Incident Summary:

12/31/1974: A bomb exploded at the Chase Manhattan Bank in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, causing extensive damage to the bank as well as to nearby offices, including a branch of the First National City Bank. It is unknown whether there were any injuries or fatalities. The Armed Forces for National Liberation (FALN) are responsible for the explosion, and police suspected the motive was to protest the vacationing of Vice President Rockefeller and Secretary of State Kissinger.

GTD ID:
197412310005

When:
1974-12-31

Country:
United States

Region:
North America

Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:

Puerto Rico

City:
Rio Piedras

Attack Information
Type of Attack (more) Bombing/Explosion
Successful Attack? (more) Yes
Target Information (more)
Target Type: Business
Name of Entity Chase Manhattan
Specific Description bank
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
Weapon Information
Type Sub-type
Explosives Unknown Explosive Type
Additional Information
Suicide Attack?No
Part of Multiple Incident?Yes
Criterion 1 (more) Yes
Criterion 2 (more) Yes
Criterion 3 (more) Yes
Additional Information This event is one in a series of bombings and attempted bombings in Puerto Rico by members of FALN in efforts to protest the visits of Vice President Rockefeller and Secretary of State Kissinger (197412310002, 197412310003, 197412310004, 197412310006, and 197412310007).
Perpetrator Group Information
Group Name Claimed Responsibility
Fuerzas Armadas de Liberacion Nacional (FALN) Unknown
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators Unknown
Number of Captured Perpetrators Unknown
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties Unknown
Total Number of Fatalities Unknown
Number of U.S. Fatalities 0
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities 0
Total Number of Injured Unknown
Number of U.S. Injured Unknown
Number of Perpetrators Injured Unknown
Sources
"2 Blasts Damage Rockefeller Banks," New York Times, January 1, 1975.
William Sater, "Puerto Rican Terrorists: A Possible Threat to U.S. Energy Installations?," RAND, October 1981.
Christopher Hewitt, "Political Violence and Terrorism in Modern America: A Chronology," Praeger Security International, 2005.