Incident Summary:
12/27/2010: On Monday, at the Greek Embassy in Rome, Lazio, Italy, police found an improvised explosive device (IED) that was placed inside a large padded yellow envelope with a CD case inside. The IED was intended to detonate when it opened. The package, addressed to the Greece-Italy cultural association, reportedly arrived at the Embassy on Friday but was left unopened because of the Christmas holiday. A faulty or under-charged battery prevented the bomb from detonating. There were no casualties or damages and the Informal Anarchic Federation claimed responsibility for the attempted bombing.
Overview
GTD ID:
201012270003
When:
2010-12-27
Country:
Italy
Region:
Western Europe
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
Lazio
City:
Rome
What
Attack Information
| Type of Attack () |
Bombing/Explosion |
| Successful Attack? () |
No |
Target Information ()
| Target Type: Government (Diplomatic) |
|---|
| Name of Entity |
Greek Government |
| Specific Description |
The Greek Embassy was targeted in the attack. |
| Nationality of Target |
Greece |
Additional Information
| Hostages |
No |
| Ransom |
No |
| Property Damage |
No |
How
Weapon Information
| Type |
Sub-type |
| Explosives |
Letter Bomb |
| Weapon Details |
|---|
| An improvised explosive device placed in an envelope was used in the attack. |
Additional Information
| Suicide Attack? | No |
| Part of Multiple Incident? | Yes |
| Criterion 1 () |
Yes |
| Criterion 2 () |
Yes |
| Criterion 3 () |
Yes |
| Doubt Terrorism Proper () |
No |
Who
Perpetrator Group Information
| Group Name |
Group Sub-name |
Claimed Responsibility |
| Informal Anarchist Federation |
Metropollitan Insurgents Cells |
Yes (Confirmed: Unknown; Mode: Unknown) |
Perpetrator Statistics
| Number of Perpetrators |
Unknown |
| Number of Captured Perpetrators |
0 |
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
| Rachel Donadio & David Goodman, "Two Embassies in Rome Are Hit by Parcel Bombs," New York Times, December 23, 2010, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/24/world/europe/24italy.html?ref=europe. |
| BBC Monitoring Europe, "Two Injured in Parcel Blasts at Embassies in Rome," BBC Monitoring Europe, December 23, 2010, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12068534. |
| Athens News Agency, "Parcel Bomb Sent to Greek Embassy in Rome," World News Connection, Athens News Agency, December 28, 2010. |
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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