| A terrorist organisation is an organisation that engages in terrorist tactics,
they are also (perhaps more neutrally) referred to as militant organisations.
The following groups are considered to be terrorist by a significant number of
observers, though opinion is not uniform.
At least two features make objective assessment of which organisations are terrorist difficult:
- the definition of terrorism is disputed and
- the facts about the actions and motives of these groups are disputed.
The cliché, "One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter" has some relevance as, while Terrorism can technically be defined as politically motivated violence against non-combatants, use of the term is
uneven and dependent on the observer's political perspective and moral judgement. Use of the term often carries moral weight
beyond its technical use. "Militant" is a more neutral term to describe so-called
"terrorist" groups. Militant groups themselves rarely claim to be committing terrorism and often justify their acts as defence
against state oppression or terrorism by opposing groups.
This list does not include government actions that could be labelled terrorism; instead, see state terrorism. The U.S. State
Department maintains a list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations, groups that the U.S. government considers terrorist, but
these designations are far from universally accepted.
Religious Terrorists
- Nagaland Rebels (1948-present) Active in predominately Christian state
in Hindu India. Involved in several bombings in 2004. Goal: Independence from Hindu India after annexing parts of neighboring
Indian states and Burma if it has Christian majority.
- Ku Klux Klan A racist Protestant Christian organization with a history of violence against Afro-Americans, Jews, and Catholics.
- Anti-Abortion Terrorism Activities include bombing abortion clinics, killing doctors and
nurses. A member, Eric Robert Rudolph was charged with
Centennial Olympic Park bombing at the Olympics and a health clinic in Birmingham, Alabama.
- Irish Republican Army (IRA) (1916-present)
**
- Provisional Irish Republican
Army (PIRA) (1969-present)
- Splinter group of the 'Official' IRA.
- Supporters of the PIRA split from 'Official' Sinn Féin to form Provisional Sinn Féin. Provisional Sinn Féin was later known
simply as Sinn Féin (while 'Official' Sinn Féin eventually became the Workers' Party).
- Under ceasefire since the Good Friday Agreement of 1997
- Splinter groups:
- Continuity Irish Republican Army (CIRA) (1986-present)
- Also known as the "Continuity Army Council" and "Óglaigh na hÉireann (Gaelic for 'Volunteers of Ireland')
- Real Irish Republican Army (RIRA)
(1997-present) *
- Also known as the True IRA and Óglaigh na hÉireann (Gaelic for Volunteers of Ireland).
- Does not recognize Belfast Agreement.
- Irish National Liberation Army
- Ulster Defence Association (UDA)
(1971-present) **
- Also called the "Ulster Freedom Fighters," or UFF.
- On February 22, 2003, announced a "complete and utter cessation" of all acts of violence for one year. It said it will review
its ceasefire every three months.
- Splinter group:
- Red Hand Defenders (1998-present) **
- UDA splinter group. Opposes ceasefire.
- Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) (May
1966-present)
- Very closely linked with the Red Hand Commandos (1972-present).
- Ulster Defense Force (UVP) **
- Loyalist Volunteer Force (disbanded)
- Orange Volunteers
- Shiv Sena Extremist political party in India designated by Pakistan as
a terrorist group. The group has been involved in several religious riots that lead to the death of several thousands.
- Abu Sayyaf (1991-present; Islamist separatists; the Philippines)
- Al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya (Late 1970s-present;
Islamists; Egypt)
- Seeks to establish Islamist rule in Egypt. Usually targets secular establishments, government buildings, police, the
military, Coptic Christians, tourists, Jews, and “morally offensive” buildings.
- Armed Islamic Group (1992-present; Islamists; Algeria)
- Seeks to establish Islamist rule in Algeria. Began operations in 1992 after the Algerian government ignored election results
that gave victory to Islamist political parties.
- In recent years has lost influence as the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat gained power.
- Ansar al-Islam (December 2001-present; Islamists; Iraq)
- In Arabic, "Supporters of Islam."
- Also known as "Partisans of Islam or Helpers of Islam."
- Al-Qaeda (1988-present; Islamists; Afganistan, Pakistan, and worldwide)
- In Arabic, "the foundation" or "the base."
- Also known as Qa‘idat al-Jihad, Islamic Army for the Liberation of the Holy Places, World Islamic Front for Jihad
Against Jews and Crusaders, Islamic Salvation Foundation, and the Usama bin Laden Network.
- Asbat al-Ansar (early
1990s-present; Lebanese Sunni
Islamists; southern Lebanon)
- In Arabic, "the League of the Followers."
- Hamas (1987-present; Islamists and Palestinian nationalists; Israel and the Palestinian territories) *
- In Arabic, "zeal" or "courage."
- Acronym for "Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya," or Islamic Resistance Movement.
- Hizbollah (Lebanese) (1982-present; Lebanese Shiite Islamists; Lebanon and worldwide)
- Jama'at al-Tawhid wa'al-Jihad -
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's network, operating in Iraq
- Egyptian Islamic Jihad - Egypt (active since the late 1970s)
- Harakut ul-Ansar (HUA)
- Pakistan and Kashmir
- Islamic Movement of Central
Asia - Central Asia
- Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan -
Uzbekistan
- Jaish-e-Mohammad -
Pakistan
- Jemaah Islamiyah - Southeast Asia
- Lashkar-e-Toiba - Pakistan
- Maktab al-Khadamat - Afghanistan
- Moroccan Islamic Combatant
Group - Morocco and Spain
- Muslim Brotherhood - international
- Palestinian Islamic Jihad - Gaza Strip/West Bank/Israel
- People Against Gangsterism
and Drugs - South Africa
- Salafist Group for
Preaching and Combat - Algeria
- Takfir wal-Hijra - Egypt/Sudan/Algeria
- Hofstad Network - Netherlands
Islamist Fronts
Other religious terrorists
Nationalistic Terrorist Organizations
Lebanese
- Lebanese Hizbollah (1982-present; Shiite Lebanese Islamists and
Palestinian nationalists; Lebanon)
- In Arabic, "Party of God." Hezbollah claims that it has never committed any acts of terror, and normally restricts its
operations to Israeli military targets in Lebanon and the Shebaa Farms. However, it is alleged to have been involved in the bombing of Jewish
civilian targets in Argentina in 1992 - the Israeli embassy, killing 29 - and in 1994 - a Jewish community centre, killing 95.
[12]
- Also known as Hezbollah, Hizbullah, Huzbollah, Hizbalah, Organization of the Oppressed on Earth, and the Revolutionary
Justice Organization.
- Palestinian Liberation
Organization (June 1964-Present)
- Formed as an umbrella group of eight Palestinian nationalist organizations devoted to dismantling Israel headquartered in
Damascus, Syria and Beirut, Lebanon.
- Used the name Black September during the 1972 Munich Olympic Massacre)
- Groups within the PLO
- Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) (1967-present)
- Left-wing Palestinian separatists
- Joined the PLO in 1968 and became the second-largest PLO faction, after Arafat's al-Fatah, but withdrew in 1974, accusing the
group of moving away from the goal of destroying Israel outright.
- PFLP's splinter groups:
- Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command
(PFLP-GC) (1968-present) *
- Splinter group from the PFLP, founded by Ahmed Jibril. Declared its focus would be military, not political. Was a member of
the PLO, but left in 1974 for the same reasons as PFLP.
- Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) (1969-present)
- Marxist-Leninist group that believes Palestinian national goals can be achieved only through revolution of the masses. Split
into two factions in 1991; Nayif Hawatmah leads the majority and more hard-line faction, which continue to dominate the group.
Joined with other rejectionist groups to form the Alliance of Palestinian Forces (APF) to oppose the Declaration of Principals
signed in 1993. Broke from the APF - along with the PFLP - over ideological differences. Has made limited moves toward merging
with the PFLP since the mid-1990s.
- Abu Nidal organization (ANO) (1974-2002?;
Anti-PLO extremists) *
- Split from PLO but is not considered primarily a Palestinian nationalist organization. See ANO entry above.
- Fatah (early 1960s-present; Palestinian nationalist political party; sponsors
terrorism)
- Reverse acronym for "Harekat at-Tahrir al-Wataniyyeh al-Falastiniyyeh," (FTH) Arabic for "Palestinian
National Liberation Movement."
- Founded by Yasser Arafat in the early 1960s. Took control of the PLO
in 1960, with Arafat as chairman, forming the Palestinian Authority.
- Groups associated with Fatah:
- Al Aqsa Marytrs Brigade *
- Responsible of many suicide bombings and shooting attacks against
Israeli civilian.
- Responsible of executing suspected collaberators and opposition leaders to Arafat.
- Funded by Fatah and the Palestinian Authority.
- Tanzim (1995-present)
- In Arabic, "organization."
- Loosely organized Fatah militia.
- Force 17 (early 1970s-present)
- Elite unit of the PLO under Yasser Arafat's direct guidance.
- Acts as a versatile unit for terrorism, combat, and intelligence-gathering.
- Hawari (1980s-1991)
- Also known as the Fatah Special Operations Group, Martyrs of Tal Al Za'atar, and Amn Araissi.
- Has not carried out terrrorist attacks recently.
- Ahmed Abu
Reish Brigade
- Extreme off-shoot of Fatah.
- Was involved in July 17, 2004 kidnappings
in the Gaza Strip.
- Possible link to the Popular Resistance Committees.
- The Popular Resistance
Committees - Gaza Strip
Pre-Independence Irish Nationalists
Irish Nationalists (Ulster)
- Irish Republican Army (IRA) (1916-present)
**
- Provisional Irish Republican
Army (PIRA) (1969-present)
- Splinter group of the 'Official' IRA.
- Supporters of the PIRA split from 'Official' Sinn Féin to form Provisional Sinn Féin. Provisional Sinn Féin was later known
simply as Sinn Féin (while 'Official' Sinn Féin eventually became the Workers' Party).
- Under ceasefire since the Good Friday Agreement of 1997
- Splinter groups:
- Continuity Irish Republican
Army (CIRA) (1986-present)
- Also known as the "Continuity Army Council" and "Óglaigh na hÉireann (Gaelic for 'Volunteers of Ireland')
- Real Irish Republican Army (RIRA)
(1997-present) *
- Also known as the True IRA and Óglaigh na hÉireann (Gaelic for Volunteers of Ireland).
- Does not recognize Belfast Agreement.
- Irish National Liberation Army
Protestant Supremacists (Ulster)
- Ulster Defence Association (UDA)
(1971-present) **
- Also called the "Ulster Freedom Fighters," or UFF.
- On February 22, 2003, announced a "complete and utter cessation" of all acts of violence for one year. It said it will review
its ceasefire every three months.
- Splinter group:
- Red Hand Defenders (1998-present) **
- UDA splinter group. Opposes ceasefire.
- Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) (May
1966-present)
- Very closely linked with the Red Hand Commandos (1972-present).
- Ulster Defense Force (UVP) **
- Loyalist Volunteer Force (disbanded)
- Orange Volunteers
Other nationalist terrorists
Non-white racist terrorists
Others
External links
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