Incident Summary:
10/04/1978: The Danmarie Cabinet Company, a shop owned by Daniel Nikolic, an American of Croatian descent, was damaged by a firebomb in Chicago, Illinois, United States, by suspected Croatian nationalists after Nikolic refused to contribute to Croatian nationalist funds. Nikolic claimed he also received a letter similar to that of Anthony Cikoja, who was assassinated a week earlier for the same reasons (197809280007). Nikolic said the letter was written in Croatian dialect, demanding money. It is unknown whether there were any injuries or fatalities as a result of the bombing.
Overview
GTD ID:
197810040004
When:
1978-10-04
Country:
United States
Region:
North America
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
Illinois
City:
Chicago
What
Attack Information
Type of Attack () |
Facility/Infrastructure Attack |
Successful Attack? () |
Yes |
Target Information ()
Target Type: Business |
Name of Entity |
Danmarie Cabinet Company |
Specific Description |
shop of Daniel Nikolic, an American of Croatian descent |
Nationality of Target |
United States |
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 |
Incendiary |
Molotov Cocktail/Petrol Bomb |
Weapon Details |
firebomb |
Additional Information
Suicide Attack? | No |
Part of Multiple Incident? | No |
Criterion 1 () |
Yes |
Criterion 2 () |
Yes |
Criterion 3 () |
Yes |
Additional Information |
It is unclear whether the letter may have been sent by the Yugoslav secret police in efforts to discredit the Croatian separatist movement, as some American-Croatian community leaders believe to be the case. This incident is linked to the assassination of Anthony Cikoja, by suspected Croatian nationalists after he refused to pay $5,000 per the nationalists' request in a threatening letter (197809280007) and the assassination of Krizan Brkic, an American of Croatian descent in California (197811220002), who had also received a threatening letter similar to that of Cikoja. In June of 1981, eight men were arrested and indicted on charges of racketeering and extortion, including the murders of Cikoja and Brkic, and several arsons. According to the indictments, the men were members of a Croatian organization called "Otpor," or Croatian National Resistance group that used terror and violence to extort money from individuals of Croatian origin living in the United States. A ninth man was later arrested and indicted as an associate of the other eight responsible for the abovementioned incidents. Those indicted included Mile Markic (the alleged leader of Otpor in the U.S.), Mile Boban (the alleged president of Otpor in North America), Ante Ljubas, Andjelko Jakic (former vice president of the New York chapter of the group), Ivan Misetic (former vice president of the Chicago chapter), Vinko Logarusic (leader of the Cleveland chapter), Ranko Primorac (leader of the Los Angeles chapter), Miro Biosic (treasurer of the L.A. chapter), and Drago Sudar (the associate of the other eight members of the group). An additional source: Arnold H. Lubasch, "8 Indicted as the Leaders Of Croatian Terror Group," New York Times, June 26, 1981. |
Who
Perpetrator Group Information
Group Name |
Claimed Responsibility |
Otpor |
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 |
Unknown |
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities |
Unknown |
Total Number of Injured |
Unknown |
Number of U.S. Injured |
Unknown |
Number of Perpetrators Injured |
Unknown |
Sources
Sources
Nicholas M. Horrock, "F.B.I. Is Studying Yugoslav Groups After a Murder and a Firebombing," New York Times, November 7, 1978. |
Christopher Hewitt, "Political Violence and Terrorism in Modern America: A Chronology," Praeger Security International, 2005. |
"Chronology for Serbs in Croatia," Minorities at Risk Project, 2004. |
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