1990s
Attempted Iraqi Attacks on U.S. Posts, January 18-19, 1991: Iraqi agents
planted bombs at the U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia’s home residence and
at the USIS library in Manila.
Bombing of the Israeli Embassy in Argentina, March 17, 1992: Hizballah
claimed responsibility for a blast that leveled the Israeli Embassy in
Buenos Aires, Argentina, causing the deaths of 29 and wounding 242.
World Trade Center Bombing, February 26, 1993: The World Trade Center in
New York City was badly damaged when a car bomb planted by Islamic
terrorists exploded in an underground garage. The bomb left 6 people
dead and 1,000 injured. The men carrying out the attack were followers
of Umar Abd al-Rahman, an Egyptian cleric who preached in the New York
City area.
Attempted Assassination of President Bush by Iraqi Agents, April 14,
1993: The Iraqi intelligence service attempted to assassinate former
U.S. President George Bush during a visit to Kuwait. In retaliation, the
U.S. launched a cruise missile attack 2 months later on the Iraqi
capital Baghdad.
Air France Hijacking, December 24, 1994: Members of the Armed Islamic
Group seized an Air France Flight to Algeria. The four terrorists were
killed during a rescue effort.
Attack on U.S. Diplomats in Pakistan, March 8, 1995: Two unidentified
gunmen killed two U.S. diplomats and wounded a third in Karachi, Pakistan.
Kashmiri Hostage-taking, July 4, 1995: In India six foreigners,
including two U.S. citizens, were taken hostage by Al-Faran, a Kashmiri
separatist group. One non-U.S. hostage was later found beheaded.
Jerusalem Bus Attack, August 21, 1995: HAMAS claimed responsibility for
the detonation of a bomb that killed 6 and injured over 100 persons,
including several U.S. citizens.
Saudi Military Installation Attack, November 13, 1995: The Islamic
Movement of Change planted a bomb in a Riyadh military compound that
killed one U.S. citizen, several foreign national employees of the U.S.
government, and over 40 others.
Egyptian Embassy Attack, November 19, 1995: A suicide bomber drove a
vehicle into the Egyptian Embassy compound in Islamabad, Pakistan,
killing at least 16 and injuring 60 persons. Three militant Islamic
groups claimed responsibility.
HAMAS Bus Attack, February 26, 1996: In Jerusalem, a suicide bomber blew
up a bus, killing 26 persons, including three U.S. citizens, and
injuring some 80 persons, including three other US citizens.
Dizengoff Center Bombing, March 4, 1996: HAMAS and the Palestine Islamic
Jihad (PIJ) both claimed responsibility for a bombing outside of Tel
Aviv's largest shopping mall that killed 20 persons and injured 75
others, including 2 U.S. citizens.
West Bank Attack, May 13, 1996: Arab gunmen opened fire on a bus and a
group of Yeshiva students near the Bet El settlement, killing a dual
U.S./Israeli citizen and wounding three Israelis. No one claimed
responsibility for the attack, but HAMAS was suspected.
Khobar Towers Bombing, June 25, 1996: A fuel truck carrying a bomb
exploded outside the US military's Khobar Towers housing facility in
Dhahran, killing 19 U.S. military personnel and wounding 515 persons,
including 240 U.S. personnel. Several groups claimed responsibility for
the attack.
Egyptian Letter Bombs, January 2-13, 1997: A series of letter bombs with
Alexandria, Egypt, postmarks were discovered at Al-Hayat newspaper
bureaus in Washington, New York City, London, and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Three similar devices, also postmarked in Egypt, were found at a prison
facility in Leavenworth, Kansas. Bomb disposal experts defused all the
devices, but one detonated at the Al-Hayat office in London, injuring
two security guards and causing minor damage.
Empire State Building Sniper Attack, February 23, 1997: A Palestinian
gunman opened fire on tourists at an observation deck atop the Empire
State Building in New York City, killing a Danish national and wounding
visitors from the United States, Argentina, Switzerland, and France
before turning the gun on himself. A handwritten note carried by the
gunman claimed this was a punishment attack against the "enemies of
Palestine."
Israeli Shopping Mall Bombing, September 4, 1997: Three suicide bombers
of HAMAS detonated bombs in the Ben Yehuda shopping mall in Jerusalem,
killing eight persons, including the bombers, and wounding nearly 200
others. A dual U.S./Israeli citizen was among the dead, and 7 U.S.
citizens were wounded.
Murder of U.S. Businessmen in Pakistan, November 12, 1997: Two
unidentified gunmen shot to death four U.S. auditors from Union Texas
Petroleum Corporation and their Pakistani driver after they drove away
from the Sheraton Hotel in Karachi. The Islami Inqilabi Council, or
Islamic Revolutionary Council, claimed responsibility in a call to the
U.S. Consulate in Karachi. In a letter to Pakistani newspapers, the
Aimal Khufia Action Committee also claimed responsibility.
Tourist Killings in Egypt, November 17, 1997: Al-Gama'at al-Islamiyya
(IG) gunmen shot and killed 58 tourists and four Egyptians and wounded
26 others at the Hatshepsut Temple in the Valley of the Kings near
Luxor. Thirty-four Swiss, eight Japanese, five Germans, four Britons,
one French, one Colombian, a dual Bulgarian/British citizen, and four
unidentified persons were among the dead. Twelve Swiss, two Japanese,
two Germans, one French, and nine Egyptians were among the wounded.
Somali Hostage-takings, April 15, 1998: Somali militiamen abducted nine
Red Cross and Red Crescent workers at an airstrip north of Mogadishu.
The hostages included a U.S. citizen, a German, a Belgian, a French, a
Norwegian, two Swiss, and one Somali. The gunmen were members of a
sub-clan loyal to Ali Mahdi Mohammed, who controlled the northern
section of the capital.
U.S. Embassy Bombings in East Africa, August 7, 1998: A bomb exploded at
the rear entrance of the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, killing 12 U.S.
citizens, 32 Foreign Service Nationals (FSNs), and 247 Kenyan citizens.
Approximately 5,000 Kenyans, 6 U.S. citizens, and 13 FSNs were injured.
The U.S. Embassy building sustained extensive structural damage. Almost
simultaneously, a bomb detonated outside the U.S. Embassy in Dar es
Salaam, Tanzania, killing 7 FSNs and 3 Tanzanian citizens, and injuring
1 U.S. citizen and 76 Tanzanians. The explosion caused major structural
damage to the U.S. Embassy facility. The U.S. Government held Usama Bin
Laden responsible.
Indian Airlines Airbus Hijacking, December 24, 1999: Five militants
hijacked a flight bound from Katmandu to New Delhi carrying 189 people.
The plane and its passengers were released unharmed on December 31.
