List of terrorist incidents, 1978
Encyclopedia
This is a timeline of incidents in 1978 that have been labelled as "terrorism
" and are not believed to have been carried out by a government
or its forces (see state terrorism
and state-sponsored terrorism
).
: Members of the Arab Revolutionary Council poison Israeli oranges with mercury, injuring at least twelve people and reducing exports by 40 percent., 1978–1995: The Unabomber
kills three and injures 29 in a string of anti-technology bombings., January 7: A leftist terrorist group attacked the office of Italian Social Movement
in Rome, Italy, killing three people in an event known as the Acca Larentia Massacre., February 13: Hilton bombing
: A bomb is detonated outside the Commonwealth Heads of Government Regional Meeting in Sydney
, killing two people. Three Ananda Marga
members are later arrested and jailed for the attack, but later released due to lack of proof., February 17: The IRA
kill twelve people in the La Mon Restaurant Bombing
., February 18: Two assassins had killed prominent Egypt
ian newspaper editor Youssef Sebai and then rounded up several Arabs who were attending a convention in Nicosia
as hostages. As Cypriot forces were trying to negotiate with the hostage-takers at the airport, Egyptian troops decided to launch their own assault without authorization from the Cypriots. The unauthorized raid
led to the Egyptians and the Cypriots exchanging gunfire, killing or injuring more than 20 of the Egyptian commandos., March: Members of the RMS movement occupy a provincial office in Assen
. 67 persons were held hostage, one official was killed on the spot, another died of injuries a month later., March 11: Coastal Road massacre
: Fatah
gunmen killed several tourists and hijack a bus near Haifa
; 37 Israel
is on the bus are killed., March 16 – May 9: The Red Brigades
kidnap former Italian Prime Minister Aldo Moro
(killing 5 bodyguards) and assassinate him 55 days later., May 20: Three terrorists fire on El Al
passengers in the departure lounge of Paris-Orly Airport, resulting in the death of all three terrorists and one policeman, with 3 French tourists injured., August 13: A bomb destroys an office building in West Beirut housing the headquarter of the Palestine Liberation Front
, killing more than 175 people and injuring another 80. The bombing was allegedly carried out by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – General Command.
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
" and are not believed to have been carried out by a government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
or its forces (see state terrorism
State terrorism
State terrorism may refer to acts of terrorism conducted by a state against a foreign state or people. It can also refer to acts of violence by a state against its own people.-Definition:...
and state-sponsored terrorism
State-sponsored terrorism
State-sponsored terrorism is a term used to describe terrorism sponsored by nation-states. As with terrorism, the precise definition, and the identification of particular examples, are subjects of heated political dispute...
).
: Members of the Arab Revolutionary Council poison Israeli oranges with mercury, injuring at least twelve people and reducing exports by 40 percent., 1978–1995: The Unabomber
Theodore Kaczynski
Theodore John "Ted" Kaczynski , also known as the "Unabomber" , is an American mathematician, social critic, anarcho-primitivist, and Neo-Luddite who engaged in a mail bombing campaign that spanned nearly 20 years, killing three people and injuring 23 others.Kaczynski was born in Chicago, Illinois,...
kills three and injures 29 in a string of anti-technology bombings., January 7: A leftist terrorist group attacked the office of Italian Social Movement
Italian Social Movement
The Italian Social Movement , and later the Italian Social Movement–National Right , was a neo-fascist and post-fascist political party in Italy. Formed in 1946 by supporters of former Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, the party became the fourth largest party in Italy by the early 1960s...
in Rome, Italy, killing three people in an event known as the Acca Larentia Massacre., February 13: Hilton bombing
Sydney Hilton bombing
The Sydney Hilton bombing occurred on 13 February 1978, when a bomb exploded outside the Hilton Hotel in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. At the time the hotel was the site of the first Commonwealth Heads of Government Regional Meeting , a regional off-shoot of the biennial meetings of the heads...
: A bomb is detonated outside the Commonwealth Heads of Government Regional Meeting in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, killing two people. Three Ananda Marga
Ananda Marga
Ananda Marga, organizationally known as Ananda Marga Pracaraka Samgha , meaning the samgha for the propagation of the marga of ananda , is a social and spiritual movement founded in Jamalpur, Bihar, India in 1955 by Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar .Ánanda Márga followers describe Ánanda Márga as a...
members are later arrested and jailed for the attack, but later released due to lack of proof., February 17: The IRA
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
kill twelve people in the La Mon Restaurant Bombing
La Mon Restaurant Bombing
The La Mon restaurant bombing was an incendiary bomb attack by the Provisional Irish Republican Army on 17 February 1978. The target was a hotel/restaurant near Belfast, Northern Ireland. The IRA unit who planted the bomb tried to send warnings by telephone, but was unable to do so until nine...
., February 18: Two assassins had killed prominent Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian newspaper editor Youssef Sebai and then rounded up several Arabs who were attending a convention in Nicosia
Nicosia
Nicosia from , known locally as Lefkosia , is the capital and largest city in Cyprus, as well as its main business center. Nicosia is the only divided capital in the world, with the southern and the northern portions divided by a Green Line...
as hostages. As Cypriot forces were trying to negotiate with the hostage-takers at the airport, Egyptian troops decided to launch their own assault without authorization from the Cypriots. The unauthorized raid
Egyptian raid on Larnaca International Airport
On 19 February 1978, Egyptian forces raided Larnaca International Airport near Larnaca, Cyprus in an attempt to intervene in a hijacking situation. Earlier, two assassins had killed prominent Egyptian newspaper editor Youssef Sebai and then rounded up several Arabs who were attending a convention...
led to the Egyptians and the Cypriots exchanging gunfire, killing or injuring more than 20 of the Egyptian commandos., March: Members of the RMS movement occupy a provincial office in Assen
Assen
Assen is a municipality and a city in the north eastern Netherlands, capital of the province of Drenthe. It received city rights in 1809. Assen's main claim to fame is the TT Circuit Assen the motorcycle racing circuit, where on the last Saturday in June the Dutch TT is run...
. 67 persons were held hostage, one official was killed on the spot, another died of injuries a month later., March 11: Coastal Road massacre
Coastal Road massacre
The Coastal Road massacre of 1978 was an attack involving the hijacking of a bus on Israel's Coastal Highway in which 38 Israeli civilians, including 13 children, were killed, and 71 were wounded. The attack was planned by Abu Jihad and carried out by the PLO faction Fatah...
: Fatah
Fatah
Fataḥ is a major Palestinian political party and the largest faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization , a multi-party confederation. In Palestinian politics it is on the left-wing of the spectrum; it is mainly nationalist, although not predominantly socialist. Its official goals are found...
gunmen killed several tourists and hijack a bus near Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
; 37 Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
is on the bus are killed., March 16 – May 9: The Red Brigades
Red Brigades
The Red Brigades was a Marxist-Leninist terrorist organisation, based in Italy, which was responsible for numerous violent incidents, assassinations, and robberies during the so-called "Years of Lead"...
kidnap former Italian Prime Minister Aldo Moro
Kidnapping of Aldo Moro
The kidnapping and murder of Aldo Moro was a seminal event in Italian political history.On the morning of 16 March 1978, the day in which the new cabinet led by Giulio Andreotti would undergo the confidence vote at the Italian Parliament, the car of Aldo Moro, former prime minister and then...
(killing 5 bodyguards) and assassinate him 55 days later., May 20: Three terrorists fire on El Al
El Al
El Al Israel Airlines Ltd , trading as El Al , is the flag carrier of Israel. It operates scheduled domestic and international services and cargo flights to Europe, North America, Africa and the Far East from its main base in Ben Gurion International Airport...
passengers in the departure lounge of Paris-Orly Airport, resulting in the death of all three terrorists and one policeman, with 3 French tourists injured., August 13: A bomb destroys an office building in West Beirut housing the headquarter of the Palestine Liberation Front
Palestine Liberation Front
The Palestine Liberation Front is a Palestinian militant group, which is designated as a terrorist organization by Canada, the European Union and the USA. It is presently led by Dr. Wasel Abu Yousef.-Origins:...
, killing more than 175 people and injuring another 80. The bombing was allegedly carried out by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – General Command.