Historical Dictionary of Terrorism Third Edition

UMKHONTO WE SIZWE • 685regarded the UVF cease-fire as having been violated. On 3 May 2007the UVF declared that it was renouncing violence and putting its remainingweapons, believed to consist mainly of small arms, “beyondreach.” Throughout the duration of the Northern Ireland conflict(1968–1998), the UVF was responsible for 426 killings, includingthose claimed by the Red Hand Commandos.UMKHONTO WE SIZWE (MK). The Spear of the Nation was themilitary wing of the African National Congress (ANC) establishedby Nelson Mandela in 1961. Following the withdrawal of Portugalfrom Mozambique and Angola in 1975, the MK was afforded statesponsorship by the African national regimes established in thoselands, channeling aid to it through the ANC as well as through Cubanmilitary training and material support from the Soviet Union andeastern bloc. The object of the MK was to destroy the South Africanapartheid regime through political agitation, sabotage, and terrorism.From 1961 to 1977 the MK confined its attacks largely to sabotagingpower pylons and commercial property and avoided targetingcivilians. In 1977, in response to the South African Defense Forces’killing of hundreds of blacks in South African townships, the MKstarted its “second campaign,” in which it targeted police and militaryofficials as well as property. In this phase, lasting until 1983, theMK conducted more than 200 terrorist attacks. In 1977, the MK shottwo whites in Johannesburg and embarked on more extensive bombingoperations. On 1 June 1980 the MK bombed the three South AfricanCoal, Gas and Oil Conversion (SASOL) plants simultaneously atmidnight, one in the Orange Free State and two in Transvaal, causing$7 million in damages and injuring one guard. On 13 August 1981 theMK launched several rockets against the Voortrekkerhoogte militaryacademy near Pretoria, causing damages but only two casualties. On8 January 1982 the MK exploded four bombs in the Koeburg nuclearplant near Capetown, which was fueled but not in operation at thattime. On 20 May 1983 the MK carried out a car bombing of the SouthAfrican air force headquarters outside Pretoria, in which 17 peoplewere killed and around 200 injured, although virtually no damagewas inflicted on the military facility itself. Attacks were also madeon civilian targets, such as the 20 May 1983 Church Street bombing,killing 19 people; the 14 June 1986 car bombing outside Magoo’sBar in Durban, killing three people and injuring 73 others; the 24