Japan,
Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, Spain, and
Honduras.
Among the most noteworthy assassinations were two
US missionaries working in Guatemala and a US
businessman, who had been kidnaped in December
1980 by leftwing guerrillas, during an attempted
rescue by the Guatemalan police. Numerous bomb-
ings of foreign facilities were recorded, including the
Pan American headquarters, the Honduran airline
office, the American Chamber of Commerce office,
an Eastern Airlines plane on the ground, the Chevron
oil depot in Guatemala City, the British Consul's
office, and a US-owned hotel. Other incidents includ-
ed the murders of an Italian and a Spanish priest
working in the area and the kidnaping of an Austra-
lian and an American for ransom.
State-Sponsored International Terrorism
Nations support international terrorist groups or en-
gage in terrorist attacks to influence policies of other
countries, to establish or strengthen regional or global
influence, and, in some cases, to eliminate or terrorize
dissident exiles and nationals from adversary coun-
tries.
In 1980 and 1981 a large number of international
terrorist attacks, mostly assassinations, were carried
out by governments. These attacks proved to be an
efficient method of achieving a limited goal with very
little repercussion. Some Third World nations, espe-
cially Middle Eastern countries, are likely to contin-
ue this practice.
Many countries are reluctant to condemn states that
support or engage in international terrorist activities
when those activities are cloaked in the mantle of
anti-imperialism. Other countries tolerate state-spon-
sored terrorist activities because they fear economic
or other forms of retaliation by the sponsoring states.
25
Approved For Release 2007/01/31 : CIA-RDP83B00231 R000200200002-9
 Approved For Release 2007/01/31 : CIA-RDP83B00231 R000200200002-9
Secret
Some oil-dependent states, for example, are reluctant
to take action against Middle Eastern countries that
support terrorism. Some of the smaller states fear that
they will be added to the target lists.
Our records list 129 terrorist attacks conducted di-
rectly by national governments, but this figure almost
certainly understates the incidence of state-sponsored
terrorism. More than 80 percent of the 129 attacks
took place in 1980 and 1981, and almost 40 percent
were assassinations or attempted assassinations. This
is roughly six times the percentage of assassinations
recorded in non-state-sponsored terrorist attacks.
State-sponsored attacks were more lethal than other
terrorist incidents, 44 percent resulting in casualties-
a total of 60 persons injured and 61 killed. A majority
of these attacks occurred in the Middle East, were
carried out by Middle East nations, and were directed
against expatriates and diplomats from Middle East
countries.
The pattern of state-sponsored international terrorist
incidents in 1981 was similar to that of 1980. The 44
attacks occurred in 20 different countries, but almost
half were in Lebanon. The attacks were directed
against citizens from 17 countries, half of them from
the Middle East. Incidents included kidnapings,
bombings, assassinations, and armed attacks against
embassies or other facilities. During 1981, 21 victims
were killed and 28 wounded in state-sponsored inter-
national terrorist attacks.
Soviet Union. The Soviets provide training, arms, and
other direct and indirect support to a variety of
national insurgent and separatist groups. Many of
these groups commit international terrorist attacks as
part of their program of revolutionary violence. More-
over, some of the individuals trained and equipped by
the Soviets make their way into strictly terrorist
groups with little revolutionary potential.II
Moscow maintains close relations with and furnishes
aid to governments and organizations that directly
support terrorist groups. In the Middle East, for
example, the Soviets sell large quantities of arms to
Libya, knowing that Libya is a major supporter of
many terrorist groups. The Soviets also back a num-
ber of Palestinian groups that openly conduct terrorist
operations. In Latin America the USSR and Cuba
appear to be pursuing a long-term coordinated cam-
paign to establish sympathetic Latin American re-
gimes. The Cubans, and more recently the Soviets,
clearly support organizations and groups in Latin
America that use terrorism as a basic technique to
undermine existing regimes. In other parts of the
world, especially Africa, the Soviets have supported
guerrilla movements and national liberation organiza-
tions that engage in terrorism.
Libya. Support of terrorist groups has been an ele-
ment of Libya's foreign policy under Qadhafi since
the mid-1970s. Qadhafi has been linked by over-
whelming evidence to terrorist attacks and assassina-
tions in Western Europe, the United States, and the
Middle East and is known to support terrorist groups
and liberation movements worldwide. After the Gulf
of Sidra incident, Qadhafi threatened to assassinate
President Reagan and other senior US Government
officials. The 1981 records contain information on 13
attacks by Libyan assassination squads.
South Yemen.
I the Government of the People's Democratic
Republic of Yemen has supported international ter-
rorism since the late 1960s. It provides camps and
other training facilities for a number of leftist terror-
ist groups. The government allows the PFLP and at
least one PFLP splinter faction to operate virtually
autonomous training centers. Aden also allows the
PFLP to train other foreign terrorists at the camp,
including members of the Red Army Faction, the
Dutch Red Resistance Front, and the ETA. Evidence
suggests that South Yemen has supplied arms, muni-
tions, and documents to many terrorists and has
allowed its diplomatic missions to be used to support
terrorist groups
The Government of South Yemen has not participat-
ed directly in international terrorist attacks, however,
and South Yemeni citizens have been involved in only
six incidents during the 14-year period. These six
incidents were most likel not s onsored by the
government.
 Approved For Release 2007/01/31 : CIA-RDP83B00231 R000200200002-9
25X1 25X1
Syria. As a major supporter of radical Palestinian Iran. Despite its radical, anti-Western policies, its
groups, Syria has provided training, logistic support, support for Islamic fundamentalists, and widespread
and use of diplomatic facilities to groups that are government terrorism within Iran, the Khomeini re-
willing to do its bidding. gime provides o9hL d ort to international
Syria supports Palestinian ele- terrorist groups.
11IG11L3 LIL6L VLLsasV Iii 11l1Vi 1a4.?vaaua .......... ..........
ing the Black June Organization, which targets mod- Our record s
erate Palestinian leaders as well as Israeli interests. Jlist 24 international terrorist attacks car-
Damascus may hope that an increase in international rie out directly by the Iranian Government in 1980
terrorism by radical Palestinian factions will weaken and five in 1981. All of the attacks in 1981 occurred
Arafat's control over the Palestinian movement or in Beirut and were directed primarily against Iraqi
force him to cooperate more closely with Syria. The diplomats. Most Iranian-sponsored attacks on Iraqi
Syrian Government also has its own Palestinian targets in Lebanon not undertaken by the Iranian
group, Saiqa, whose terrorist arm has occasionally Government were carried out by Lebanese. Shiite
been used to carry out attacks in the Middle East.F_1 militia members.
Iraq. During the past three years, the Iraqi Govern-
ment has reduced support to non-Palestinian terrorists
and placed restrictions on many Palestinian groups,
moving closer to its moderate Arab neighbors.C
Baghdad
regularly carries out acts of terrorism against domes-
tic enemies living abroad as well as against represen-
tatives of foreign governments opposed to the Iraqi
regime. For the last three years, the main focus of
Iraqi terrorist activities has been Iran and its allies.
The Iraqis have used their own agents, Palestinian
radical groups, and Iranian exiles to carry out attacks
against Iranians in the Middle East and Europe. The
Iraqi Government conducted at least nine terrorist
attacks against Iranian diplomats in 1980 and at least
four in 1981, all in Lebanon. In 1981 the Iraqi
Government perpetrated three attacks against dissi-
dents living abroad, including the May murder of a
dissident living in Dubai, UAE.
Cuba. Havana openly supports and advocates armed
revolution as the only means for leftist forces to gain
power in Latin America. Cuba also supports organiza-
tions and groups in Latin America that use terrorism
to undermine existing regimes. The Cubans have
played an important role in facilitating the movement
of men and weapons into Central and South America,
providing direct support in the form of training, arms,
.safe havens and advice to a wide variety of guerrilla
groups.
25X1
25X
25X
25
25
25
25
Approved For Release 2007/01/31 : CIA-RDP83B00231 R000200200002-9
 Secret
Approved For Release 2007/01/31 : CIA-RDP83B00231 R000200200002-9
Secret
02002 Q2-9