1995 bombings in France
Encyclopedia
The 1995 bombings in France were carried out by the Armed Islamic Group
(GIA), who were broadening the Algerian Civil War
to France. In total, these attacks killed eight and injured more than 100. The first stage of the extension of the Islamists' terrorist campaign to France began with the assassination of Abdelbaki Sahraoui
, a co-founder of the Islamic Salvation Front
(FIS) who opposed attacks in France.
(Paris
regional train network). Eight were killed and 80 wounded.
On August 17, a bomb at the Arc de Triomphe
wounded 17 people. On August 26, a huge bomb was found on the railroad tracks of a high-speed rail line
near Lyon
. On September 3, a bomb malfunctioned in a square in Paris, wounding 4. On September 7, a car bomb
at a Jewish school in Lyon wounded 14.
A leader of the group, Khaled Kelkal
, was identified through fingerprints left on unexploded bombs. He was killed on September 29 by members of the French EPIGN gendarmerie
unit when resisting arrest in hills near Lyon.
Yet the attacks continued. On October 6, a gas bottle exploded in station Maison Blanche of the Paris Métro
, wounding 13. On October 17, a gas bottle exploded between the Musée d'Orsay
and Saint-Michel - Notre-Dame
stations of RER Line C, wounding 29.
. Extradition
proceedings against suspect Rachid Ramda
had been ongoing for nearly 10 years, beginning in 1995. Throughout this time, Ramda was detained in London's Belmarsh Prison Ramda was extradited to France on December 1, 2005, in connection with the bombings. On October 26, 2007, Ramda was sentenced to life in prison for financing the attacks.
According to the FBI terrorism consultant Evan Kohlmann
, parts of the money used to finance the bombings came from people connected to the Brandbergen Mosque
in Haninge, Sweden
.
Armed Islamic Group
The Armed Islamic Group is an Islamist organisation that wants to overthrow the Algerian government and replace it with an Islamic state...
(GIA), who were broadening the Algerian Civil War
Algerian Civil War
The Algerian Civil War was an armed conflict between the Algerian government and various Islamist rebel groups which began in 1991. It is estimated to have cost between 150,000 and 200,000 lives, in a population of about 25,010,000 in 1990 and 31,193,917 in 2000.More than 70 journalists were...
to France. In total, these attacks killed eight and injured more than 100. The first stage of the extension of the Islamists' terrorist campaign to France began with the assassination of Abdelbaki Sahraoui
Abdelbaki Sahraoui
Abdelbaki Sahraoui was a co-founder of the Islamic Salvation Front in Algeria.He was born in 1910 in Constantine, Algeria. In 1926, he joined the circle of Sheikh Mubarak el-Mili. Five years later, he was conscripted by the French army, where he spent two years. He then moved to Algiers, where...
, a co-founder of the Islamic Salvation Front
Islamic Salvation Front
The Islamic Salvation Front is an outlawed Islamist political party in Algeria.-Goals:...
(FIS) who opposed attacks in France.
Three bombings
On July 25, 1995, a gas bottle exploded in the Saint-Michel station of line B of the RERRER
The RER is a rapid transit system in France serving Paris and its suburbs. The RER is an integration of a modern city-centre underground rail and a pre-existing set of commuter rail lines. It has several connections with the Paris Métro within the city of Paris. Within the city, the RER...
(Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
regional train network). Eight were killed and 80 wounded.
On August 17, a bomb at the Arc de Triomphe
Arc de Triomphe
-The design:The astylar design is by Jean Chalgrin , in the Neoclassical version of ancient Roman architecture . Major academic sculptors of France are represented in the sculpture of the Arc de Triomphe: Jean-Pierre Cortot; François Rude; Antoine Étex; James Pradier and Philippe Joseph Henri Lemaire...
wounded 17 people. On August 26, a huge bomb was found on the railroad tracks of a high-speed rail line
TGV
The TGV is France's high-speed rail service, currently operated by SNCF Voyages, the long-distance rail branch of SNCF, the French national rail operator....
near Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
. On September 3, a bomb malfunctioned in a square in Paris, wounding 4. On September 7, a car bomb
Car bomb
A car bomb, or truck bomb also known as a Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device , is an improvised explosive device placed in a car or other vehicle and then detonated. It is commonly used as a weapon of assassination, terrorism, or guerrilla warfare, to kill the occupants of the vehicle,...
at a Jewish school in Lyon wounded 14.
A leader of the group, Khaled Kelkal
Khaled Kelkal
Khaled Kelkal was an Algerian terrorist affiliated with the GIA. He was involved in the 1995 terror bombings in France.-Biography :...
, was identified through fingerprints left on unexploded bombs. He was killed on September 29 by members of the French EPIGN gendarmerie
Gendarmerie
A gendarmerie or gendarmery is a military force charged with police duties among civilian populations. Members of such a force are typically called "gendarmes". The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary describes a gendarme as "a soldier who is employed on police duties" and a "gendarmery, -erie" as...
unit when resisting arrest in hills near Lyon.
Yet the attacks continued. On October 6, a gas bottle exploded in station Maison Blanche of the Paris Métro
Paris Métro
The Paris Métro or Métropolitain is the rapid transit metro system in Paris, France. It has become a symbol of the city, noted for its density within the city limits and its uniform architecture influenced by Art Nouveau. The network's sixteen lines are mostly underground and run to 214 km ...
, wounding 13. On October 17, a gas bottle exploded between the Musée d'Orsay
Musée d'Orsay
The Musée d'Orsay is a museum in Paris, France, on the left bank of the Seine. It is housed in the former Gare d'Orsay, an impressive Beaux-Arts railway station built between 1898 and 1900. The museum holds mainly French art dating from 1848 to 1915, including paintings, sculptures, furniture,...
and Saint-Michel - Notre-Dame
St-Michel - Notre-Dame (Paris RER)
Saint-Michel - Notre-Dame is a station of the Paris RER, serving Line B and Line C. It is named after the nearby St-Michel area and Notre Dame cathedral.The main entrance to the station is in Place Saint-Michel on the left bank of the Seine...
stations of RER Line C, wounding 29.
Arrests and trials
Members of the groups have since been prosecuted for various charges. A number of suspects have fled to the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Extradition
Extradition
Extradition is the official process whereby one nation or state surrenders a suspected or convicted criminal to another nation or state. Between nation states, extradition is regulated by treaties...
proceedings against suspect Rachid Ramda
Rachid Ramda
Rachid Ramda is the convicted mastermind behind the 1995 terror bombings in French public transportation systems. He has denied these accusations.-Algeria:...
had been ongoing for nearly 10 years, beginning in 1995. Throughout this time, Ramda was detained in London's Belmarsh Prison Ramda was extradited to France on December 1, 2005, in connection with the bombings. On October 26, 2007, Ramda was sentenced to life in prison for financing the attacks.
According to the FBI terrorism consultant Evan Kohlmann
Evan Kohlmann
Evan F. Kohlmann is an American terrorism consultant who has worked for the FBI and other governmental organizations.He is a contributor to the Counterterrorism Blog, a senior investigator with The Nine Eleven Finding Answers Foundation, and a terrorism analyst for NBC News.-Early life and...
, parts of the money used to finance the bombings came from people connected to the Brandbergen Mosque
Brandbergen Mosque
The Brandbergen Mosque, officially the Islamic Association in Brandbergen is a mosque located in Brandbergen, Haninge Municipality, south of Stockholm, Sweden....
in Haninge, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
.
See also
- Boualem BensaidBoualem BensaïdBoualem Bensaïd is an Algerian member of GIA, an Islamic terrorist organization. He has been accused of an attempted bombing during the 1995 terror campaign in France....
- Khaled KelkalKhaled KelkalKhaled Kelkal was an Algerian terrorist affiliated with the GIA. He was involved in the 1995 terror bombings in France.-Biography :...
- Rachid RamdaRachid RamdaRachid Ramda is the convicted mastermind behind the 1995 terror bombings in French public transportation systems. He has denied these accusations.-Algeria:...
- Djamel ZitouniDjamel ZitouniAbou Abderahmane Amine, born Djamel Zitouni , was the leader of the Algerian Armed Islamic Group , a terrorist group responsible for carrying out a series of bombings in France in 1995.He was killed by a rival faction on July 16, 1996.-References:* William J...
- Transit policeTransit policeTransit police are a specialized police agency or unit employed by a common carrier, which could be a transit district, railroad, bus line, other transport carrier, or the state...