Chronology of Signifigent Terrorist Events, 1993

From: Patterns of Global Terrorism. United States Department of State Publication 10321

22 January

Peru

Terrorists detonated a van bomb at a Coca-Cola plant in central Lima. The bomb caused serious damage to the plant. At least two persons were killed and two injured. Later that day, a car bomb detonated at another Coca-Cola facility in Lima, causing only slight material damage

24 January

Turkey

Well-known Turkish journalist Ugar Muncu, noted for his criticism of Islamic extremism and separatism, was killed when a bomb exploded under his car outside his apartment in Ankara

28 January

Turkey

Police bodyguards foiled an attempt to ambush the motorcade of a prominent Jewish businessman and community leader in Istanbul. Police recovered an RPG- 18 rocket at the scene, and on 30 January arrested two of the terrorists as they fled toward the Iranian border.

Peru

Terrorists exploded a car bomb in front of the IBM headquarters building in Lima. Major damage was caused and eleven passersby and employees were injured.

31 January

Panama

A large group of FARC terrorists from Colombia kidnapped three U.S. missionaries from the New Tribes Mission at a location near the Colombian border. The missionaries are Mark Rich, David Mankins, and Rick Tenenoff. A five million dollar ransom has been demanded; FARC produced proof that the three missionaries were still alive in December through taped messages from the hostages to their wives. FARC is still holding the hostages.

4 February

Egypt

A molotov cocktail bomb was lobbed at a tour bus as South Korean passengers waited to embark at a hotel outside Cairo. The Islamic extremist terrorist group Al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya claimed responsibility for the attack.

23 February

Colombia

Eight ELN terrorists kidnapped U.S. citizen Lewis Manning, an employee of the Colombian gold-mining company Oresom, in the Choco area. In December, the International Committee of the Red Cross received a photograph of the hostage as proof that he was still alive.

26 February

Egypt

A Swedish, Turkish and an Egyptian citizen were killed when a bomb exploded inside a cafe in downtown Cairo. Eighteen others, including U.S. citizens Jill Papineau and Raymond Chico, a Canadian and a Frenchman, were wounded.

United States

Terrorists exploded a massive van bomb in an underground parking garage below the World Trade Center in New York City. Six persons were killed and some one thousand injured. A group of Islamic extremists was later arrested.

3 March

Former Yugoslavia

Terrorists exploded a small bomb, probably a handgrenade, in front of the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade, causing minor damage but no casualties.

7 March

Germany

Terrorists firebombed the Turkish consulate in Hamburg, causing little damage and no casualties. Police arrested four persons.

8 March

Costa Rica

Four terrorists took 25 persons hostage in the Nicaraguan Embassy in San Jose, including the Nicaraguan ambassador. The hostage situation continued for several days while negotiations were conducted. On 21 March the occupation of the embassy concluded peacefully. After the hostages were released, the terrorists were permitted to leave the country.

16 March

Italy

Two terrorists on a motor-scooter shot and killed a leading Iranian dissident while he was traveling in his car in Rome.

22 March

Iraq

A Belgian official from a non-government organization involved in relief efforts in northern Iraq was shot and killed while traveling on the road between Irbil and Sulaimaniyah.

15 April

Kuwait

Kuwaiti authorities arrested seventeen persons as they attempted to infiltrate Kuwait from Iraq. An additional person was arrested later, and a large car bomb and weapons were recovered. The group stands charged with being part of an Iraqi government plot to assassinate former President Bush while he was visiting Kuwait.

20 April

Egypt

Terrorists attempted to assassinate Egyptian Information Minister Safwat Sharif in Cairo by firing shots at his motorcade. The Minister was slightly injured and his bodyguard seriously wounded. Al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya claimed responsibility for the attack.

13 May

Chile

Three terrorists entered a Mormon church in Santiago, overpowered the Bishop, sprayed the church with fuel and set it afire. The church was completely destroyed. The terrorists left pamphlets at the scene in which the Mapu Lautaro group -- United Popular Action Movement -- claimed responsibility.

19 May

Peru

Terrorists detonated a car bomb in front of the Chilean Embassy in Lima at the end of a strike called by the Sendero Luminoso terrorist group. The explosion damaged the embassy and nearby houses but did not result in any casualties.

8 June

Egypt

Terrorists exploded a bomb underneath an overpass as a tour bus was on its way to the Giza pyramids. Two Egyptians were killed and six British tourists, nine Egyptians, three Syrians and at least three others were injured.

22 June

Lebanon

Two terrorists were killed and another injured while attempting to plant a bomb on a bridge near the Al-Balamand monastery. The target of the failed bomb attempt may have been a bus carrying 22 church members from around the world who were attending a meeting of the commission for dialogue between the Catholic and Orthodox churches.

24 June

Western Europe

Terrorists from the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) staged a wave of coordinated attacks in more than 30 cities in six Western European countries. The attacks consisted primarily of vandalism against Turkish diplomatic and commercial targets, and included the take-over of one Turkish consulate.

27 June

Turkey

Terrorists threw handgrenades at a number of hotels and restaurants frequented by tourists in the Mediterranean resort area of Antalya. Twelve foreigners were among the 28 persons injured. Earlier, on 9 June, Kurdistan Workers Party leader Abdulla Ocalan threatened that his group would start to use violence against tourist facilities in Western Turkey.

1 July

Japan

A few days before President Clinton's arrival at the base prior to the Group of Seven summit in Tokyo, terrorists fired two home-made rockets at the U.S. Air Force Base at Yokota, causing minimal damage but no casualties.

7 July

Japan

Terrorists exploded a home-made bomb at the United Nations Technology Center in Osaka, causing minor damage and no casualties. On 9 July the Chukaku-Ha terrorist group claimed responsibility.

Peru

Police discovered the bodies of two European tourists in a remote area of Ayacucho. The two had been traveling together in a region contested by Sendero Luminoso terrorists.

Japan

Terrorists fired four home-made projectiles at the headquarters of the U.S. Air Force in Japan at Camp Zama. None of the projectiles exploded and little damage was caused.

5 July to 14 October

Turkey

In eight separate incidents within this period, the PKK kidnapped a total of 19 Western tourists traveling in southeastern Turkey. The hostages, including U.S. citizen Colin Patrick Starger, were released unharmed after spending several weeks in captivity.

25 July

Turkey

A terrorist bomb planted in a trash can next to an automatic teller machine in the Hagia Sophia district of Istanbul exploded and wounded two Italian tourists.

27 July

Peru

After first spraying the building with automatic weapons, terrorists exploded a van bomb outside the U.S. Embassy in Lima. One embassy guard was injured. The explosion caused extensive damage to the embassy's facade and perimeter fence. Subsequent small fires caused only minor damage. The nearby Spanish Embassy, together with stores and a U.S.-owned hotel, were also damaged. Two hotel employees and a hotel guest were injured. The explosion coincided with an "armed strike" called by Sendero Luminoso.

18 August

Turkey

Terrorists threw a handgrenade underneath a Hungarian tourist bus in front of a hotel. Three foreign tourists and five Turkish bystanders were injured.

Egypt

A motorcycle bomb killed five persons and wounded some fifteen others on a road in Cairo. The bomb was directed at Egyptian Interior Minister Alfi, who was slightly injured. The Islamic extremist group New Jihad claimed responsibility.

25 August

Turkey

Four terrorists, masquerading as Turkish security officials, kidnapped Iranian dissident Mohammad Khaderi from his residence. ON 4 September his body was discovered by the side of the Kiursehir-Boztepe highway.

28 August

Turkey

Iranian dissident Behram Azadfer was assassinated by terrorists in Ankara.

2 September

Italy

Three terrorists threw a handgrenade over the fence and also fired shots at the U.S. Air Force Base at Aviano. The Red Brigades terrorist group later claimed responsibility.

9 September

Chile

Terrorists placed small bombs at two McDonalds outlets and a Kentucky Fried Chicken outlet in the Santiago area. The two bombs in the McDonalds outlets exploded, causing some damage but no casualties. The bomb in the Kentucky Fried Chicken outlet was found and deactivated. In all three instances, a male claiming to be a member of the Movement of the Revolutionary Left (MIR) telephoned to claim responsibility.

20 September

Algeria

One Moroccan and two French surveyors were kidnapped by terrorists as they drove between Oran and Sidi Bel Abbes. The Morrocan citizen was released unharmed, but the two Frenchmen were later found murdered.

26 September

Iraq

A United Nations truck carrying twelve tons of medical supplies was destroyed by a bomb while traveling near Irbil. The bomb had been attached to the truck's fuel tank. The driver and twelve civilians were injured.

11 October

Norway

The Norwegian publisher of Salman Rushdie's book Satanic Verses was shot and seriously wounded at his home near Oslo.

16 October

Algeria

Terrorists shot and killed two Russian military officers and wounded a third outside an apartment building near the Algerian military academy. The Russians were instructors at the academy.

19 October

Algeria

Terrorists kidnapped a Peruvian, a Filipino, and a Colombian from the cafeteria of an Italian construction firm in Tiaret. The three were technicians employed by the firm. On 21 October the three were found dead some fifty kilometers from the abduction site. Their throats had been cut. On 26 October, the extremist Armed Islamic Group claimed responsibility for this and other attacks against foreigners.

24 October

Algeria

Three French diplomats were kidnapped as they left their apartment in Algiers. A police officer who attempted to prevent the kidnapping was shot and killed. On 26 October the Armed Islamic Group claimed responsibility for the incident. The three diplomats were released unharmed on the night of 30 October.

Israel

Two small explosive charges were detonated near the French embassy in Tel Aviv. There was no damage or casualties. A member of the Jewish extremist Kahana Hay movement claimed responsibility for the explosions, saying the attack was carried out to protest PLO leader Yasir Arafat's visit to France and agreements he signed there.

25 October

Nigeria

Four members of a Nigerian dissident group hijacked a Nigerian Airways Airbus- 310 airliner with 150 passengers and crew on board shortly after it took off from Lagos. After trying unsuccessfully to land the aircraft at Ndjamena, Chad, the terrorists ordered the plane to land at Niamey, Niger. The hijackers then released two groups of passengers. After lengthy but fruitless negotiations, Nigerien police stormed the aircraft on 28 October. All four of the hijackers surrendered, but one of the crew was killed and one of the hijackers during the rescue operation.

Peru

Terrorists exploded a large bomb under a minibus in the parking lot near the departure terminal at Lima's international airport. The driver of a hotel shuttle bus was killed and about 20 other persons injured. The American Airlines cargo office, which was located nearby, sustained some damage.

29 October

France

Three terrorists threw a firebomb into the Turkish-owned Bosphorus Bank in central Paris. No serious damage was caused, but four people were injured, one seriously.

4 November

Western Europe

The PKK staged a second round of coordinated attacks against Turkish diplomatic and commercial facilities in six Western European countries. The assaults consisted mainly of firebombings and vandalism, but one person was killed and about 20 injured.

8 November

Iran

Two handgrenades were thrown into the courtyard of the French embassy in Tehran, causing no casualties and little damage. On the same day, a French citizen was injured when a handgrenade was thrown into the Tehran offices of Air France. A group called the Hizballah Committee claimed responsibility for both attacks, saying they were carried out to protest the French government's support for the Mujahedin-E-Khalq.

14 November

Philippines

Terrorists from the Islamic extremist group Abu Sayyaf kidnapped a U.S. missionary, Charles M. Watson, in Pangutaran Island, Sulu Batu. The missionary worked for the Summer Institute of Linguistics. He was released unharmed in Manila on 7 December.

20 November

Peru

Terrorists exploded a satchel bomb outside the offices of the U.S. Peruvian Bi-national Center in Lima. The bomb caused minor damage but no casualties.

25 November

Egypt

A car bomb exploded near the motorcade of Prime Minister Atif Sedki; the prime Minister was unhurt but one bystander, a teen- aged girl, was killed and at least 18 persons wounded. The "Jihad Group" later claimed responsibility.

29 November

Iraq

Terrorists shot and seriously wounded the senior fuel coordinator for the Australian CARE organization in Atrush.

2 December

Algeria

A Spanish businessman was shot and killed at an illegal roadblock manned by terrorists while driving between Oran and Annaba.

4 December

Algeria

An Italian businessman was shot and wounded by a terrorist as he left his residence in a suburb of Algiers.

5 December

Algeria

Terrorists shot and killed a Russian woman as she was shopping in a market in Algiers.

7 December

Algeria

Terrorists shot and killed a British subject at a gas station in Arzew.

Algeria

Terrorists shot and killed a retired French citizen in Larba. At the time the Frenchman was in his hut on the grounds of a company for which he had once worked.

9 December

Egypt

A police officer was killed and six others injured when a group of terrorists opened fire on two movie houses which were showing foreign films. On 12 December Al-Gam'a al-Islamiyya claimed responsibility, stating that the attack was in retaliation for the screening of "immoral" films.

11 December

Egypt

Libyan dissident, human rights activist and former Foreign Minister Mansour Kikhia was kidnapped from his hotel in Cairo. Ambassador Kikhia was visiting Cairo to attend a human rights conference. He has not been heard from since.

13 December

Iraq

One person was killed and six others were injured in Sulaimaniyah when a terrorist bomb destroyed a relief center operated by the Belgian humanitarian group "Handicap International".

14 December

Algeria

A large group of armed terrorists attacked a work camp of a hydro- electric project in Tamezguida. Fourteen Croatian citizens were taken out of the camp. Twelve were murdered by having their throats slit, but two others escaped with injuries. On 16 December the Armed Islamic Group claimed responsibility, stating that the attack was part of an ongoing campaign to rid Algeria of all foreigners and to avenge Muslims killed in Bosnia.

27 December

Egypt

Seven Austrian tourists and eight Egyptians were wounded when terrorists fired on a tour bus traveling in the old district of Cairo. A small bomb which was thrown at the bus rolled near a cafe and exploded.

29 December

Algeria

Terrorists murdered a Belgian husband and wife as they slept in their home in Bouira. The husband had his throat cut, and his wife was shot.