Historical Dictionary of Terrorism Third Edition

CHRONOLOGY • xlvwith 271 passengers returning to Israel, which misses the plane. 27December: Two bomb-laden vans driven by suicide bombers strike themain government building of Chechnya’s Russian-supported government,killing 40 and wounding 70.2003 1 March: Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the presumed al Qa’edamastermind of the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks of 11September 2001, is captured in Pakistan along with al Qa’eda financierMustafa Ahmed al-Hawsawi. 19 March–9 April: United States leadsinvasion of Iraq with participation of armies of Australia, Poland, andthe United Kingdom, eventually occupying Baghdad on 9 April andending regime of Saddam Hussein. 12 May: In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,two al Qa’eda suicide truck bombers strike two residential compoundsfor foreign contract workers, killing 35 and injuring more than 160. 16May: In Casablanca, Morocco, fourteen suicide bombers strike numeroustourist spots, an empty Jewish community center, and a Jewishcemetery, killing 33 victims along with 12 of the bombers, and injuringmore than 100 others. The other two bombers are captured beforethey can detonate their explosives-laden vests. The operation is workof Salafia Jihadia, an offshoot of the Moroccan Islamic CombatantGroup believed to be affiliated with al Qa’eda. 31 May: Eric Rudolph,suspected in the 1996 Centennial Olympic Park bombing, the 1996Atlanta abortion clinic bombings, and also the Birmingham abortionclinic bombings of 1997, is captured in Murphy, North Carolina. 11August: North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) assumes commandof peacekeeping forces in Afghanistan, its first major missionoutside Europe and the North Atlantic region since its founding in 1949.Jemaah Islamiyah leader Riduan Isamuddin, also known as Hambali,is captured in Bangkok, through joint operation of Thai police and theCentral Intelligence Agency. 25 August: Two car bombings in Mumbai(Bombay), India, strike Gateway of India, a major tourist spot andjewelry bazaar opposite Mumba Devi Temple, killing 52 and injuringmore than 150. This is the fifth and most deadly bombing in Mumbaiduring 2003, all of which are believed to be the work of the Lashkar-eTayyaba group. 15 November: In Istanbul two coordinated suicidetruck-bomb attacks strike the Bet Israel and Neve Shalom synagoguesduring worship services, killing 27 people and injuring more than 300others. Al Qa’eda claims responsibility. 20 November: Two more suicidetruck bombs in Istanbul target the British consulate and main office