The 50 Worst Terrorist Attacks

by Edward Mickolus

  Mickolus, Edward F. “Reflections on the Study of Terrorism.” Paper presented to the Panel on Violence and Terror of the Conference on Complexity: A Challenge to the Adaptive Capacity of American Society, 1776–1976, sponsored by the Society for General Systems Research, Loyola College Conference Center, Columbia, MD, March 24–26, 1977.

  Mickolus, Edward F. “September 11, 2001 Attacks.” In Encyclopedia of World Terrorism, edited by Frank Shanty and Raymond Picquet, 19–28. Santa Barbara: M. E. Sharpe, 2003.

  Mickolus, Edward F. “Statistical Approaches to the Study of Terrorism.” In Terrorism: Interdisciplinary Perspectives, edited by Seymour Maxwell Finger and Yonah Alexander, 209–69. New York: John Jay, 1977.

  Mickolus, Edward F. “Studying Terrorist Incidents: Issues in Conceptualization and Data Acquisition.” Paper presented to the Annual Convention of the International Studies Association, Los Angeles, CA, March 1980.

  Mickolus, Edward F. “Tracking the Growth and Prevalence of Terrorism.” In Managing Terrorism: Strategies for the Corporate Executive, edited by George S. Roukis and Patrick J. Montana, 3–22. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1983.

  Mickolus, Edward F. “Transnational Terrorism.” In The Politics of Terrorism, edited by Michael Stohl, 147–90. New York: Marcel Dekker, 1979.

  Mickolus, Edward F. “Trends in Transnational Terrorism.” In Terrorism in the Contemporary World, edited by Marius Livingston, 44–73. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1978.

  Mickolus, Edward F. “What Constitutes State Support to Terrorists?” Journal of Terrorism and Political Violence 3, no. 1 (1989): 287–93. Reprinted in Violence and Terrorism 91/92, edited by Bernard Schechterman and Martin Slann. 2nd ed., 38–40. Sluice Dock, CT: Dushkin, 1991.

  Mickolus, Edward, and Edward Heyman. “ITERATE: Monitoring Transnational Terrorism.” In Behavioral and Quantitative Perspectives on Terrorism, edited by Yonah Alexander and John M. Gleason, 153–74. New York: Pergamon, 1981.

  Mickolus, Edward, Edward S. Heyman, and James Schlotter. “Responding to Terrorism: Basic and Applied Research.” In Responding to the Terrorist Threat: Security and Crisis Management, edited by Stephen Sloan and Richard Schultz, 174–89. New York: Pergamon, 1980.

  Milbank, David L., with Edward Mickolus. International and Transnational Terrorism: Diagnosis and Prognosis. Washington, DC: U.S. Document Expediting Project, Library of Congress, April 1976.

  Moghadan, Assaf. “How Al Qaeda Innovates.” Security Studies 22, no. 3 (2013): 466–97.

  Moss, David. “The Kidnapping and Murder of Aldo Moro.” European Journal of Sociology—Great Britain 22, no. 2 (1981): 265–95.

  Mudd, Philip. Takedown: Inside the Hunt for Al Qaeda. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2013.

  Nacos, Brigitte L. “Revisiting the Contagion Hypothesis: Terrorism, News Coverage, and Copycat Attacks.” Perspectives on Terrorism 3, no. 3 (2009): 3–12.

  National Commission on Terrorist Attacks. The 9/11 Commission Report: Final Report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States. New York: Norton, 2004.

  Nzes, Fredrick. Terrorist Attacks in Kenya Reveal Domestic Radicalization. West Point, NY: The Combating Terrorism Center, 2012.

  O’Hern, Steven. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard: The Threat That Grows While America Sleeps. Washington, DC: Potomac, 2012.

  Olmeda, José A. “A Reversal of Fortune: Blame Games and Framing Contests After the 3/11 Terrorist Attacks in Madrid.” In Governing after Crisis: The Politics of Investigation, Accountability and Learning, edited by Arjen Boin, Allan McConnell, and Paul Hart, Chapter 3, 62–84. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008.

  Pedahzur, Ami. The Israeli Secret Services and the Struggle against Terrorism (Columbia Studies in Terrorism and Irregular Warfare). New York: Columbia University Press, 2009.

  Pillar, Paul. Terrorism and American Foreign Policy. Washington, DC: Brookings Institution, 2001.

  Randal, Jonathan. Osama: The Making of a Terrorist. New York: Knopf, 2004.

  Ranstrop, Magnus. Hizballah in Lebanon: The Politics of the Western Hostage Crisis. New York: Macmillan, 1996.

  Ranstrop, Magnus. “Interpreting the Broader Context and Meaning of bin Laden’s Fatwa.” Studies in Conflict and Terrorism 21, no. 5 (September/October 1998): 321–30.

  Reader, Ian. A Poisonous Cocktail? Aum Shinrikyo’s Path to Violence. Copenhagen, Denmark: Nordic Institute of Asian Studies, 1996.

  Reeve, Simon. The New Jackals: Ramzi Yousef, Osama bin Laden and the Future of Terrorism. Boston: Northeastern University Press, 1999.

  Reeve, Simon. One Day in September: The Full Story of the 1972 Munich Olympics Massacre and the Israeli Revenge Operation, Wrath of God. New York: Arcade, 2000.

  Ressa, Maria A. Seeds of Terror: An Eyewitness Account of al Qaeda’s Newest Center of Operations in Southeast Asia. New York: Free Press, 2003.

  Riedel, Bruce. The Search for al Qaeda: Its Leadership, Ideology and Future. Washington, DC: Brookings Institution, 2008.

  Robinson, Eugene. “Exiles.” Washington Post Magazine (July 18, 2004): 22–4, 33–7.

  Sageman, Marc. Leaderless Jihad: Terror Networks in the 21st Century . Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2007.

  Scott, Charles W. Pieces of the Game: The Human Drama of Americans Held Hostage in Iran. Atlanta: Peachtree, 1984.

  Seale, Patrick. Abu Nidal: A Gun for Hire. New York: Random House, 1992.

  Shanty, Frank, and Raymond Picquet, eds. Encyclopedia of World Terrorism, 1996–2002. Armonk, NY: M. E. Sharpe, 2003.

  Siler, Michael. “Kenya and Tanzania.” In Encyclopedia of World Terrorism, 1996–2002, edited by Frank Shanty and Raymond Picquet, 416–20. Armonk, NY: M. E. Sharpe, 2003.

  Smith, Colin. Carlos: Portrait of a Terrorist. London: Sphere, 1976.

  Snow, Peter, and David Phillips. The Arab Hijack War. New York: Ballantine, 1970.

  Sobel, Lester A., ed. Political Terrorism. New York: Facts on File, 1975.

  Steinhoff, Patricia. “Portrait of a Terrorist: An Interview with Kozo Okamoto.” Asia Survey 16 (September 1976): 830–45.

  Stevenson, William. 90 Minutes at Entebbe. New York: Bantam, 1976.

  Stohl, Michael. “Don’t Confuse Me with the Facts: Knowledge Claims and Terrorism.” Critical Studies on Terrorism 5, no. 1 (2012): 31–49.

  “Subject: Japanese Red Army.” Washington, DC: Embassy of Japan, n. d.

  Thompson, John. “Ressam, Ahmed (1967).” In Encyclopedia of World Terrorism, 1996 – 2002, edited by Frank Shanty and Raymond Picquet, 208–9. Armonk. NY: M. E. Sharpe, 2003.

  Tinnin, David B., with Dag Christensen. The Hit Team. Boston: Little, Brown, 1976.

  Travalio, Gregory M. “Terrorism, International Law, and the Use of Military Force.” Wisconsin International Law Journal 18, no. 1 (2000): 145–91.

  Tu, Anthony T. Chemical Terrorism: Horrors in Tokyo Subway and Matsumoto City. Fort Collins, CO: Alaken, 2002.

  United Kingdom. House of Commons. Report of the Official Account of the Bombings in London on 7th July 2005. London: The Stationery Office, May 11, 2006.

  United States. Department of State. Cabinet Committee to Combat Terrorism Working Group. Chronology of Attacks upon Non-Official American Citizens, 1971–1975. Washington, DC: GPO, January 20, 1976.

  United States. Department of State. Cabinet Committee to Combat Terrorism Working Group. Chronology of Hijackings 1968 through 1975. Washington, DC: GPO, 1976.

  United States. Department of State. Chronology of Significant Terrorist Incidents Involving US Diplomatic/Official Personnel, 1963–1975. Washington, DC: GPO, January 20, 1976.

  United States. Department of State. Country Reports on Terrorism, 2012. Washington, DC: GPO, May 2013.

  United States. House of Representatives. 90th Congress, 2nd session. Committee on Foreign Affairs. Subcommittee on Inter-American Affairs. “Hijackings of Planes to Cuba and Frustrated Attempts to Hijack.” In Appendix A. Air Piracy in the Caribbean Area, 9–11. Report. Washington, DC: GPO, Dec
ember 10, 1968.

  Yun, Minwoo. “Hostage Taking and Kidnapping in Terrorism: Predicting the Fate of a Hostage.” Professional Issues in Criminal Justice 2, no. 1 (2007): 23–40.

  * * *

  Country Index

  Afghanistan, 53, 113–16, 121, 123–28, 132, 134, 142, 143, 147, 148, 156–59, 199, 202, 203, 221, 222, 224, 227, 235, 237, 238, 246

  Algeria, xiii, xviii, 1, 10, 22–24, 43, 63, 125, 149, 157, 171–75, 182, 235, 236, 247

  Argentina, 50, 75, 82–85, 90–92, 94, 107

  Asia, 8, 39, 94, 105, 133, 136, 244, 249, 252. See also specific countries

  Australia, 70, 97, 105, 129, 133, 138, 156, 161, 177, 190, 249

  Austria, xvii, 21–24, 31, 60, 107, 108, 138, 140, 185, 214

  Azerbaijan, 138, 140

  Bahrain, 32, 70, 220

  Bali, xviii, 132–36, 138

  Bangladesh, 41, 190, 220

  Belarus, 138, 140

  Belgium, 60, 148, 194

  Benin, 79

  Bosnia, 126, 142, 147

  Brazil, ix, 83–85, 91, 92, 107, 108, 112, 177, 181–83

  Bulgaria, 18, 107, 111, 138, 234

  Burma, 37, 39

  Burundi, 170

  Cambodia, 7

  Canada, 57–59, 84, 104, 173, 177, 178, 235, 236

  Chad, 10, 76–78, 80

  Chechnya, 104, 123, 137–39, 142, 149, 151, 152, 159

  Chile, 10, 182, 188, 213

  China, 47, 156

  Colombia, 29, 30, 84, 94, 106, 111, 190

  Comoros, 105

  Congo, 77–80, 105, 170

  Cuba, vii, 1, 2, 29, 30, 47, 107–9, 122, 177, 183, 184, 188, 189, 248, 253

  Cyprus, 12, 20, 32, 34, 69, 70

  Czechoslovakia, 132, 159, 221

  Denmark, 12, 20, 32, 34, 69, 70

  Djibouti, 105

  Dubai, 32, 240

  East Germany, 194. See also Germany

  Ecuador, 22, 28, 84, 146

  Egypt, viii, xx, 11, 12, 17, 19, 23, 42, 45, 47, 50–54, 60, 61, 86–89, 107, 108, 110–16, 123–25, 127, 132, 143, 148, 159, 160, 173, 185, 186, 188, 190, 218, 219, 229

  Ethiopia, viii, 105, 106, 167, 169, 170, 187

  Europe, xviii, xix, 1, 3, 8, 12, 21, 28, 31, 34, 42, 47, 48, 59, 64, 70, 107, 109, 111, 112, 123, 131, 146, 147, 155, 162, 164, 172, 182, 192, 231, 234, 244, 247, 251. See also specific countries

  France, 10, 12, 19, 24–27, 29, 56, 65, 75, 77, 78, 80, 84, 113, 138, 171, 173, 190, 194, 208, 236, 246, 247

  Gaza, 99, 219

  Georgia, 138, 141

  Germany, vii, xix, 9, 12, 16–19, 33, 34, 43, 66, 67, 73, 80, 83, 94, 95, 131, 138, 184, 208, 247–49, 252. See also East Germany; West Germany

  Ghana, 156, 177

  Greece, 67

  Hong Kong, 16, 70. See also China

  India, viii, ix, xix, xx, 10, 33, 39, 48, 57–59, 68, 70, 105, 106, 146, 157, 160–64, 169, 202, 216, 219, 220, 248

  Indonesia, viii, xviii, 22, 132–37, 249

  Iran, vii, 22, 24, 39–44, 54–57, 69, 72, 73, 77, 78, 84, 85, 90–94, 143, 181, 198, 202, 203, 246, 248, 251, 252

  Iraq, ix, xi, 13, 18, 22–24, 29, 32, 33, 45, 54, 63, 75, 84, 91, 96, 114, 121–23, 128, 132, 145, 146, 148, 157–59, 204, 210, 217, 229, 230, 240

  Ireland, 37, 117, 118, 246

  Israel, viii, xix, 1, 9, 10–21, 23, 25–28, 31, 39, 50, 59, 60, 61, 68, 69, 71, 75, 77, 82, 84, 85, 87, 89–93, 98, 111, 113, 123, 138, 158, 159, 162, 170, 178, 185–87, 190, 204, 206, 218, 247, 252

  Italy, 34, 36, 37, 48, 49, 60–64, 69, 92, 148, 234, 245, 246

  Ivory Coast, 73, 105

  Jamaica, 29, 155, 233, 237

  Japan, vii, viii, xix, 4–8, 12–16, 25, 29, 33, 48, 89, 95–97, 106–9, 111, 123, 161, 173, 174, 185, 205, 234, 247–49, 252

  Jordan, 8–11, 16–18, 21, 25, 65, 69, 87, 89, 100, 114, 141, 148, 152, 185, 187, 217, 221–23, 246

  Kazakhstan, 140, 151

  Kenya, viii, ix, xi, xviii, 26, 27, 105, 106, 112–16, 123, 124, 126, 167, 170, 171, 175–79, 208, 213, 221, 251, 252

  Kosovo, 113

  Kuwait, 22, 23, 29, 32, 45, 63, 71, 87, 88, 89, 127

  Lebanon, viii, ix, xix, 14–16, 19, 21, 23, 54–56, 66, 67, 69, 73, 77, 78, 90, 123, 141, 186, 197, 198, 248, 249

  Libya, 17–19, 22–25, 28, 47, 52, 64–68, 70–76, 78–80, 172, 174, 175, 187, 246

  Lithuania, 150, 154, 212

  Malaysia, 15, 107, 108, 112, 130, 134–36, 207

  Mali, 171–73, 175

  Mauritania, 172–75

  Mexico, 182, 183, 188, 190

  Middle East, 4, 9, 12, 47, 50, 54, 55, 59, 64, 82, 84, 87, 90, 92, 99, 100, 112, 202, 218, 244. See also specific countries

  Morocco, 45, 123, 146, 147

  Nepal, 15, 123, 220

  Netherlands, 2, 9–11, 13, 60, 138, 208

  Niger, 77, 173

  Nigeria, 22, 105, 239

  North Korea, vii, xix, 4–8, 29, 47, 51, 245

  Northern Ireland, viii, xix, 37, 117, 118, 174

  Norway, 34, 174

  Pakistan, xi, 41, 45, 53, 57, 68–72, 83, 88, 89, 104, 111, 114–16, 127, 128, 132, 136, 143, 148, 155–64, 167, 171, 198, 200–205, 208, 210, 212, 219–22, 226, 235, 238, 239, 240

  Palestine, 66, 71, 123, 157–59

  Paraguay, 26, 85, 91, 92

  Peru, viii, xix, 15, 106–10, 146, 208, 212

  Philippines, viii, 8, 89, 122, 132, 133, 135, 136, 138, 144–46, 247

  Poland, 60, 107, 156

  Portugal, 60, 67, 156

  Qatar, 24, 126

  Russia, viii, ix, xix, 20, 53, 92, 94–99, 103, 104, 123, 137–40, 149–54, 159, 167–69, 172, 200, 210, 212, 218, 246, 247

  Rwanda, 170, 171

  Saudi Arabia, 22, 24, 43, 44, 113, 141, 142, 156, 184

  Senegal, 73, 79

  Somalia, 27, 32–34, 75, 114, 115, 123, 167, 169, 170, 171, 175, 176, 178, 179, 193, 248

  South Africa, 75, 111, 116

  South Korea, 5, 6, 8, 51, 107, 108, 162

  Spain, 29, 49, 75, 78, 85, 107, 145–48, 188, 219, 249

  Sri Lanka, 82, 95, 123, 237

  Strait of Gibraltar, 127

  Sudan, ix, 21, 25, 45, 53, 88, 89, 111, 114, 115, 128, 170, 184–87

  Sweden, 21, 73

  Switzerland, 8, 9, 10, 24, 26, 36, 53, 60, 77, 123, 138, 194, 213

  Syria, 19, 20, 23, 56, 60, 65, 69, 70, 75, 85, 91, 124, 148, 152, 157, 159, 173, 198, 229

  Tanzania, viii, xviii, 112–16, 124, 126, 170, 171, 221, 252

  Thailand, 8

  Tunisia, 17, 19, 147, 149, 173

  Turkey, 67, 103, 123, 138, 141, 147, 169, 233, 234

  Uganda, ix, xviii, 25–28, 169–71, 176

  Ukraine, 138

  United Arab Emirates, 24, 129, 138

  United Kingdom, viii, x, xviii, 8–10, 28, 37, 58, 60, 69, 73–75, 107, 123, 124, 127, 132, 135, 138, 140, 141, 153, 155–59, 172, 177, 178, 185, 208, 214, 238, 240, 253

  United States, iv, vii, ix, xviii, xix, 1, 2, 4, 5, 7–10, 12, 16, 27–31, 39–44, 47, 49, 54–58, 60, 61, 63–69, 71–79, 84, 87–89, 95, 98–102, 106, 111–17, 121–28, 131, 132, 134–36, 138–44, 146, 155, 157, 160, 162, 164, 167, 168, 170, 172, 173, 178, 179, 181–92, 194, 196–98, 200–205, 208–10, 212–15, 217, 218, 221–23, 226, 233–39, 241, 243, 250, 251, 253

  Vatican City, 233

  Venezuela, 21, 22, 26, 28, 29, 30, 84, 107, 108

  West Bank, 19, 21

  West Germany, 8–10, 16, 18, 24–26, 32, 60, 63, 65, 66, 73, 123, 185, 187, 192, 194. See also Germany

  Worldwide, xiv, 14, 16, 21, 99, 113, 171, 196, 208, 244, 245

  Yemen, viii, xviii, 24, 32, 33, 45, 114, 124–27, 131, 143, 144, 171, 187, 239, 240

  * * *

  Name and Group Index

  AAR. See Arm of the Arab Revolution

  Abbas, Abu, 59–64

  Abdallah Azzam Battalion, 113

  Abdullah Azzam Brigades. See Al Qaeda in Syria

  Abdulmutallab, Umar Farouk (The Underwear Bomber), 239, 240

&nb
sp; Abu Hafs al-Masri Brigades, 146, 155

  Abu Nidal (Black June Organization), xviii, 68, 71

  Abu Sayyaf, 132, 144–45

  Agca, Mehmet Ali, 233

  Aimal Secret Committee, 204

  Akkasha, Zuhair, 33

  Al Qaeda, xi, xviii, 48, 57, 81, 99, 103, 112, 121, 123, 126, 128–32, 137, 140, 144–49, 152, 154, 155, 157–159, 167, 176, 199, 205, 217–219, 221–223, 226, 227, 230, 235, 237, 238; in Iraq, 122, 132, 229–30; in Malaysia, 130; in Syria, 159; in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), 122, 132, 167, 168, 239, 240; in the Islamic Mahgreb (AQIM), 122, 132, 171

  Al-Asiri, Ibrahim Hassan, 240

  Al-Aulaqi, Anwar, 167, 230

  Al-Balawi, Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal, 222

  Al-Baluchi, Amar, 132

  Al-Batawi, Huthaifa, 230

  Al-Gama’at al-Islamiyyah, 47, 51, 110

  Al-Harazi, Muhammad Omar, 126

  Al-Hawsawi, Mustafa Ahmed, 132

  Al-Khattab, Ibn, 138

  Al-Kini, Usama, 221

  Al-Megrahi, Abdel Basset Ali, 73–76

  Al-Mulathameen (Masked Brigade), 173

  Al-Nashiri, Abd-al-Rahim, 127, 142

  Al-Owhali, Mohammed Rashed Daoud, 115, 126

  Al-Qa’ida. See Al Qaeda

  Al-Sadat, Anwar, 17, 47, 50–53, 88, 110, 112, 186

  Al-Safarini, Zayd Hassan Abd al-Latif Masud, 69–72

  Al-Shabaab, xi, 167, 169–71, 175–79

  Al-Tufayli, Subhi, 90

  Alunni, Corrado, 35–36

  Alvarez, Mauricio Duarte, 188

  Al-Walid, Abu, 139

  Al-Yemeni, Hussein, 226

  Al-Zarqawi, Abu Musab, 217

  Al-Zawahiri, Ayman, 47, 53, 110, 113, 115, 121, 124, 132, 152, 157, 237

  Amador, Carlos Fonseca, 188

  Amal, Islamic, 56

  Amin, Idi, 26, 27, 28

  Anti-American Liberation Front, 64

  AQAP. See Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula

  AQIM. See Al Qaeda in the Islamic Mahgreb

  Arafat, Yasser, 1, 70

  Arguello, Patrick Joseph, 11, 13

  Armed Islamic Group (GIA), 235

  Armed Proletarian Nuclei (Nuclei Armati Proletari), 35

  Armed Revolutionary Nuclei (Nuclei Armati Rivoluzionari, NAR), 48

  Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia, xviii

  Arm of the Arab Revolution (AAR), 21–25