Incident Summary:
5/20/1972: Members of the Jewish Resistance Movement, an organization affiliated with the Jewish Defense League, threw a pipe bomb into the office of the Long Island Association of Commerce and Industry in Jericho, New York, United States. The device did not detonate.
Overview
GTD ID:
197205200003
When:
1972-05-20
Country:
United States
Region:
North America
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
New York
City:
Jericho
Location Details:
Nassau County
What
Attack Information
| Type of Attack () |
Bombing/Explosion |
| Successful Attack? () |
No |
Target Information ()
| Target Type: Private Citizens & Property |
|---|
| Name of Entity |
Long Island Association of Commerce and Industry |
| Specific Description |
Long Island Association of Commerce and Industry office in Jericho, New York |
| Nationality of Target |
United States |
Additional Information
| Hostages |
No |
| Ransom |
No |
| Property Damage |
No |
How
Weapon Information
| Type |
Sub-type |
| Explosives |
Pipe Bomb |
| Weapon Details |
|---|
| Two-foot long pipe bomb thrown through window |
Additional Information
| Suicide Attack? | No |
| Part of Multiple Incident? | No |
| Criterion 1 () |
Yes |
| Criterion 2 () |
Yes |
| Criterion 3 () |
Yes |
| Additional Information |
The Jewish Resistance Movement called the Associated Press twice after the incident to claim the attack. Three days later, the same offices were broken into by members of Betar (197205230003). Four members of the Jewish Defense League were arrested on May 24, 1972 with pipe bombs - to be used against the residence of the Soviet Mission to the United Nations - made of similar materials to the pipe bomb that was used in this incident. |
Who
Perpetrator Group Information
| Group Name |
Claimed Responsibility |
| Jewish Defense League (JDL) |
Yes (Confirmed: Unknown; Mode: Call (post-incident)) |
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
| "Abortive Bombing Linked To Jewish Protest Group," New York Times, May 21, 1972. |
| David A. Andelman, "Anti-Soviet Bomb Plot Is Laid to 4 on L.I.," New York Times, May 25, 1972. |
| Shlomo Russ, "Zionist Hooligans: The Jewish Defense League," City University of New York, 1981. |
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
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