The largest terrorist groups. The most dangerous terrorists in the world
These disgusting examples of senseless cruelty continue to horrify even years later. Terrorist acts cause damage, first of all, to the psychological state of people. While the country's economy recovers from the attack within months, the sense of insecurity among the civilian population continues for years.
Our top ten today contains the most notorious terrorist attacks of the 21st century according to RBC.Rating.
The city of Qakhtanya, inhabited by Yazidi Kurds, a religious minority, was targeted by terrorists who blew up four fuel tankers loaded with explosives. At least 500 people were injured in the explosions.
9. Bombings in London (07/07/2005 and 07/21/2005, UK)
The first four explosions in the London Underground killed 52 people and injured about 700 more. The second series of terrorist attacks, fortunately, resulted in no casualties. All surviving terrorists were brought to justice.
8. Terrorist attack in Beslan (09/01/2004 - 09/03/2004, Russia)
One of the most brutal terrorist attacks in history. For more than two days, the terrorists held about 1,100 people hostage, mostly children. As a result of the terrorist attack, 334 people died, of which 186 were children. The only surviving terrorist was sentenced to life imprisonment.
7. A series of explosions in Iraq (06/24/2004, Iraq)
A series of explosions and attacks on police stations affected five cities in the country. More than 70 people were killed and dozens were seriously injured.
6. Terrorist attacks in Madrid (03/11/2004, Spain)
Took place 3 days before the parliamentary elections. As a result of four explosions in electric train cars, 191 people were killed and 2,050 passengers were injured. It is noteworthy that the explosions took place exactly 911 days after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 in the United States.
5. Explosions in the Moscow metro (02/06/2004 and 03/29/2010, Russia)
In 2004, a suicide bomber killed 41 people and injured 250. In 2010, two explosions also killed 41 people and injured 88 people. Doku Umarov took responsibility for the latest terrorist attack.
4. Terrorist attacks in Istanbul (11/15/2003 and 11/20/2003, Türkiye)
As a result of the first terrorist attack, suicide car bombs killed 25 people and injured more than 300. Five days later, a series of explosions killed another 28 people and injured 450. Al-Qaeda, as well as the Islamist group of radicals “Front of Islamic Conquerors of the Great East,” claimed responsibility for the attacks.
3. Terrorist attack on Dubrovka (“Nord-Ost”) (10/23/2002 - 10/26/2002, Russia)
A group of armed terrorists held 916 people for several days in the building of the Moscow Bearing House of Culture. As a result of the operation of the security forces, all militants were eliminated. According to official statistics, 130 hostages died. Shamil Basayev took responsibility for the terrorist attack.
2. Terrorist attacks in Bali (10/12/2002, Indonesia)
The worst terrorist attack in Indonesian history killed 202 people, 164 of whom were foreigners. The radical organization Jemaah Islamiyah was found responsible for the three explosions. Three organizers were sentenced to death.
1. The terrorist attack of September 11, 2001 (09/11/2001, USA)
Responsibility for world's largest terrorist attack Al-Qaeda took over. Nineteen terrorists, having hijacked four passenger airliners, carried out a suicide attack unprecedented in its scale of cruelty. As a result of plane crashes, destruction of World War II towers shopping center and damage to the Pentagon building killed 2,974 people.
The word terrorism sounds very terrifying, there is no clear definition of terrorism as it is a controversial term. Therefore, it can be called the planned use of violence, a method of coercion to achieve political goals. In reality, terrorism involves violent and brutal acts that create fear among people. Terrorism and terrorists is a major issue that most countries are facing these days and is becoming an obstacle to the peace and prosperity of countries. Every day newspapers write information about terrorists and their cruelty, due to which many people died. One terrorist attack causes a wave of shock among people and this is a great threat to any country, as people's lives stop for a while. It is very difficult to talk about terrorism, but now every country is fighting against terrorism and wants to eradicate it completely. There have been many tragic terrorist attacks, and there are some dates in the past that people will never forget. Here is a list of the 10 most terrible terrorist attacks in history, which show the cruelty and senselessness of the existence of terrorists.
10. Attack on Manhattan
The terrible attack on Manhattan remains one of the terrible attacks in US history. On August 3, 1977, a group of trained people entered Manhattan; they belonged to a Puerto Rican group that was responsible for terrorist activities in the United States. These men violently attacked American defense buildings and a Mobil building. According to reports, 1 person was killed in this attack and 8 were injured, but it caused great financial loss to the defense forces.
9. Ma'alot Massacre
May 14–15, 1974 remains the worst day in Israeli history of a massacre that happened there, due to the fact that it is the only Jewish state in the world. There were three armed terrorists who belonged to a terrorist organization in Palestine, they entered Israel from Lebanon, and carried out brutal attacks on civilians. This terrorist attack lasted two days, there were a total of 115 hostages, of whom 25 were killed and 66 were injured. This act, which took place throughout Israel, has been remembered and mourned for 40 years. The Ma'alot massacre is a dark day for the country.
8. Terrorist attack in the air
One of the terrible terrorist attacks that went down in history as an air attack. On September 8, 1974, there was a scheduled flight from Athens to Rome, the plane landed in Greece to board passengers and stayed there for about 68 minutes, after which it continued its flight. During its journey, 30 minutes after takeoff, the plane suddenly crashed into the Ionian Sea. At first, it was suspected that it was due to engine failure, but later shocking details emerged that the plane crashed due to the explosion of a bomb that was hidden in the cargo compartment and was blamed on the terrorist organization Black September. In this attack, all 79 passengers and 9 crew members lost their lives.
7. Attack on the border of Chechnya
March 24, 2001 is known as the saddest day in Russian history due to the terrorist attack on the border with Chechnya. Chechnya was the border between European countries and Russia and was heavily influenced by terrorists at the time. On this day, three cars were blown up near the borders. Both countries faced the consequences of the terrorist attack and were equally worried about those killed. On this day, 20 people were killed and almost 100 were injured from explosions.
6. Anthrax in letters
On September 18, 2001, exactly one week after the September 11 terrorist attack, a brutal attack occurred that lasted for several weeks. This attack was not rockets or bombs, but letters containing disputes anthrax. The letters were mailed to some media offices and two MPs, they resulted in the death of innocent people, 5 infected and 17 other people. This is one of the most complicated cases in American history, which has become the most difficult case for FBI officers. After such a horrific incident, the government got scared and began to develop new drugs for greater safety.
5. Bombing of the World Trade Center 1993
This horrific terrorist attack, the bombing of the World Trade Center, occurred before the events of 9/11 on February 26, 1993 and was incomplete, but did not cause massive damage to buildings. In this attack, a truck bomb exploded under the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York. The plan was to bring down both towers and kill thousands of people, but the terrorists miscalculated as they were unable to destroy the twin towers. 7 people died in this attack, 1042 people were injured. This attack was planned to destroy the base of the United States.
4. Bombing Wall Street
The Wall Street Bombing occurred on September 16, 1920, at around 12:00 p.m., when a cart containing 100 pounds of dynamite was detonated using a timer and a detonator set, the explosion rocking the financial sector in New York City. This explosion resulted in the death of 38 people and 143 people were seriously injured. The perpetrators of this crime could not be identified, but there was a suspicion that Galleani's followers were the organizers, but this was not officially announced. This bombing caused over $2 million in property damage and destroyed most of the interior of the Morgan Building.
3. Attacks in Mumbai
2008 The worst and worst terrorist attacks in the history of India are the 2008 Mumbai attacks. On November 26, 2008, terrorists targeted the most famous and royal hotel, Taj Mahal, which is located opposite the Gateway of India. This attack involved gunfire, explosions, hostage-taking and siege. It was a long 64 hour battle between terrorists and military forces, with continuous bombing on both sides. On this sad day, 10 attacks were carried out in Mumbai in several places, but the main focus was on the hotel. This attack claimed the lives of about 166 people, including 10 attackers, and injured more than 600 people.
2. Oklahoma City Terrorist Attack
The Oklahoma City bombing took place on April 19, 1995, with a homemade bomb targeting the Alfred Murrah Federal Building. It will remain the deadliest terrorist attack in the United States before 9/11, and the second deadliest terrorist attack on American soil. This brutal bombing killed 168 people and injured more than 680 people. This explosion destroyed 324 buildings, burned 86 cars, and shattered windows in 258 nearby buildings, causing an estimated $652 million in damage. Terrorist Timothy McVeigh, who masterminded the attack, was jailed and sentenced to death 6 years later.
1. 9/11 terrorist attack
The worst terrorist attack occurred on September 11, 2001, when terrorists completely destroyed the World Trade Center by hijacking two planes and crashing them into the World Trade Center buildings. According to official reports, 8,900 people were injured and 2,993 people died in this attack. It was a well-planned and cunning act that was designed to suppress the security of the nation. The brutal attack was orchestrated by al-Qaeda and its leader Osama bin Laden, who was the world's most wanted terrorist and was killed on May 2 by the US military. The terrorist attack of September 11 is still remembered, and it scares people when they remember this date.
You can become famous not only through politics or show business. Today, television constantly talks about famous terrorists. Their fame is based on blood and murder. The concept of “terror” arose quite a long time ago. Translated from Latin, this word means fear or horror. Physical violence could be used to frighten one's political opponents or the common population.
Terrorism has many forms - collective and individual, religious, nationalistic, state and international. The first terrorists operated in Judea in the 1st century. Then members of the Sicarii sect killed those noble Jews who advocated peace with the Romans. This was regarded as a betrayal of national interests.
In the Middle Ages, the assassins who operated in what is now Iran became famous. These faceless killers destroyed sinners on the orders of their leader. Today, terrorists are no longer faceless; they do not hide, exposing their dark deeds to the public. The most famous such criminals will be discussed below.
Herostratus. This is the first person who managed to go down in history not with his creative or political abilities, but with his destructive activities. A Greek from Ephesus in 356 BC. in his burned the temple of Artemis, considered one of the wonders of the world. During torture, Herostratus admitted that he did this specifically to perpetuate his name. After the execution, an order was issued to completely forget the name of Herostratus. For this, even the residents of Ephesus hired special heralds who traveled around the country and announced that the name of the ambitious man should be forgotten. However, this crime was outlined in the works of the ancient Greek historian Theopompus. From there, information about Herostratus migrated to the works of later scientists. The story of the arson of the famous temple was invariably accompanied by the name of the perpetrator. Thus Herostratus achieved his goal. Legends say that on the night when the Temple of Artemis was burning, Alexander the Great was born. It’s a stretch to consider Herostratus a terrorist, but he showed how fame can be achieved through criminal means. The phrase “Herostratus’ glory” or “Herostratus’s laurels” appeared, which means fame tantamount to shame.
Boris Savinkov. In the second half of the 19th century, terrorist methods became very popular in Russia - attempts were made on the lives of major officials and even the Tsar. Revolutionary Boris Savinkova supported such methods of fighting the regime. He himself was born into a family of nobles, but all of his closest relatives opposed the authorities in one way or another. For example, an older brother, a Social Democrat, committed suicide in Siberian exile. Savinkov himself was expelled from St. Petersburg University in 1899 for participating in student riots. In 1903, the young revolutionary was only 24 years old, and he already had arrests and exiles behind him. In Geneva, Savinkov joined the Combat Organization of the Socialist Revolutionary Party. Until 1917, he organized numerous terrorist attacks on Russian territory. The most noisy cases were the murder of the Minister of Internal Affairs Plehve (1904), the Moscow Governor-General Prince Sergei Alexandrovich (1905), the assassination attempt on the Minister of Internal Affairs Durnovo and General Dubasov. After the arrest of the terrorist leader Azef, Savinkov heads the Combat Organization. In 1906, while preparing an assassination attempt on the commander of the Black Sea Fleet, Admiral Chukhnin, the terrorist was caught in Sevastopol and sentenced to death. But Savinkov was able to escape to Romania at night. It was no longer possible to prepare successful terrorist attacks, the Combat Organization disintegrated, and its former leader began to engage in literary activity . After February Revolution October Revolution In 1917, the former terrorist did not support. He tried to fight the new government, then went to Europe, where he found himself in a political vacuum. As a result, Savinkov returned illegally to Russia, where he was captured by the OGPU and was killed in prison (officially, he committed suicide).
Ilyich Ramirez Sanchez, "Carlos the Jackal". The international terrorist was born in 1949 in Venezuela. His name was given in honor of Lenin, because his father was also a convinced communist. In 1968-1969, the young fiery revolutionary studied in Moscow and the Peoples' Friendship University. In 1970, Sanchez acquired the nickname "Carlos" while interning at a terrorist camp in Palestine. During the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the terrorist performed well, and in 1973 he tried to kill an influential Jewish politician and businessman Edward Schiff in London. In the 70s, Sanchez succeeded in a whole series of terrorist attacks - an attack on a bank, an explosion of French newspaper offices, attacks on planes and a restaurant. The Jackal's most famous action was the attack on the OPEC headquarters in Vienna and the taking of hostages in 1975. At the same time, the terrorists managed to escape unpunished. In the 80s, Sanchez was credited with a series of bombings in France, killing 11 people and injuring more than 100 more. The criminal is constantly hiding, now in Hungary, now in Syria, now in Algeria. He began selling weapons, eventually moving away from his main activity. The terrorist was eventually extradited by Sudanese authorities in 1994. In France, Sanchez was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1997, and a second similar sentence was handed down in 2011. Now the terrorist sits in a Paris prison and writes autobiographical books.
Ulrike Meinhof. This German journalist comes from an intelligent bourgeois family - her ancestors were pastors, and her parents were art critics. In 1955, at the age of 21, the smart girl entered the University of Marburg, where she studied philosophy, pedagogy, and sociology. But the musty atmosphere did not suit her active character. In 1957, she transferred to the University of Münster, where she led the student movement against nuclear weapons. In the first half of the 1960s, Meinhof became one of the most famous journalists in Germany, she received large fees. At the same time, she actively participates in the anti-fascist movement, opposes the war in Vietnam and the adoption of anti-democratic laws. When left-wing organizations begin to be banned and persecuted in Germany, Ulrika's activities become much more radical. In 1970, the journalist organized the armed release of the leader of the Red Army Faction (RAF), Andreas Baader. This mission succeeds, albeit at the cost of injuring innocent people. The newly-minted terrorist herself goes underground. Since then, the RAF begins to lead active actions. The group visited training camps of the Palestine Liberation Front. The terrorists needed money and upon returning to Germany they began to attack banks. Ulrike Meinhof herself was called the queen of terror. The RAF was credited with 555 terrorist attacks. Among the victims were ordinary people and even colleagues who wished to retire. In 1972, Ulrike Meinhof was finally arrested. In 1975, she died under strange circumstances in prison. Her funeral turned into a mass protest.
Timothy McVey. Until the emergence of Osama bin Laden, this was the largest terrorist in American history. In his youth, Timothy grew up withdrawn and unsociable. He was more interested in computers, and later firearms, rather than studying and communicating. In 1988, at the age of 20, McVeigh became a soldier in the US Army. He took part in the Gulf War and earned awards. McVeigh passed special training , studied explosives, sniper tactics. But a career in the army did not work out due to bad McVey. In 1992, he was transferred to the reserve. The former soldier was a right-wing anarchist who believed that gun control was a restriction of constitutional freedoms. The actions of the authorities at Ruby Ridge in 1992 and at the siege of the Mount Carmel estate in 1993, when innocent people died as a result of the authorities' actions, became the reason for McVeigh's desire for revenge. On April 19, 1995, a terrorist bombed the Alfred Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. For these purposes, a car bombed with 5 tons of explosives was used. 168 people died then, including 19 children under 6 years old. Another 680 people were wounded. Total damage from the explosion was $652 million. Within an hour and a half after the explosion, McVeigh was arrested for illegal possession of a firearm. In 1997, a trial was held that sentenced the terrorist to death. In 2001, McVeigh was given a lethal injection. In America itself, legislation was changed that tightened the security of federal buildings.
Patrick Magee.
The Irish Republican Army (IRA) is waging a terrorist war against the British. The most famous revolutionary is Patrick Magee. In 1984, he carried out his most famous action. Then the carefully prepared assassination attempt on English Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was practically successful. When the British Conservative Party held its congress in the town of Brighton, Magee managed to plant a bomb in the politician's hotel room. Thatcher narrowly escaped death because she was in the toilet at the time of the explosion. But 5 innocent people died. Magee himself received the nickname “Brighton Bomb Thrower” for his terrorist attack. The terrorist knew in advance which hotel the distinguished guest would be accommodated in. Six months in advance, under a false name, he booked a room next door. And the signature he accidentally left in the guest book gave him away. The court sentenced the Irishman to 8 life sentences. In prison, Magee studied and even passed exams, receiving a second education. After 15 years he was released. Today, Magee continues to actively participate in demonstrations against the authorities. Shoko Asahara.. Unable to get into university, he took up the practice of Chinese medicine. Back in 1981, he was arrested for fraud, selling energy-charged drugs. In 1987, Asahara made a pilgrimage to the Himalayas, where he claims to have been spiritually cleansed. A little earlier, he founded an organization called Aum Shinrikyo. Since 1989, the sect has become known in Japan. It attracted many young Japanese students from elite universities. Active cooperation with the Dalai Lama led to his recognition of this organization. Studying Buddhist texts and meditation were just a decoy. Aum Shinrikyo began to act more actively. The rituals included the use of drugs and shock therapy. In 1989, the first murder of a sect member who wanted to leave occurred. In 1990, Asahara tried to run for parliament, but failed. The sect began to secretly acquire weapons, including chemical weapons. Sarin and VX gas have previously been used to kill or assassinate Aum Shinrikyo critics. But on June 27, 1994, gas was released against civilians. Members of the sect used sarin gas in the central park of the city of Matsumoto. Then 7 people died, another 200 were injured. The police were preparing to close the sect, but Asahara managed to carry out another high-profile terrorist attack. On March 20, 1995, a gas attack took place in the Tokyo subway. The victims were 12-27 people; in total, several tens of thousands of people felt the effects of sarin. The trial of Shoko Asahara turned out to be the longest in the country's history. As a result, he was sentenced to death, but the sentence has not yet been carried out.
Shamil Basayev. After completing his military service, Basayev ended up in Moscow. There he never managed to enter university and was content with low-paid work. After the collapse of the State Emergency Committee, Basayev returned to Chechnya and felt a field for self-realization. He became part of the armed formation created under the National Congress of the Chechen People. In the summer of 1991, Basayev created the armed group “Vedeno”, and in October he formed a group of saboteurs. They were supposed to protect the freedom of the Chechen Republic and the interests of the President. On November 9, 1991, as a sign of protest against the introduction of a state of emergency, Basayev hijacked a passenger plane from Mineralnye Vody to Turkey. There the invaders surrendered and were sent to Chechnya. Then Basayev noted his participation in the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, in the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict. During the First Chechen War, the terrorist gradually moved from active participation to sabotage. June 14-20, 1995, militants led by Basayev in the city of Budennovsk Stavropol Territory took over the hospital. 1,600 people became hostages, 147 of whom died. Until the Second Chechen war
Basayev was actively involved in politics. Nevertheless, he continued to organize terrorist attacks on Russian territory. These include the hostage taking in Dubrovka in 2002 (129 dead), the explosion of a truck near the government building in Grozny (72 victims), a series of suicide bombings in 2003, explosions in the metro in 2004, the seizure of a school in Beslan in 2004 ( 330 dead hostages). In 2006, Basayev was killed by Russian special services while preparing a new terrorist attack. Osama bin Laden. This man became the largest organizer of terrorist attacks in modern history . He also quite generously sponsored the entire Islamic radical movement. Osama was born in Saudi Arabia and received a good education . He began to participate in the family construction business, but the invasion to Afghanistan forced bin Laden to join the Afghan Jihad. Bin Laden's activities against Soviet troops (hiring volunteers, active military operations) were under the control of American intelligence. In 1989, Osama returned to his homeland, continuing to sponsor radicals. But the Gulf War and Saudi Arabia's alliance with the United States angered Osama, which led to his expulsion to Sudan. In 1996 and 1998, bin Laden issued proclamations instructing Muslims to fight the Americans. The result was the bombings of the American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania on August 7, 1998. The eighth anniversary of the accession was just celebrated American troops to Saudi Arabia. As a result of the terrorist attacks, 290 people were killed and about 5 thousand were injured. Then Osama bin Laden was added to the list of most wanted terrorists. After the events of September 11, 2001, Osama's name became known throughout the world. It was he who was declared the main suspect in a series of major terrorist attacks in America. Bin Laden himself either refused to participate in the attack or confirmed his involvement in it. The United States sent troops into Afghanistan, wanting to destroy the Al Qaeda terrorist network. Bin Laden himself hid for a long time until he was killed by special forces in 2011.
Andres Behring Breivik. The recent terrorist attack shocked everyone, because it turned out that the attack could be carried out in quiet, prosperous countries. Norwegian Andres Breivik led an inconspicuous life, but his political activities were active. Since 1997, Breivik has been involved in the youth wing of the Progress Party. In the 2000s, the Norwegian's views became more radical. He positioned himself as a nationalist and hated multicultural politics and Muslims. Breivik gradually came to the conclusion that he could not do anything through political methods, therefore, it was necessary to use weapons. Before carrying out his terrorist attack, Breivik posted a 12-minute video on the Internet and sent out a 1,518-page manifesto. There he called on Europeans to return to the policy of isolationism and Christian medieval values. Breivik was able to legally purchase weapons in his native Norway, and components for explosives from a fertilizer seller. On July 22, 2011, an explosion occurred in the government quarter of Oslo. 8 people were killed and 92 more were injured. Nearby buildings were damaged and a fire started. An hour and a half later, Breivik arrived at the ferry crossing near the island of Utøya. There was a summer camp for the ruling Workers' Party. There were more than 600 young people there. Dressed in a police uniform, Breivik did not arouse suspicion; he gathered young Social Democrats around him and began shooting at them. The terrorist killed another 69 people on the island. After an hour and a half of massacre, he surrendered to the authorities without resistance. The law provides for a maximum prison term of 21 years; the terrorist himself does not intend to challenge the upcoming court decision.
Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade (Palestine). Exists since 2000. According to Israeli intelligence services, this organization has several leaders, including international terrorists Nasser Badawi and Maslama Thabet. “Brigades” organize explosions using suicide bombers, including women. The organization is financed from the budget of the Fatah party. Yasser Arafat denies his involvement in the activities of the Brigades, however, according to intelligence services, it is from his foreign accounts that money is transferred to finance the movement. Thus, in June 2002, Israel provided comprehensive evidence of a direct transfer of 20 thousand US dollars from Arafat’s account to the account of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades.
"Armed Islamic Group" (GIA, Algeria). In 1992, a bloody civil war began in Algeria, during which the GIA tried to defend its interests and fight for power in the country. The main goal of the organization is a military coup in Algeria and the establishment of an Islamic state. Antar Zuabri has been considered the leader of the GIA since 2002. GIA is responsible for terrorist attacks both in Algeria and in France. Thus, in 1994, members of the group hijacked an Air France plane, and in 1995 they organized several explosions in France. In December 1999, on the US-Canadian border, police managed to detain GIA member Ahmed Ressam, who, according to some sources, was also involved in al-Qaeda activities. According to American intelligence officers, GIA is one of the cells of the al-Qaeda global network and supplies its militants to achieve its goals. The group is financed mainly through the robberies of the Algerian population, as well as monetary donations from Algerians living in Western European countries.
"Aum Shinrikyo" (Japan). The religious sect professes the cult of its leader Shoko Asahara and the ideas of the apocalypse. The sect was designated a terrorist organization only after it carried out a sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway in 1995. The largest terrorist attack in Japanese history was organized in order to “bring the end of the world closer.” After the terrorist attack, many members of Aum Shinrikyo went to prison. Among them was Shoko Asahara, whom Tokyo police charged with 17 crimes, including terrorism, drug trafficking, murder and kidnapping. After 1995, the organization changed its name to Aleph. Currently it consists of two thousand sectarians, whose donations are the main source of funding.
ETA (Spain). The terrorist organization "Basque Fatherland and Freedom" is a left-wing radical movement of ethnic Basques. The main goal pursued by terrorists is the creation of an independent Basque state in northern Spain and southwestern France. ETA was formed in 1959 by a group of young activists in response to General Franco's dictatorial measures against the Basque population. ETA members chose the teachings of Marx as their official ideology. The Basque separatists are targeting Spanish government officials and institutions. ETA’s “corporate style” has become explosive devices with a clock mechanism or remote control, about which terrorists warn the police in advance. The latest high-profile terrorist attack in Spain, in which ETA was suspected of involvement, was the train bombings in Madrid. However, after al-Qaeda leaders officially took responsibility for organizing these attacks, suspicions against ETA were lifted. There is no single leader among the Basque separatists. The main sources of financing for the organization are funds received as ransom for kidnapped people, drug trafficking, as well as interest on banking transactions carried out in the Basque Country.
Hamas (Palestine). As a movement of Palestinian Islamic fundamentalists, Hamas acts as the main opponent of peace and the achievement of agreements between Palestine and Israel. Hamas represents a powerful opposition to the Arafat government. Professing fundamentalist ideas and adhering to a policy of harsh nationalism, Hamas members are among the most implacable enemies of Israel. Hamas was formed in the wake of the Palestinian uprising against Israeli authorities in late 1987. The group's activists immediately launched terrorist activities in the Gaza Strip. In total, they are responsible for more than 200 killed and thousands wounded as a result of explosions carried out by suicide bombers. Until recently, Hamas was led by the ideological leader and inspirer of all Islamic fundamentalists, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin. After Yassin was eliminated as a result of an operation by Israeli intelligence services, Hamas was led by a new leader, Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi. He previously served as the terrorist group's press secretary.
Cash flow, annually received by Hamas, is estimated at an average of 30 million US dollars. This money mainly comes from supporters of the organization in Saudi Arabia and other oil-exporting countries in the Persian Gulf.
Hezbollah (Lebanon). A group of Lebanese Shiites fighting to create a fundamentalist Islamic state modeled on Iran. The name of the group is translated as “Party of Allah.” Unlike other terrorist organizations, Hezbollah even has its own political representation (its members occupy 128 seats in the Lebanese parliament) and from time to time reaches agreements with its opponents. In particular, in January of this year, by mutual agreement, Hezbollah and the Israeli government exchanged prisoners. The organization’s period of particularly active terrorist activity occurred in the 90s, when members of the group managed to organize a number of explosions in Lebanon and Argentina, as well as regularly kidnap American citizens. The leader of the organization is Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, and the US State Department names Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah as its spiritual leader. The main sponsors of the movement are the governments of Syria and Iran.
"Al-Gamaa al-Islamiyya" (Egypt). The “Islamist Group” has existed since the 70s of the last century and is the largest radical Islamic organization in Egypt. She is responsible for attacks on American citizens, the Egyptian government and Christians in the country. Thus, in 1993, Al-Gamaa al-Islamiya carried out several house bombings in Cairo, and in 1997, militants of this organization killed 71 foreign tourists in Luxor. The spiritual leader of the group is Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman, who is held in an American prison. The organization’s sources of funding are unknown, however, according to the US State Department, “it is covered by the Sudanese and Iranian governments.”
Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK, Türkiye). Operating since 1973. Using Marxist slogans, the party aims to form a unified communist Kurdish state. Since 1980, the PKK has actively collaborated with the Syrian government, which provided ideological and material support to the Kurdish separatists. In the mid-1980s, the Kurdish uprising against the Turkish government turned into bloody battles. PKK militants and guerrillas carried out suicide bombings, kidnappings of tourists and terrorist attacks against Turkish embassies in Europe. The wave of violence that swept Turkey at that time resulted in the death of more than 30 thousand civilians. Throughout the 90s, PKK activists used all possible forms and methods to combat the Turkish government. Explosions at resorts, attacks on Turkish embassies and representative offices in six Western European countries, and acts of vandalism against Turkish state symbols continued until the capture of Kurdish terrorist leader Abdullah Ocalan in 1999. After the latter fell into the hands of Turkish intelligence services, the party officially abandoned terrorist activities.
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (Sri Lanka). The organization arose in 1976 on the island of Sri Lanka, its activists are seeking the creation of an independent Tamil state. Since 1983, the Tigers have fought a bloody civil war with the government using guerrilla and terrorist methods. During this time, guerrillas and suicide bombers killed 60 thousand people. In their early years, the Tigers trained in Palestine Liberation Organization camps. Now the number of supporters of this organization is 10 thousand people. The organization receives money from the drug trade and from the numerous Tamil diasporas scattered around the world.
Irish Republican Army (IRA, Northern Ireland). The organization has been fighting for 85 years against the “illegal British occupation” and unionists (or loyalists - Protestant Irish loyal to the British crown) of Northern Ireland and advocates its unification with the Irish Republic. The IRA began its activities on January 21, 1919 with the murder of two Irish royal constables, accused of agreeing to serve the British. On the same day, the Irish nationalist political party Sinn Fein adopted the “Declaration of Irish Independence” at a general meeting. One of the main milestones in the history of the IRA is considered to be July 21, 1972, when 21 explosions occurred in Belfast alone, killing 9 people and injuring several hundred more. In 1984, the IRA organized an assassination attempt on British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Terrorists blew up the Grand Hotel in Brighton, where the Iron Lady was staying, but Thatcher was not injured. Currently, the IRA numbers up to a thousand fighters. Terrorists receive financial and political assistance from the Irish diaspora in the United States; weapons and explosives were supplied to Ireland by Libya and the PLO. According to the world's intelligence services, the IRA is part of the so-called "red belt", a community of international separatist organizations, which also includes ETA (Basque Country), FARC (Colombia) and some others.
In 1998, Sinn Fein and the Unionists signed a peace treaty (the so-called Good Friday Agreement) on joint governance of Northern Ireland. In 2002, four Sinn Fein members even became members of the British Parliament.
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and National Liberation Army (ELN). FARC, the largest Marxist terrorist organization, has 18 thousand militants who control almost half of Colombia's territory: the jungles of the south and the foothills of the Andes. The ANO forces are much smaller; its ranks consist of 8 thousand fighters, whose bases are located in the north. Militants from these two organizations kidnap more than three thousand people every year. Of all the kidnappings that occur in the world, 60% occur in Colombia. In particular, the revolutionaries kidnapped and killed the former Minister of Culture of Colombia Consuela Araujo Noguera, Senator Marta Catalina Daniels, presidential candidate from the Green Party Ingrid Betancourt, the governor of the province of Antioquia Guillermo Gaviria, and the former Minister of Defense Gilberto Echeverría. The rebels need hostages to exchange them for comrades in government prisons; they are also a constant source of income for terrorists. In addition, according to the Economist magazine, Colombian guerrilla groups make money from drug trafficking and racketeering, receiving up to $250-300 million a year from the latter. In 1998, the US Congress adopted Plan Colombia, which allocated $1.7 billion to Bogota to eliminate drug trafficking.
Al-Qaeda. An international terrorist organization with autonomous underground cells in 50 countries, including the USA, Great Britain, Germany, Spain, and France. Even if its founder Osama bin Laden is captured or destroyed, it is unlikely to cease to exist, since “it is perfectly designed to function without a head” (opinion of Michel Flournoy, an expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. - NEWSPAPER). A native of Saudi Arabia, the son of a millionaire and a millionaire himself, a veteran of the war in Afghanistan, bin Laden created his organization in 1988. To do this, he used all the experience and connections gained in Maktab al-Kidamat, a network created with the direct participation of the CIA to recruit volunteers around the world who wanted to take part in jihad against the USSR. During the years of the war in Afghanistan, a large group of professional warriors capable of waging effective guerrilla warfare was formed. Afghan veterans became the backbone new organization bin Laden. Since 1994, Sudan has become al-Qaeda's main base, where Osama bin Laden creates a developed infrastructure and training bases for his brainchild. His companies are involved in road construction, banking, export-import operations, and satellite communications. These enterprises generate tens of millions of dollars in revenue, allowing them to maintain and train a small army. In May 1996, under US pressure, the Sudanese government forced bin Laden to leave the country, and he had to move to Afghanistan. The Taliban provided al-Qaeda with refuge, and the terrorist organization, in turn, provided financial support to the young regime.
Al-Qaeda's main goal is to establish an Islamic order based on Sharia throughout the world. According to the leaders of the organization, the enemies of Muslims include not only the United States and the entire Western world, but also moderate Islamic regimes. In 1998, bin Laden announced the formation of a united organization, the Islamic World Front for the Fight against Jews and Crusaders. It included terrorist groups: Islamic Jihad, Gamaat al-Islamiya, the Yemeni Islamic Army of Aden, the Kashmiri Lashkar-e-Taiba, the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, the Abu Sayyaf Group and others. However, each of these organizations acts completely independently, and the general goals of the Front are determined by the Shura, headed by bin Laden himself. Terrorist attacks planned and carried out by al-Qaeda include: August 7, 1998 - bombing of the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania; October 2000 - explosion of the US Navy destroyer Cole; September 11, 2001 - the destruction of the World Trade Center in New York and the west wing of the Pentagon building in Washington.
The most famous neutralized terrorists in the world
Timothy McVey. Former US Special Forces sergeant, Gulf War veteran, Bronze Star recipient. In 1995, an office building in Oklahoma City, USA, was bombed, killing 168 people. Sentenced to lethal injection and executed on June 11, 2001 in Indiana.
Sheikh Ahmed Yassin. Founder, ideological inspirer and leader of the terrorist group Hamas. In 1987 he founded the radical Islamic resistance movement, uniting Palestinian fundamentalists. Called for terrorist activities and violence, considered to be involved in numerous terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas militants. Liquidated on March 22, 2004 as a result of high-precision rocket fire from Israeli Air Force helicopters.
Sheikh Abbas Moussawi. The leader of the Hezbollah group, the organizer of the shelling of northern Israel with Katyusha rockets that lasted for many years. In 1992, it was destroyed by a salvo of missiles from Israeli Air Force helicopters.
Khalil al-Wazir (aka Abu Jihad). He was the head of the "military wing" of the Palestine Liberation Organization and deputy to Yasser Arafat. Personally trained terrorists for attacks against Israel. He was eliminated in April 1988 in Tunisia by Israeli naval commandos.
Anwar Ali Akhunzada. General Secretary of the Shiite religious group Tehreek-e-Jafria. The spiritual leader of radical Shiites, killed during a shootout with the opposition militant group Sipah-i-Sahaba in the northwestern region of Pakistan in 2000.
Jonas Savimbi. Leader of the National Liberation Front of Angola, leader of the armed resistance to the government of the country since 1975. In 2002, he was killed in a shootout.
Hassan Masum (aka Abdu Muhammad)."Terrorist number one" in China, for a long time topped the list of the eleven most dangerous extremists of the PRC. Leader of the group "Islamic Movement of East Turkestan". Killed as a result of an operation by Pakistani and American intelligence services on October 2, 2003.
Abdel Hadi Natshe. One of the leaders of the Palestinian terrorist group Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade. Involved in organizing terrorist attacks and armed attacks against Israeli settlers and military personnel. Killed during a shootout in Hebron.
Abu Ubaidah. Military leader of Al-Qaeda, charismatic personality, one of bin Laden's best fighters and personal friends. In 1996, he drowned in a ferry accident in Africa.
The world's most famous terrorists still alive
Osama bin Laden (aka Emir, Abu Abdullah, Mujahideen Sheikh, Hajj, Director). He heads the international terrorist network Al-Qaeda, responsible for many terrorist attacks, including the largest terrorist attacks in world history on September 11, 2001. US authorities are offering a $25 million reward for information leading to the capture of the terrorist. An additional 2 million is being offered for bin Laden's head by the American Pilots Association and the Air Transport Association. Bin Laden, according to US CIA experts, is now in Afghanistan.
Ayman al-Zawahiri (aka Abu Muhammad, Abu Fatima, Muhammad Ibrahim, Abu Abdullah, Teacher, Doctor). Right hand Osama bin Laden. Doctor by training. Now, as his closest adviser and doctor, he is next to Osama bin Laden and is hiding with him somewhere in Afghanistan. A reward of $25 million has also been announced for him.
Ilyich Ramirez Sanchez (aka Carlos and the Jackal). Born in Venezuela, studied at Russian University Friendship of Peoples named after Patrice Lumumba. In Palestine, he met Wadi Haddad, the main financier of Palestinian terrorism. In 1973, Carlos became head of the European network of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. In 1975, Palestinian terrorists and West German militants led by Carlos took 11 OPEC ministers hostage at a meeting in Vienna. Carlos is accused of murdering and organizing the murders of a total of 83 people in various countries around the world. A French court sentenced him in absentia to capital punishment. It was possible to catch Ilyich only in 1994 in Sudan. Since France does not have the death penalty, Carlos is currently serving a life sentence in the Santé prison in Paris.
Shoko Asahara. The head of the totalitarian sect "Aum Shinrikyo". For the organization gas attack in the Tokyo subway on March 20, 1995, he was sentenced to death.
Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah. The head of the extremist organization Hezbollah, based in southern Lebanon. The State of Israel has been outlawed.
Omar Abdel Rahman. The founder of the Egyptian extremist organization Al-Gamaa al-Islamiya, which has close ties with Al-Qaeda and was involved in the assassination of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and the shooting of tourists on the steps of the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut in Luxor. In 1996, he was sentenced to life imprisonment in the United States for organizing the bombing of the World Trade Center in New York.
Abdel Aziz Rantisi. The new head of the Hamas group, successor to Sheikh Ahmed Yassin.
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. Bin Laden's closest associate, the "brains" who planned the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001. Arrested a year ago in Pakistan.
Abdullah Ocalan (aka Father). Leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, leader of the guerrilla war between the population of Turkish Kurdistan and official Ankara. In 1998, he was captured in Kenya by Turkish intelligence officers. Sentenced to death. He repented of his crimes and called on his supporters to lay down their arms, as a result of which, instead of execution, the punishment was life imprisonment in prison on the island of Imrali.
Sheikh Zacarias Mousaoui. Appeared before a French court as one of those involved in the events of September 11. Al-Qaeda member. A Moroccan with a French passport was arrested a month before the tragic events in New York and, according to investigators, this is the only reason he could not take part in airstrikes on US cities. Currently in prison.
The eight most dangerous terrorist organizations in the world today include (the ranking was compiled according to experts from around the world, surveys conducted in recent months, and according to data from think tanks in the US and Russia - ed.):
1. "Islamic State"- is currently the most powerful terrorist organization in the world. IS, operating primarily in Syria (partially controlling its northeastern territories) and Iraq (partially controlling the territory of the “Sunni triangle”) has actually been an unrecognized quasi-state since 2013. The total area of territory controlled by IS as of 2014 was estimated at 40-90 thousand square meters. km, and the population living in this territory, predominantly consisting of Sunnis, is 8 million people. Every month, according to American intelligence services, at least 1,000 foreign volunteers join the organization, in addition to mobilizing the population in Iraq and Syria, and total number foreigners - at least 16 thousand. Volunteers from 80 countries of the world work on the side of the organization in Syria and Iraq. The number of IS militants reaches several tens of thousands of people, and they have heavy weapons at their disposal. The group is active in extremist activities and is responsible for many terrorist attacks. The leader of IS is Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
2. Al-Qaeda- one of the largest ultra-radical international terrorist organizations of the Wahhabi branch of Islam. After the bombings of the US embassies in the capitals of Kenya and Tanzania in 1998, al-Qaeda acquired the status of the number 1 terrorist organization in the world (at that time there was no IS). Al-Qaeda is responsible for planning and carrying out a number of major terrorist attacks, including the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 in the United States. The chain of events that began with the attacks of September 11, 2001, and involved al-Qaeda and its suppression efforts, is known as the War on Terrorism. Western researchers identify 5 periods in the history of Al-Qaeda: emergence (late 1980s), “wild” period (1990-1996), heyday (1996-2001), periods of existence as a network ( 2001-2005) and fragmentation (after 2005).
3. Al-Nusra- the group was founded on January 23, 2012 during civil war in Syria. Since then, it has been regarded as one of the most successful rebel groups. Recognized as a terrorist organization by the UN. Syrians, as well as citizens of Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Pakistan, Lebanon, Turkmenistan, France, Great Britain and other countries are fighting in the ranks of the group. The leaders of the organization plan to attack Israel after the end of the war in Syria. Nothing is known about the leader of the al-Nusra Front, except that he acts under the pseudonym “Abu Muhammad al-Julani.”
4. Boko Haram- the group operates in Nigeria. Each terrorist attack they carry out kills at least 7 people, which makes them fourth on our list based on lethality. Literally, "Boko Haram" translates as "Western education is prohibited." The main goal of the organization is to introduce Sharia law throughout Nigeria and eradicate the Western way of life. Boko Haram selects its victims based on their distance from Sharia law. The organization was responsible for the kidnapping of 200 schoolchildren in June this year. From June 2009 to July 2014, the number of their victims amounted to 5 thousand people. The organization continues its activities to this day, striving to eliminate all forms of education and enlightenment in the world.
5. Taliban- got its name from the word “Taliban” - a student of a religious educational institution, since the core of the movement was former students of madrassas (Islamic educational institutions), which were created in Pakistan to educate children orphaned during Afghan war 1979 - 1989 The movement, which was led by Mullah Mohammed Omar, proclaimed its goal to create a “true Islamic” state and was directed against the government of Burhanuddin Rabbani and all military-political groups of the Afghan Mujahideen, who continuously fought for power after the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan in 1989. The center of the Taliban movement became the city of Kandahar in southeastern Afghanistan. The first action of Mohammed Omar's group was the murder of a local mujahideen leader and his men who had attacked three women in the city. By “punishing” the Mujahideen as having betrayed the ideas of the Koran, the Taliban increased their authority among the people. Numerous experts argue that Pakistan was behind the Taliban as an armed force from the very beginning. According to some reports, direct financing, military training of the Taliban and supplying them with modern weapons were carried out by the Border Guard Corps and elite units of Pakistani paratroopers under the leadership of General Nasrullah Babar. The Taliban is recognized as a terrorist organization by the UN Security Council.
6. Al Shabab- an organization that has earned a “warm place” on our list due to the fact that it practices the recruitment of children into its ranks, works closely with al-Qaeda and engages in poaching, killing tens of thousands of elephants every year. In pursuit of valuable ivory, they kill both animals and their protectors. This group operates in Somalia and enforces Sharia law in rural areas. According to some estimates, about 6 thousand people are involved in the organization.
7. "Hizbut-Tahrir al-Islami"(translated from Arabic as “Islamic Liberation Party”) is a radical Islamist organization created in Jerusalem in 1953 by a local Sharia judge court of appeal Takiuddin an-Nabhani. After Nabhani's death in Beirut, Lebanon in 1977, leadership of the organization passed into the hands of Palestinian Abdul Kadim Zallum. After Zallum's death in 2003, the group was led by Palestinian Ata Abu Rashta. Hizbut-Tahrir al-Islami is led by Ata Abu Rashta, who was born in 1943 in Hebron province. In 1966, Abu Rashta graduated from Cairo University with a diploma in civil engineering. He worked a lot in his specialty and even wrote a book, popular in Arab countries, on the topic of calculating the amount of materials in the construction of buildings and roads. At the end of the 1960s. he quit his professional job for a career in Hizbut-Tahrir al-Islami. Hizbut-Tahrir recruits in more than 40 countries around the world, and up to 50 thousand people can be in its ranks.
8. Jaysh al-Islam- militants of the terrorist group Jaysh al-Islam declared war on Russia due to its support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Jaishal Islam was created in 2012. The coalition also included Liua al-Tawhid, Ahramash Sham, Ansarash Sham, Liua al-Haq and Sukurash Sham. Syrian Islamists were forced to unite by the successes of government forces in the Aleppo region. The leader of the group is Sheikh Zahran Alloush. “Jaishal-Islam” includes more than 30 brigades; up to 25–30 thousand people are fighting under its flags in Syria. The group is armed with not only small arms and grenade launchers, but also armored vehicles.
