1981 Vienna synagogue attack
Armed terrorist attacks in Vienna, Austria
- handgun
- grenades
The 1981 Vienna synagogue attack was a terror attack that occurred 29 August 1981. The incident took place in the Stadttempel of Vienna, Austria carried out by two terrorists of the Abu Nidal Organization.[1]
Attack
The mass shooting and grenade attack killed two people and wounded 18 others attending a Bar mitzvah service at the Stadttempel in Vienna on 29 August 1981.[2] Two terrorists entered the 155-year-old Israelite Temple in the central Vienna area of Seitenstettengasse, posing as Jews. The terrorists then came into a fire exchange with the two already wounded policemen.[3]
A bodyguard of a local Jewish business owner arrived quickly at the synagogue and pointed his gun directly at one of the perpetrators, shooting him and subdued the other. Police cordoned off the entire area and began a house to house search for possible accomplices and hidden bombs.[4]
According to early reports, three terrorists had been involved in the attack. The Austrian police later said this was not correct and that the only two who had stormed the synagogue were involved. The police were detaining a third person who was arrested in a Vienna apartment shortly after the attack, but no details were available regarding the suspect. Two civilians, a 25-year-old woman and a 68-year-old man were shot and killed in the attack, and several others were critically wounded, amongst two of the policemen.[3]
In connection with the attack, the two Palestinian assailants, Marwan Hasan, 25 years old, of Jordan, and Hesham Mohammed Rajeh, 21, born in Iraq, were convicted of terrorist charges and attempted murder. Rajeh was also indicted for the 1 May murder of Heinz Nittel, head of the Austrian-Israel Society. Both men received life sentences.[2]
References
- ^ "At least 4 killed, including gunman, in Vienna attacks". Arab News. 2 November 2020.
- ^ a b Palestinians get life in Austrian Slayings, The New York Times, 22 January 1982
- ^ a b "Terrorists Strike in Vienna; Kill Two, Wound 18 in an Attack on a Synagogue". 31 August 1981.
- ^ "Austria Remembers Attack on Main Vienna Synagogue - Jewish World". Israel National News. 6 September 2011.
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Prominent Palestinian militancy attacks in the 1980s
- Misgav Am hostage crisis1 (April 7, 1980)
- Murder of Danny Katz (December 8, 1983)
- Egged bus 300 hostage crisis2 (April 12, 1984)
- Night of the Gliders1 (November 25, 1987)
- Mothers' Bus attack3 (March 7, 1988)
- Kidnapping and murder of Avi Sasportas and Ilan Saadon2 (February 16, 1989)
- Death of Binyamin Meisner2 (February 24, 1989)
- Tel Aviv–Jerusalem bus 405 suicide attack2 (July 6, 1989)
- Antwerp summer camp attack (July 28, 1980)
- Paris synagogue bombing (October 3, 1980)
- Norfolk Hotel bombing (December 31, 1980)
- Vienna synagogue attack (August 29, 1981)
- Antwerp synagogue bombing (October 20, 1981)
- Berlin restaurant bombing (January 15, 1982)
- Assassination attempt of the Israeli ambassador in London (June 3, 1982)
- Goldenberg restaurant attack (August 9, 1982)
- Pan Am Flight 830 (August 11, 1982)
- Great Synagogue of Rome attack (October 19, 1982)
- Frankfurt airport bombing (June 19, 1985)
- Madrid airline office attacks (July 1, 1985)
- Kuwait City bombings (July 11, 1985)
- Copenhagen bombings (July 22, 1985)
- Rome Café de Paris attack (September 16, 1985)
- Achille Lauro hijacking (October 7, 1985)
- Rome and Vienna airport attacks (December 27, 1985)
- Pan Am Flight 73 hijacking (September 5, 1986)
- Neve Shalom Synagogue attack (September 6, 1986)
- City of Poros ship attack (July 11, 1988)
- Nicosia Israeli Embassy bombing (May 11, 1988)
- Khartoum attacks (May 15, 1988)
1 Attacks launched from Lebanon 2 Attacks launched from the Gaza Strip 3 Attacks launched from Egypt 1970s 
1990s
1990s
