This is a timeline of incidents in 1975 that have been labelled as "terrorism" and are not believed to have been carried out by a government or its forces (see state terrorism and state-sponsored terrorism).
| Date | Type | Dead | Injured | Location | Details | Perpetrator | Part of | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 13, 19 | RPG attacks, shooting, hostage-taking | 0 | 23 | Paris, France | El Al aircraft at Paris-Orly Airport, were subject to attempted RPG attacks by Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) terrorists led by Carlos the Jackal. While the intended attacks failed, collateral damage was suffered, and the second attack resulted in gunfighting and a seventeen-hour hostage situation.[1] [2] | PFLP | Israeli–Palestinian conflict | |
| January 19 | Shooting | 0 | 12 | London, United Kingdom | The IRA fired shots into the Carlton Tower Hotel and later the Portman Hotel. 12 people were injured from both attacks.[3] [4] | Provisional IRA's Balcombe Street Gang PIRA | The Troubles | |
| January 23 | Bombing | 0 | 3 | London, United Kingdom | A bomb planted at a pumping station injured three people. | Provisional IRA's Balcombe Street Gang PIRA | The Troubles | |
| January 24 | Bombing | 4 | 53 | New York City, United States | At 1:29 p.m., a bomb explodes at the historic Fraunces Tavern at the corner of Pearl and Broad streets in the Financial District, Manhattan. The Puerto Rican nationalist group Fuerzas Armadas de Liberación Nacional Puertorriqueña (FALN) claimed responsibility in message found in a nearby telephone booth. Four people were killed (three of them immediately and a fourth at a hospital) and 53 others were injured.[5] [6] | FALN | ||
| January 28 | Bombings | 0 | 0 | Washington, D.C. and Oakland, California, United States | A bomb explodes at the Vietnam section of the U.S. Agency for International Development in Washington, D.C. A second bomb was planted at the Department of Defense Supply Agency building in Oakland, California, but fails to detonate. The extremist Weather Underground group was responsible for both attacks.[7] [8] | Weather Underground | ||
| January 31 | Kidnapping | 0 | 1 | Cali, Colombia | FARC guerrillas kidnap Dutch consul Erick Leupin.[9] | FARC | Colombian Conflict | |
| February 26 | Shooting | 1 | 0 | London, United Kingdom | Police Constable Stephen Tibble, 22, of the London Metropolitan Police Service, was fatally shot three times at point-blank range by Liam Quinn, a Provisional Irish Republican Army gunman escaping from an IRA bomb factory in Baron's Court, West London. Quinn fled to San Francisco and was extradited to face trial in Britain 13 years later. Sentenced to life with a recommended minimum sentence of 30 years in 1988, Quinn was freed in April 1999 under the Good Friday Agreement.[10] | Liam Quinn PIRA | The Troubles | |
| March 1 | Bombing | 26 | 60 | Nairobi, Kenya | An explosion aboard a Nairobi–Mombasa regular route bus kills 26 and injures another 60.[11] The Kenyan People Liberation Front claimed responsibility for the blast [cite?]. | Kenyan People Liberation Front | ||
| March 2 | Bombings | 0 | 0 | Toulouse and Lyon, France | Air Algérie's offices were bombed by the Charles Martel Group. No one was killed or injured in either attack.[12] | Charles Martel Group | ||
| March 3 | Plot | 0 | 0 | Netherlands | Two Moluccans were arrested after weapons were found to be hidden in their car during traffic stop. It was later discovered that they had intended to kidnap Queen Juliana of the Netherlands. | Moluccan freedom fighters | ||
| March 4–5 | Shooting, hostage-taking | 11 (+7) | Tel Aviv, Israel | In the Savoy Operation, Palestine Liberation Organization gunmen from Lebanon take dozens of hostages at the Savoy Hotel, eventually killing eight hostages and three IDF soldiers, and wounding eleven hostages.[13] | PLO | Israeli–Palestinian conflict | ||
| April 10 | Attack | 2 | Unknown | Caquetá, Colombia | Nearly 50 guerrillas assault the town of Puerto Rico. Two policemen die.[14] | FARC | Colombian conflict | |
| April 19 | Bombing | 0 | 5+ | New York City, United States | FALN sets off four bombs within a forty-minute period in Manhattan, injuring at least five people. | FALN | ||
| April 24 | Hostage-taking | 2 (+2) | 10 (+4) | Stockholm, Sweden | West German embassy siege Six Red Army Faction (Baader-Meinhof) terrorists hold 11 people (including the German ambassador) hostage for almost 12 hours in the West German embassy. During the siege, two of the hostages (military attaché Colonel Andreas von Mirbach and economics attaché Heinz Hallagaart) were killed by faction members. Shortly before midnight, dynamite exploded and set the building on fire. The ambassador and the other nine hostages escaped from the embassy, mostly with only light injuries.[15] | Red Army Faction | ||
| April 28 | Hostage-taking, siege, shooting | 4 | 82 | Johannesburg, South Africa | 1975 Fox Street siege was instigated by David Protter, a South African Jew, who seized about 20–30 hostages at the Israeli Consulate General where he worked as a security officer. After killing two consulate employees Protter opened fire on pedestrians and motorists in Fox and Von Brandis Streets, killing 2 and wounding 82. He surrendered to police early the next morning (29 April). | David Protter | ||
| May 28 | Shooting, Clash | 0 (+2) | 1 (+3) | Tucumán, Argentina | Part of Operativo Independencia: An armed confrontation between members of the People's Revolutionary Army (ERP) and the Argentine Army in Manchalá, near Rio Colorado. | ERP | Dirty War | |
| June 1 | Hostage-taking | 3 (+4) | Kfar Yuval, Israel | Kfar Yuval hostage crisis | Arab Liberation Front | Israeli–Palestinian conflict | ||
| June 22 | Shooting, bombing | 12 | 0 | Zerok, Afghanistan | HN launched an assault against the pro-Daoud governor in Paktika province.[16] | Haqqani Network | ||
| July 4 | Bombing | 15 | 77 | Jerusalem | A bomb detonates in Zion Square killing 13 people and wounding 72.[17] The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs states the death toll at 14 with 80 injured.[18] | PLO | Israeli–Palestinian conflict | |
| July 14 – August | Shooting | 2 | 1 | Spain | A FRAP command kills a member of the Armed Police. Shortly afterwards another police officer is seriously injured and in August members of the FRAP assassinate a lieutenant of the Civil Guard.[19] | FRAP | ||
| July 26 | Shooting | 10 | Unknown | Boyacá, Colombia | Members of the FARC attack a column of civilians at Guaduas Negras in Otanche that was preparing to rescue the corpse of a farmer accused of being an informant in the Army. Ten civilians die.[20] | FARC | Colombian conflict | |
| July 31 | Shooting, bombing | 3 (+2) | 2 | County Down, United Kingdom | Members of the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) attempt to plant a bomb on the tourbus of popular Irish band Miami Showband at a bogus military checkpoint. The bomb exploded prematurely and killed two UVF members. Other UVF members then opened fire killing three band members and injuring two others. | Ulster Volunteer Force | The Troubles | |
| August 5 | Hostage-taking | 0 | 0 | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | Five Japanese Red Army members took 53 hostages at the American Insurance Association. The siege ended after five other JRA members were released from prison. | Japanese Red Army | ||
| August 12 | Shooting, bombing | 5 | 50+ | Belfast, United Kingdom | Members of the Provisional IRA open fire and bomb a bar that was frequented by Ulster Volunteer Force members. 1 UVF member and four civilians were killed. | PIRA | The Troubles | |
| August 26 | Shooting, Assassination | 1 | 0 | Córdoba, Argentina | A Montoneros member, Fernando Haymal, was shot dead for giving information to the Córdoba Provincial Police after being arrested. According to Montoneros he was guilty of the charges of "traitor and delator".[21] | Montoneros | Dirty War | |
| August 27 | Bombing | 0 | 33 | Caterham, United Kingdom | Bombing of the Caterham Arms public house by the Provisional IRA. | PIRA | The Troubles | |
| August 28 | Bombing | 6 | 29 | San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina | Operation Gardel was the key name given by the Montoneros to the bombing of a Lockheed C-130 Hercules of Group 1 of Transport of the First Air Brigade during takeoff at the International Airport Lieutenant General Benjamín Matienzo, carrying 114 gendarmes, killing six and wounding 29.[22] | Montoneros | Dirty War | |
| September 1 | Shooting | 5 | 7 | County Armagh, United Kingdom | Five Protestant civilians were killed and seven were wounded in a gun attack on Tullyvallen Orange Hall near Newtownhamilton.[23] One of the Orangemen was an off-duty RUC officer, who returned fire.[24] The attack was claimed by the South Armagh Republican Action Force (SARAF), which claimed it was retaliation for "the assassinations of fellow Catholics in Belfast".[25] | PIRA | The Troubles | |
| September 5 | London Hilton bombing | 2 | 63 | London, United Kingdom | A bomb exploded at the Hilton Hotel. Two people were killed and 63 were injured. Scotland Yard received a warning a few minutes before the blast, but was unable to get the building evacuated in time.[26] [27] [28] | Provisional IRA's Balcombe Street Gang PIRA | The Troubles | |
| September 5 | Assassination attempt | 0 | 0 | Sacramento, United States | Former Manson Family member Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme attempts to assassinate U.S. President Gerald Ford due to his failure to protect ATWA. Her gun failed to fire and she was arrested. | Lynette Fromme | ||
| September 8 | Assassination | 1 | 0 | Colombia | The ELN kills the Inspector General of the Armed Forces General Ramón Arturo Rincón Quiñónez. | ELN | Colombian conflict | |
| September 22 | Assassination attempt | 0 | 1 | San Francisco, United States | Sarah Jane Moore tries to assassinate President Gerald Ford. The attempt fails when a bystander grabs her arm and deflects the shot. Moore stated the motive was to create chaos to bring "the winds of change" because the U.S. government had declared war on the left.[29] [30] | Sarah Jane Moore | ||
| October 2 | Shooting, Bombing | 11 | Northern Ireland, United Kingdom | The Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) killed seven civilians in a series of attacks. Six were Catholics and one was a Protestant. Four UVF members were killed when the bomb they were transporting prematurely exploded as they drove along the Farrenlester road in Coleraine, County Londonderry.[31] | UVF | The Troubles | ||
| October 5 | Shooting, Attack | 17 (+15) | 30+ | Formosa, Argentina | A group of 50 guerrillas assaulted the Infantry Regiment of Monte 29, the Subofficers' Casino of that force and the Airport El Pucú. The event was called by its perpetrators as Operation Primicia.[32] | Montoneros | Dirty War | |
| October 6 | Attempted assassination | 0 | 2 | Rome, Italy | Attempt to assassinate Bernardo Leighton by the Chilean secret police and National Vanguard. Leighton and his wife were seriously injured. | National Vanguard DINA | ||
| October 6 | Shooting, Clash | 1 (+12) | 1 (+Unknown) | Acheral, Tucumán, Argentina | At least one soldier and 12 ERP militants were shot dead in a confrontation of the so-called Operativo Independencia.[33] | ERP | Operativo Independencia | |
| 9 October | Green Park Tube Station Bombing | 1 | 20 | London, United Kingdom | The IRA left a bomb at a bus stop just outside Green Park tube station. One person was killed and 20 were injured.[34] [35] | Provisional IRA's Balcombe Street Gang PIRA | The Troubles | |
| 23 October | Bombing | 1 | 0 | London, United Kingdom | The IRA planted a booby-trap bomb under the car of Conservative MP Hugh Fraser. A passer-by noticed the bomb under the car, and by mistake detonated the device killing himself.[36] | Provisional IRA's Balcombe Street Gang PIRA | The Troubles | |
| 30 October | Bombing | 0 | 17 | London, United Kingdom | An IRA unit exploded a bomb at the Trattoria Fiore in Mount Street W1 which injured 17 people. | Provisional IRA's Balcombe Street Gang PIRA | The Troubles | |
| 12 November | Scott's (restaurant) bombing | 1 | 15 | London, United Kingdom | One person was killed and 15 others injured when the IRA without threw a bomb into a Mayfair restaurant on Mount Street.[37] | Provisional IRA's Balcombe Street Gang PIRA | The Troubles | |
| November 18 | Bombing | 2 | 23 | London, United Kingdom | Bombing of Walton's Restaurant in the Chelsea neighborhood by the Provisional IRA. | PIRA | The Troubles | |
| November 22 | Ambush | 3 | 1 | County Armagh, United Kingdom | Members of the Provisional IRA attack British soldiers near the Northern Ireland–Republic of Ireland border, killing three and wounding one. | PIRA | The Troubles | |
| November 27 | Shooting, Assassination | 1 | 0 | London, United Kingdom | A PIRA active service unit shot dead Guinness Book of Records founder Ross McWhirter at his home.[38] [39] [40] [41] | Provisional IRA's Balcombe Street Gang PIRA | The Troubles | |
| December 2 | Shooting, Assassination | 2 | 0 | Paraná, Argentina | General Jorge Esteban Cáceres Monié and his wife Beatriz Isabel Sasiain were murdered by members of the guerrilla Montoneros (who called it "Operativo Cacerola") at approximately 19:00 hours on the way from Villa Urquiza to Paraná (province of Entre Ríos), when they were in their pickup truck rafting the Las Conchas stream.[42] | Montoneros | Dirty War | |
| December 2–14 | Hostage-taking | 3 | Wijster, Netherlands | Seven Moluccans hijack a train in hopes of forcing the Dutch government to recognize the Republic of South Maluku as an independent state. They kill three hostages before surrendering. | Moluccan freedom fighters | |||
| December 4–19 | Hostage crises | 1 (indirect) | Amsterdam, Netherlands | Seven Moluccans took hostages at the Indonesian Consulate. One hostage died while attempting to escape by climbing down a rope along the side of the building. | Moluccan freedom fighters | |||
| December 6–12 | Hostage-taking, siege | 0 | 0 | London, United Kingdom | Four members of the Provisional IRA take two people hostage in a flat for six days before surrendering. | PIRA | The Troubles | |
| December 19 | Bombing | 5 | 26 | Dundalk, Ireland, and Silverbridge, United Kingdom | The loyalist paramilitary Red Hand Commando exploded a no-warning car bomb in Dundalk, killing two civilians and wounding twenty. Shortly after, the same group launched a gun and bomb attack across the border in Silverbridge. Two local Catholic civilians and an English civilian, married to a local woman, were killed in that attack, while six others were wounded. The attacks have been linked to the "Glenanne gang".[43] [44] | RHC | The Troubles | |
| December 21–22 | Hostage-taking, siege | 3 | Austria | Carlos the Jackal and his rebels attack OPEC headquarters in Vienna and take over 60 hostages – mostly they were OPEC countries' leaders. On December 22, the hostages and rebels are transported in a DC-9 to Algiers where 30 hostages were freed; the plane was then flown to Tripoli, Libya, where more hostages were freed before flying back to Algiers where the remaining hostages were freed and the rebels were granted asylum. | Arm of the Arab Revolution | |||
| December 23 | Shooting | 1 | Athens, Greece | U.S. Central Intelligence Agency Station Chief Richard Welch was shot dead outside his home by Marxist terrorist group Revolutionary Organization 17 November. Welch's murder led to the passage of the Intelligence Identities Protection Act of 1982, making it illegal to reveal the name of an agent who has a covert relationship with an American intelligence organization. | Revolutionary Organization 17 November | |||
| December 23–24 | Shooting, Air Raid | 14–50 (92+) | 34 (+25) | Buenos Aires, Argentina | A failed assault on the Battalion Arsenals Depot 601 Domingo Viejobueno, in the town of Monte Chingolo, was the last great action of the People's Revolutionary Army. It aimed to appropriate 20 tons of weaponry. The attack was frustrated by the Argentine army, Federal Police and Police of the Province of Buenos Aires, and the Air Force. 30 guerrillas who surrendered were later shot dead by the army.[45] | ERP | Dirty War | |
| December 29 | Bombing | 11 | 75 | New York City, United States | 1975 LaGuardia Airport bombing At 6:30 p.m., an explosion occurs at the lower-level TWA and Delta Air Lines baggage claim area at the La Guardia Airport, in Queens, killing 11 and injuring more than 75. The blast set off a fire, which firefighters managed to suppress. The physical damage was estimated at $750,000. An investigation revealed that about 25 sticks (12.5 pounds) of dynamite were placed in a parcel locker between two luggage carousels. The crime remains unsolved today, although Croatian nationalists are believed to be the perpetrators.[46] | Croatian nationalists (suspected) | ||
| 31 December | Central Bar bombing | 3 | 30 | Gilford, United Kingdom | Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) members using the covername "Armagh People's Republican Army" killed 3 people in a bomb attack on a pub. | INLA | The Troubles |