Terrorism Incidents 1950 – 1959

1950

November 1

Puerto Rican nationalists attack Blair House in Washington DC, United States, in an unsuccessful attempt to assassinate US president Harry S Truman. One Secret Service agent and one terrorist killed.

1951

July 20

King Abdullah of Jordan assassinated by Arab extremist in Jerusalem, Jordan, while entering the Mosque of Omar to pray. The assassin and four others are hanged for their part in the murder.

September 11

Pakistani prime minister Lisquat Ali Khan shot dead while addressing public meeting in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, by Afghan fanatic.

October 6

Sir Henry Gurney, British High Commissioner in Malaya, killed after his motorcade was ambushed by Communist guerillas. Thirteen British soldiers escorting Sir Henry were also killed in the attack. This leads to major shake up of British counter-insurgency operations against the Communists.

1954

March 1

Five US congressmen were wounded when Puerto Rican nationalists opened fire in the Capitol Building, Washington DC, United States. All four of the terrorists were arrested after firing twenty five rounds.

March 17

Bus passengers killed when Palestinian terrorists cross into the Negev desert, Israel, and ambush the vehicle.

1955

April 1

Greek Cypriot EOKA terrorist campaign for independence begins with a series of bomb explosions around British controlled Cyprus.

August 20

Several dozen French civilians killed in the Philipevelle area of Algiers, Algeria, by FLN guerrillas. French security forces stage retaliatory attacks on Algerian civilians.

October 17

Five French soldiers and eight civilians killed in shooting attacks by Arab nationalist guerillas in Algeria.

1956

February 29

New Greek Cypriot EOKA bombing campaign starts against British rule on Cyprus leading to destruction of British Hermes aircraft at Nicosia airport on 3 March and a Dakota on 27 April. Violence continues for four years until Cyprus is granted independence by Britain.

October 3

Wife of a British soldier shot on Cyprus while shopping by Greek Cypriot EOKA terrorists.

1957

September 27

Political prisoners being flown from Santa Cruz to La Paz, Bolivia, take over the aircraft and force it to fly to Argentina, where they are granted political asylum.

December 12

Irish Republican Army attack British Army barracks at Armagh, Northern Ireland, but are repulsed after gun battle with guards.

1958

February 24

Argentine motor racing champion Juan Manuel Fangio is kidnapped from a hotel lobby in Havana, Cuba, by Twenty Sixth of July Movement to stop him taking part in a race and to embarrass the Cuban government.

June 27

Thirty US Marines kidnapped by Communist guerillas on Cuba, near the US naval base at Guantanamo Bay. All are eventually released unharmed.

November 1

Cuban airliner hijacked by the Twenty Sixth of July Movement and forced to attempt night landing in remote airfield in Cuba. The aircraft crashes killing seventeen of the twenty people on board.

Click below to view incidents by decade:

1940 -1949
1950 -1959
1960 -1969
1970 -1979
1980 -1989
1990 -1998
1999 – 2004

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