Incident Summary:
12/04/1979: Jet [and] Cruise Travel Agency in Astoria, New York, in the United States, managed by Yugoslavian native, Nadjo Balac of Manhattan, was bombed by the Croatian Freedom Fighters, who claimed responsibility for the incident. Two women, both employees of the agency, and an off-duty police officer, were slightly injured by shards of flying glass from the explosion. Additionally, the explosion destroyed the side wall of the agency, causing extensive damage, and also damaged a jewelry store on the first floor and the apartment of an elderly couple on the third floor. Less than an hour after the blast, a man called the Associated Press and a local TV station, claiming bombing and identifying himself as a member of the Croatian Freedom Fighters. He also stated that a message was left in a locker at the terminal at 421 Grand Central Station. The message was written in Croatian and listed a series of demands that the group asked be aired on television and radio between 6pm and 7pm that evening, otherwise 2 more bombs, which were placed in congested areas, would be detonated at 8:30pm that evening. The group's message, which denounced the Yugoslav Secret Police, and asked that the U.S. stop economic aid to Yugoslavia and that political and economic ties to Yugoslavia by the U.S. and West Germany be broken, was aired, and no other bombs were detonated.
Overview
GTD ID:
197912040002
When:
1979-12-04
Country:
United States
Region:
North America
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
New York
City:
New York City
Location Details:
1 at travel agency at 32-03 Broadway, Astoria in Queens
What
Attack Information
Type of Attack () |
Bombing/Explosion |
Successful Attack? () |
Yes |
Target Information ()
Target Type: Business |
Name of Entity |
Jet and Cruise Travel Agency |
Specific Description |
travel agency, owned by Yugoslavian native |
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 |
Explosives |
Time Fuse |
Additional Information
Suicide Attack? | No |
Part of Multiple Incident? | No |
Criterion 1 () |
Yes |
Criterion 2 () |
Yes |
Criterion 3 () |
Yes |
Additional Information |
The Croatian Freedom Fighters claimed responsibility for the attack through both phone calls to the press following the explosion, and a message left in a locker at the Grand Central Terminal. |
Who
Perpetrator Group Information
Group Name |
Claimed Responsibility |
Croatian Freedom Fighters |
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 / 3 Injured |
Total Number of Fatalities |
0 |
Number of U.S. Fatalities |
0 |
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities |
0 |
Total Number of Injured |
3 |
Number of U.S. Injured |
3 |
Number of Perpetrators Injured |
0 |
Sources
Sources
Robert McG. Thomas Jr., "Bomb Laid to Croats Damages Queens Travel Agency," New York Times, December 5, 1979. |
"Explosion Rocks Three-Story Building; One Hurt," The Associated Press, December 4, 1979. |
"Croatians Claim Responsibility For Explosion," The Associated Press, December 4, 1979. |
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