NCJ Number
63623
Journal
EXECUTIVE RISK ASSESSMENT Volume: 1 Issue: 9 Dated: (JULY 1979) Pages: 1-6
Date Published
1979
Length
6 pages
Annotation
TERRORIST BOMBINGS IN THE NONCOMMUNIST WORLD FROM 1970 THROUGH 1978 ARE ANALYZED WITH RESPECT TO COUNTRIES, TARGETS (ESPECIALLY U.S. BUSINESSES), DEVICES USED, LOSSES, AND PREDICTED TRENDS.
Abstract
BOMBINGS CONSIDERED INCLUDE ONLY THOSE MEETING ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS: SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, UNIQUE TARGET, UNUSUAL DEVICE, OR UNUSUAL EMPLACEMENT METHOD. FROM 1970 THROUGH 1978, 3,338 TERRORIST BOMBINGS OCCURRED WORLDWIDE, EXCLUDING COMMUNIST COUNTRIES. BOMBING ACTIVITIES HAVE GRADUALLY INCREASED DURING THIS PERIOD. OVER 60 PERCENT OCCURRED DURING 1977 AND 1978. ITALY AND SPAIN HAVE EXPERIENCED THE MOST BOMBINGS IN THE LAST TWO YEARS. TEN COUNTRIES ACCOUNTED FOR OVER THREE QUARTERS OF THE 1978 BOMBINGS. HALF THE BOMBINGS WERE AGAINST BUSINESS TARGETS (10 PERCENT AGAINST U.S. BUSINESSES); 13 PERCENT AGAINST POLICE AND MILITARY FACILITIES; 10 PERCENT AGAINST DIPLMATIC FACILITIES, AND 8 PERCENT AGAINST GONVERNMENT FACILITIES. BOMBINGS AGAINST GOVERNMENT FACILITIES. BOMBINGS AGAINST U.S. BUSINESSES HAVE DECLINED AS A PERCENTAGE OF THE TOTAL BECAUSE OF BOTH DECLINE IN BOMBINGS IN THE U.S. AND CESSATION OR CHANGES IN TERRORISM IN SEVERAL OTHER COUNTRIES. TOTAL BUSINESS LOSSES FROM 1970 THROUGH 1978 WERE $122.4 MILLION. THE BOMBINGS KILLED 677 PEOPLE AND INJURED 3,534. ALMOST 40 PERCENT OF THE DEATHS AND 53 PERCENT OF THE INJURIES HAVE OCCURRED IN THE LAST 3 YEARS. EXPLOSIVES WERE USED IN THREE QUARTERS OF THE BOMBINGS; INCENDIARIES OR OTHER MATERIALS IN THE REMAINDER. BOMBINGS, ESPECIALLY AGAINST COMMERCIAL TARGETS, ARE EXCEPTED TO CONTINUE AS A COMMON TERRORIST ACTIVITY. TABLES AND FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. FOR SIMILAR ANALYSES OF OTHER TYPES OF TERRORISM, SEE NCJ-63614-63616. (CFW)