Tuesday, June 09, 2009

A list of domestic terrorists and terrorist acts

Tue, 06/09/2009 - 09:30


A list of domestic terrorists and acts of domestic terrorism.

Below is a list of some organizations tied to acts of domestic terrorism in our country. Note that they are on the left, on the right, black and white.


The Ku Klux Klan: From the end of the Civil War to the end of the Civil Rights Movement, the KKK remained one of the most active domestic terrorist organizations in the U.S.

The Weathermen: A radical-left organization active between 1969 and 1975, this group referred to itself as the "revolutionary organization of communist women and men." Their mission quite simply was to overthrow the U.S. government. They also sought to change U.S. policy in Vietnam. The Weathermen were responsible for several bombings, including the Pentagon. The group collapsed shortly after the end of the Vietnam War.

The Jewish Defense League: Founded in 1969 by Rabbi Meir Kahane in New York City, its mission is to protect Jews from harassment and antisemitism. But the FBI reported that between 1980 and 1985, the JDL attempted 15 terrorist attacks inside the U.S.

The Symbionese Liberation Army: An American radical-left "urban guerrilla warfare group" that considered itself a revolutionary vanguard army. The SLA robbed banks, committed two murders and various other acts of violence between 1973 and 1975. Their most notorious act was kidnapping Patty Hearst.

Army of God: A loose network of individual and groups tied together ideologically by their opposition to abortion. During the mid 1990s, when anti-abortion violence was increasing steadily, Eric Rudolph bombed two abortion clinics, a gay nightclub and the 1996 Olympics held in Atlanta. He said the bombings were done in the name of the Army of God.

Animal Liberation Front: Removes animals from laboratories and fur farms, and has sabotaged facilities where animal testing is done. It does not appear as if the ALF has ever endangered human life, but the U.S. Department of Homeland security list the ALF as a terrorist organization nonetheless.

Black Liberation Army: A splinter group made up of the more radical members of the Black Panther Party, the BLA was most active between 1970 and 1981, and its purpose was the overthrow of the U.S. government. Its members were largely African Americans. The police blames the BLA for the murders of 13 police officers. And the U.S. Justice Department claims the BLA committed more than 60 acts of violence.

Here are some notable acts of domestic terrorism:

1910 — The bombing of the Los Angeles Times building by the McNamara brothers, two Irish-American brothers who wanted to unionize the paper.

1920 —The Wall Street bombing, where a horse-drawn carriage filled with 100 pounds of dynamite went off across the street from the J.P. Morgan Inc. bank in New York City. It killed 38 and injured 400. No one was convicted of this crime.

1927 — Bath School bombings were committed by a school board member in Michigan who was upset about property taxes. This series of bombings killed 45 and injured 58 — most were children between the ages of 7 and 12.

1978 to 1995 — The Unabomber attacks. A former math professor — Ted Kaczynski, known by the code name UNABOM — sent out numerous letter bombs to academics and other individuals associated with with modern technology.

1995 — The Oklahoma City bombing was carried out by right-wing extremist Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols. It killed 168 people and remains the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in U.S. history.

1996 — The Centennial Olympic Park bombing was the first of four carried out by right-wing Christian and anti-abortion activist Eric Rudolph.

Devona Walker is The Loop's senior reporter/blogger.

Morgan Inc. bank in New York City. It killed 38 and injured 400. No one was convicted of this crime.

1927 — Bath School bombings were committed by a school board member in Michigan who was upset about property taxes. This series of bombings killed 45 and injured 58 — most were children between the ages of 7 and 12.

1978 to 1995 — The Unabomber attacks. A former math professor — Ted Kaczynski, known by the code name UNABOM — sent out numerous letter bombs to academics and other individuals associated with with modern technology.

1995 — The Oklahoma City bombing was carried out by right-wing extremist Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols. It killed 168 people and remains the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in U.S. history.

1996 — The Centennial Olympic Park bombing was the first of four carried out by right-wing Christian and anti-abortion activist Eric Rudolph.