WEEKLY SITUATION REPORT INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP84B00049R000902280015-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 14
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 3, 2006
• Sequence Number: 15
• Publication Date: December 2, 1981
• Content Type: REPORT

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Weekly Situation Report
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Warning Notice
Intelligence Sources and Methods Involved
(WNINTEL)
NATIONAL SECURITY INFORMATION
Unauthorized Disclosure Subject to Criminal Sanctions
PREPARED FOR THE INTERDEPARTMENTAL
GROUP ON TERRORISM
This report is not for general distribution and may not be
reproduced or included in any other document or publication,
nor cited as a source of information. The report includes
information received through close of business of the date of
issuance.
DISSEMINATION CONTROL ABBREVIATIONS
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WEEKLY SITUATION REPORT
CONTENTS
Articles: Page
Another Car Bomb Explodes in Damascus .................................................................. I
U.S. Marine Target of Attack in El Salvador ............................................................ 3
Coup Attempt and Hijacking in Seychelles ................................................................ 7
Chronology of Significant International Terrorist Incidents ................ A-1
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ARTICLES
Another Car Bomb Explodes in Damascus
About 150 people have died so far as a result of the 29 November
car bomb attack at a military building in Damascus. The 1130 hours
attack was the fourth car bombing in Damascus in as many months and
has been the most devastating in the number of lives lost, injuries and
property damage. The blast was reported to have demolished three five-
story buildings and badly damaged 10 others. Syrian authorities have
blamed the Muslim Brotherhood for the incident, although the semi-
phantom Front for the Liberation of Lebanon from Foreigners (FLLF)
has claimed credit. Q
The bombing took place at one of Damascus' major intersections
and was directed at a building housing a military police post and an
army recruitment center. In addition to the damage to the buildings, the
force of the blast scattered dismembered bodies around the area. Among
the innocent pedestrian casualties was a bus load of school children and a
number of people who happened to be driving through the area in their
automobiles. Syrian authorities have circulated a picture of an individual
who they claimed drove the vehicle-reportedly ladened with more than
200 pounds of explosives-to the target site but who was shot and killed
just before the car exploded. Syrian officials have a pealed to the local
populace to provide information on the bomber. have
The 17 August bombing of the Prime Minister's office, the 3 Sep-
tember bombing of the Air Force headquarters and the 5 October bomb-
ing of a building housing Soviet advisors did not cause many casualties
among the local civilian population. Whether or not these latest attackers
desired to cause a large number of civilian casualties or simply miscalcu-
lated the final results is not clear at this time. The selection of a target at
a major intersection in the middle of the day would suggest no concern
for the local population. =
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U.S. Marine Target of Attack in El Salvador
Unknown gunmen attacked a Marine sergeant attached to the
Marine Security Guard Detachment at the U.S. Embassy in San Salva-
dor on 1 December. Sergeant Dana Lau was en route to the Embassy
about 0700 when he approached a vehicle which he thought was about to
make a left-hand turn. As Lau passed the car on the right, he noticed
that the two occupants were young men. Instead of turning left the
vehicle began to follow Lau. About 15 to 30 feet after he had passed the
vehicle, one of the men fired approximately 10 rounds from an Uzi
submachinegun. As Lau increased his speed the assailant fired again,
and the vehicle followed him for two blocks. Ten spent 9mm cartridges
were recovered at the scene. IT
The Farabundo Marti Popular Liberation Forces (FPL) called local
radio and television stations at 1100 and claimed credit for the attack.
The FPL indicated the location on El Progreso Street as the location at
which the "attempted kidnapping took place against a U.S. military
advisor". The terrorist mentioned a name similar to Sergeant Lau's. C
U.S. Embassy officials are not discounting the FPL's claim of an
attempted kidnapping, although there are no indications at present that
the attackers were aware of Lau's affiliation with the Embassy. The
incident may have been a target of opportunity or a scare tactic. Lau
took this route only by chance as he intended to stop at a dry cleaners,
and the attackers had every opportunity to kill him when he passed them
at the time he assumed the were making the turn. None of the rounds
they fired hit the vehicle.
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Coup Attempt and Hijacking in Seychelles
On 25 November a group of 44 mercenaries led by professional
soldier Colonel Mike Hoare arrived in Victoria, the capital of the
Republic of Seychelles, aboard a Royal Swazi airliner and seized about
100 hostages, the passenger terminal, the control tower and the cargo
area. The mercenaries were carrying passports issued by South Africa,
Italy, United Kingdom, Zimbabwe, Australia, India and West Germany
and were intending to topple the government of President Albert Rene.
After 20 hours of heavy fighting in which six or seven mercenaries were
killed, Seychelles Government forces were able to gain control of the
situation. (U)
When the mercenaries realized the coup attempt was failing, they
hijacked an Air India jetliner carrying 79 persons to Durban, South
Africa. The Air India flight was on a scheduled stop between Salisbury,
Zimbabwe, and Bombay, India, and arrived in the midst of the coup
attempt. By noon on 27 November, all of the passengers and crew of the
Air India flight had been freed unharmed, and the hijackers were under
arrest in Durban. There reportedly was one dead and two wounded
mercenaries on the Air India flight at the time it landed in Durban. (U)
An exiled Seychelles journalist living in London, Paul Chow,
claimed responsibility for the bungled coup attempt to oust his country's
Marxist government. According to news reports, Chow has vowed to try
another coup attempt in Seychelles when the circumstances are right. (U)
Few details on the fate of the mercenaries are available, but they are
under the control of the South African police and face possible prison
terms of up to 30 years. (U)
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CHRONOLOGY OF SIGNIFICANT INTERNATIONAL
TERRORIST INCIDENTS
20 November 1981 Explosion Outside the Turkish Consulate in the United States
United States, A bomb exploded at the entrance to the Turkish Consulate in Los
Los Angeles Angeles. No injuries were reported, but there was property damage.
The Justice Commando Group (an Armenian group) claimed responsi-
bility for the bombing. F]
25 November 1981 Explosion at British Army Barracks in West Germany
West Germany, A bomb exploded outside a British Army barracks in Herford. The
Herford small explosive device damaged the wall of an apartment building, but
no injuries were reported. Local police have no clues to the perpetra-
tors but said the Irish Republican Army may be responsible. =
26 November 1981 Air India Plane Hijacked to South Africa
Seychelles An Air India plane was hijacked by mercenaries following a coup
attempt in the Seychelles. The plane was forced to fly to Durban,
South Africa, where the hijackers surrendered to local authorities. No
injuries were reported amon the approximately 80 passengers and
crew on the Air India plane.E
1 December 1981 U.S. Citizen Attacked in El Salvador
El Salvador, A U.S. military advisor assigned to the U.S. Embassy in San Salvador
San Salvador was the target of machinegun fire by unidentified gunmen. He was
driving his car to work when the gunmen o ened fire from a passing
vehicle. The intended victim was unhurt. F9
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