Incident Summary:
01/25/1985: A light antitank weapon, namely a bazooka rocket, was fired at the United States Courthouse in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, striking the back of the fourth floor of the courthouse building. No casualties resulted from the incident, but the attack caused damage to a wall of the building as well as shattered a window. Both Los Macheteros and the Organization of Volunteers for the Puerto Rican Revolution were responsible for the attack, which they claimed in a joint communiqué five days later, stating that the attack was in memory of the Puerto Rican Revolutionary, Juan Antonio Corretjer, who had died the week earlier, but as a poet and advocate of Puerto Rican Independence, he spent much of his life fighting against "Yankee Imperialism."
Overview
GTD ID:
198501250009
When:
1985-01-25
Country:
United States
Region:
North America
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
Puerto Rico
City:
San Juan
What
Attack Information
Type of Attack () |
Bombing/Explosion |
Successful Attack? () |
Yes |
Target Information ()
Target Type: Government (General) |
Name of Entity |
United States Courthouse |
Specific Description |
US courthouse in Old San Juan |
Nationality of Target |
Puerto Rico |
Additional Information
Hostages |
No |
Ransom |
No |
Property Damage |
Yes |
Extent of Property Damage |
Minor (likely < $1 million) |
Value of Property Damage |
Unknown |
How
Weapon Information
Type |
Sub-type |
Explosives |
Projectile (rockets, mortars, RPGs, etc.) |
Weapon Details |
light antitank bazooka rocket |
Additional Information
Suicide Attack? | No |
Part of Multiple Incident? | No |
Criterion 1 () |
Yes |
Criterion 2 () |
Yes |
Criterion 3 () |
Yes |
Additional Information |
The rocket was launched from the fourth floor of a parking garage across the street from the courthouse. Both the Organization of Volunteers for the Puerto Rican Revolution and the Macheteros claimed the attack in a communiqué, which was signed by both groups and found under a bench at a bus stop after an anonymous caller notified United Press International of its location. |
Who
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators |
Unknown |
Number of Captured Perpetrators |
Unknown |
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties |
0 Fatalities / 0 Injured |
Total Number of Fatalities |
0 |
Number of U.S. Fatalities |
0 |
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities |
0 |
Total Number of Injured |
0 |
Number of U.S. Injured |
0 |
Number of Perpetrators Injured |
0 |
Sources
Sources
Ronald Fernandez, "Los Macheteros: The Wells Fargo Robbery and the Violent Struggle for Puerto Rican Independence," Prentice Hall Press, 1987. |
"FBI Analysis of Terrorist Incidents and Terrorist Related Activities in the United States: 1985," Terrorist Research and Analytical Center, Terrorism Section, Criminal Investigative Division, FBI, 1985. |
"Caribbean News Briefs," United Press International, January 31, 1985. |
Criteria
Criteria 1
The act must be aimed at attaining a political, economic, religious, or social goal. In terms of economic goals, the exclusive pursuit of profit does not satisfy this criterion. It must involve the pursuit of more profound, systemic economic change.
Criterion 2
There must be evidence of an intention to coerce, intimidate, or convey some other message to a larger audience (or audiences) than the immediate victims. It is the act taken as a totality that is considered, irrespective if every individual involved in carrying out the act was aware of this intention. As long as any of the planners or decision-makers behind the attack intended to coerce, intimidate or publicize, the intentionality criterion is met.
Criterion 3
The action must be outside the context of legitimate warfare activities. That is, the act must be outside the parameters permitted by international humanitarian law (particularly the prohibition against deliberately targeting civilians or non-combatants.
Doubt Terrorism Proper
The existence of a "Yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper?" records reservation, in the eyes of GTD analysts, that the incident in question is truly terrorism. Such uncertainty, however, was not deemed to be sufficient to disqualify the incident from inclusion into the GTD. Furthermore, such a determination of doubt is subsequently coded by GTD analysts as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Alternate Designation
The determination of "yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper" by GTD analysts is coded as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Successful Attack
Success of a terrorist strike is defined according to the tangible effects of the attack. For example, in a typical successful bombing, the bomb detonates and destroys property and/or kills individuals, whereas an unsuccessful bombing is one in which the bomb is discovered and defused or detonates early and kills the perpetrators. Success is not judged in terms of the larger goals of the perpetrators. For example, a bomb that exploded in a building would be counted as a success even if it did not, for example, succeed in bringing the building down or inducing government repression.
Type of Attack
This field captures the general method of attack and often reflects the broad class of tactics used. It consists of the following nine categories:
- Assassination
- Armed Assault
- Unarmed Assault
- Bombing/Explosion
- Hijacking
- Hostage taking (Barricade Incident)
- Hostage taking (Kidnapping)
- Facility / Infrastructure Attack
- Unknown
Target Information
This field captures the general type of target. It consists of the following 22 categories:
- Abortion Related
- Airports & Airlines
- Business
- Government (General)
- Government (Diplomatic)
- Educational Institution
- Food or Water Supply
- Journalists & Media
- Maritime (includes Ports and Maritime facilities)
- Military
- NGO
- Other
- Police
- Private Citizens & Property
- Religious Figures/Institutions
- Telecommunication
- Terrorists
- Tourists
- Transportation (other than aviation)
- Unknown
- Utilities
- Violent Political Parties