Incident Summary:
09/12/2000: AT 2000 local time, a bomb exploded at the Samaj community center where Western Cape Province Premier Gerald Morkel was about to hold a rally for his opposition party Democratic Alliance. He had just left his vehicle and entered the hall of the community center when the bomb detonated. The ruling African National Party was also holding a local meeting nearby when the bomb detonated. Six civilians and one Policeman were injured. The bomb was placed in a tree in parking lot near the community center, a medical center, and a mosque. South Africa's Safety and Security Minister Steve Tshwete accused People Against Gangsterism and Drugs (PAGAD) of the incident, but other officials refused to speculate. Premier Morkel did not believe he was the intended target.
Overview
GTD ID:
200009120001
When:
2000-09-12
Country:
South Africa
Region:
Sub-Saharan Africa
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
Western Cape
City:
Athlone
What
Attack Information
Type of Attack () |
Bombing/Explosion |
Successful Attack? () |
Yes |
Target Information ()
Target Type: Government (General) |
Name of Entity |
Western Cape Provincial Government |
Specific Description |
Mr. Gerald Morkel, Premier of Western Cape |
Nationality of Target |
South Africa |
Target Type: Government (General) |
Name of Entity |
Democratic Alliance |
Specific Description |
Mr. Gerald Morkel, a Democratic Alliance party member |
Nationality of Target |
South Africa |
Target Type: Private Citizens & Property |
Name of Entity |
Muslim Community in Athlone, South Africa |
Specific Description |
Samaj Community Center and Gatesville Mosque, Athlone |
Nationality of Target |
South Africa |
Additional Information
Hostages |
No |
Ransom |
No |
Property Damage |
Unknown |
Extent of Property Damage |
Unknown |
Value of Property Damage |
Unknown |
How
Weapon Information
Type |
Sub-type |
Explosives |
Unknown Explosive Type |
Weapon Details |
Unknown explosives were used. |
Additional Information
Suicide Attack? | No |
Part of Multiple Incident? | No |
Criterion 1 () |
Yes |
Criterion 2 () |
Yes |
Criterion 3 () |
Yes |
Doubt Terrorism Proper () |
No |
Additional Information |
The exact intended target remained unclear, as there was an opposition rally, appearance by the Provincial Premier, an African National Congress local meeting, in a Muslim neighborhood. |
Who
Perpetrator Group Information
Group Name |
Claimed Responsibility |
Unknown |
No |
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators |
Unknown |
Number of Captured Perpetrators |
0 |
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties |
0 Fatalities / 7 Injured |
Total Number of Fatalities |
0 |
Number of U.S. Fatalities |
0 |
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities |
0 |
Total Number of Injured |
7 |
Number of U.S. Injured |
0 |
Number of Perpetrators Injured |
Unknown |
Sources
Sources
"New bomb blast in Cape Town: several injured," Agence France Presse, September 12, 2000. |
Mike Cohen, "Bomb explodes near town mosque, opposition meeting," The Associated Press, September 12, 2000. |
"Morkel Narrowly Escapes Injury in Cape Bomb Blast," South African Press Association, September 12, 2000. |
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