Great Synagogue of Rome attack explained

41.892°N 12.478°W

Great Synagogue of Rome attack
Location:the Great Synagogue of Rome in Rome, Italy
Target:Italian Jews
Time:11:55 am
Weapons:hand grenades[1]
submachine guns
Type:Grenade and mass shooting attack
Fatalities:1
Injuries:37 civilians
Victim:2-year-old toddler (Stefano Gaj Taché) was killed
Perps:5 armed Palestinian militants of the Abu Nidal Organization

The Great Synagogue of Rome attack, which was carried out by armed Palestinian terrorists at the entrance to the Great Synagogue of Rome, took place on 9 October 1982 at 11:55 a.m. A 2-year-old toddler, Stefano Gaj Taché, was killed in the attack, while 37 civilians were injured.

Attack

The attack took place at the Great Synagogue of Rome in the historic district of Rome on Saturday morning, at 11:55 a.m.[2] As the families of the local Jewish community began leaving with their children from the back entrance to the synagogue,[3] five[4] elegantly dressed armed Palestinian attackers walked calmly up to the back entrance of the synagogue and threw at least three hand grenades at the crowd, and afterwards sprayed the crowd with sub-machine gun fire. Eyewitnesses at the scene stated that the hand grenades bounced off the steps and exploded in the street.

A 2-year-old toddler, Stefano Gaj Taché, was killed in the attack after being hit by shrapnel. In addition, 37 civilians were injured, among them Stefano's brother, 4-year-old Gadiel Taché, who was shot in the head and chest.[5]

Eyewitnesses at the scene stated that after the attack, the attackers left the scene in a red Volkswagen and a white Austin.[6]

Perpetrators

No group claimed responsibility for the attack.[7] Nevertheless, one of the assailants was identified as Osama Abdel al-Zomar, an alleged member of the Abu Nidal terrorist organization.[8] [9] Al-Zomar was later on arrested in Greece, for illegal smuggling of explosives.[10] Although al-Zomar was convicted by an Italian court for his part in the 1982 attack (while he was in Greek custody), nevertheless, the Greek authorities denied an Italian extradition request and instead deported him in 1989 to Libya,[11] where Abu Nidal's home base was located, and where he is believed to be living.[12]

Aftermath

A plate has been fixed at the entrance to the synagogue in commemoration of the 1982 Great Synagogue of Rome attack.

On 3 February 2015, during the message to the Italian Parliament following his taking of the oath as President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella remembered the attack with these words: "(Italy) has paid several times, in a not too distant past, the price of hate and intolerance. I want to remember only one name: Stefano Taché, who was killed in the cowardly terrorist attack on the synagogue in Rome in October 1982. He was only two years old. He was our baby, an Italian baby".[13]

Accusations of Italian knowledge of the attack

In 2008, former Italian prime minister and President of the Republic, Francesco Cossiga claimed that Italy "sold out its Jews" with a secret agreement to not interfere with PLO activities against Jews on the condition that the PLO not conduct attacks against Italy. On 11 December 2021, the Times of Israel published an article claiming that the Government of Italy knew about the attack beforehand and had reduced security as part of a secret agreement with the PLO from 1973. The article cited newly published government cables. The cables are purported to show that the Servizio per le Informazioni e la Sicurezza Democratica warned the government of Palestinian organizations preparing to attack during the holiday and that a source had indicated that Abu Nidal was preparing to conduct an attack. The articles further claimed that the police presence that should have been at the Synagogue was not present.[14]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search. 5 March 2016.
  2. Web site: BOY, 2, IS KILLED AND 34 ARE HURT. 10 October 1982. The New York Times. 5 March 2016.
  3. Web site: Spokane Chronicle - Google News Archive Search. 5 March 2016.
  4. Web site: The Tuscaloosa News - Google News Archive Search. 5 March 2016.
  5. Web site: Daytona Beach Morning Journal - Google News Archive Search. 5 March 2016.
  6. Web site: Spokane Chronicle - Google News Archive Search. 5 March 2016.
  7. Web site: Youngstown Vindicator - Google News Archive Search. 5 March 2016.
  8. Web site: Greece And Terrorism. tribunedigital-orlandosentinel. 5 March 2016.
  9. News: Italy Jews Angry With Gadhafi Over Plan to Meet on Shabbat. Haaretz.com. 5 March 2016.
  10. Web site: Italy Gives Arab a Life Term In a 1982 Synagogue Attack. 24 May 1989. Reuters. 5 March 2016. The New York Times.
  11. Web site: The Victoria Advocate - Google News Archive Search. 5 March 2016.
  12. Web site: Italy - Italy daily News, Weather, All you need to know about Italy. https://archive.today/20130127234839/http://www.lifeinitaly.com/news/en/157513. dead. 27 January 2013. 5 March 2016.
  13. News: . New Italian president remembers young Jewish victim of Rome terrorism. JTA. Rome. 4 February 2015.
  14. News: . Documents show Italy ignored warnings of 1982 terror attack on Rome synagogue. TOI. Israel. 11 December 2021.