September 11th changed our lives. Horrible act of terrorism. But people act like it was a new thing. There was terrorism BEFORE 9-11. Heinous acts of horror with American in the cross hairs. Let us recall those shameful and terrible tragedies BEFORE 9-11 that I'm sure the newer generations have never heard of but the families of victims will never forget.
The Attack on the US Marine Barracks in Beirut Lebanon- October 1983
The US Marines were on a peacekeeping mission in war torn Lebanon and their HQ and Barracks were near the Beirut International Airport. On the morning of October 23, 1983 a Mercedes truck loaded with a huge bomb rammed the gate and raced inside the building smashing through the entrance where the suicide bombed detonated its deadly cargo, obliterating the building. 241 American Marines killed in the worst single day loss of life for Marines, ever.
Bombing of the US Embassy- Beirut, Lebanon - April 18, 1983.
A truck bomb drove up to the United States Embassy and blew up, collapsing several floors, and blowing a huge crater, killing 63 people.
The Hijacking of TWA Flight 847 - June 15, 1985
A Trans World Airlines 727 en route from Athens, Greece, to New York City via Rome, was hijacked by two Palestinian terrorists. The plane was flown to Algiers and Beirut where one of the hostages, a US Navy Diver, was brutally beaten and executed, his body tossed onto the tarmac in Beirut.
The Hijacking of the Achille Lauro - October 5, 1985
The Italian Cruise Liner Achille Lauro was hijacked by a team of Palestinian terrorists armed with grenades and AK-47s taking more than 400 passengers and crews hostage, including many Jewish and American passengers. Leon Klinghoffer, a wheelchair bound Jewish retiree was executed, shot in the head and tossed overboard. The four terrorists escaped the ship but their escape jet, an EgyptAir jetliner, was intercepted by American commandos and forced to land in Sigonella, Sicily
Hijacking of EgyptAir Flight 648 - November 23, 1985
Flight 648 from Athens to Cairo was hijacked by 5 members of the Abu Nidal terrorist organization and forced to land on the island of Malta. There the terrorists began the sumarilly execution of hostages, killing or wounding 5 Israeli and Americans and tossing their bloody bodies down the steps. An Egyptian Army Commando team failed to storm the jet which resulted in the terrorists opening fire and tossing grenades into the cabin killing more than 70 people.
Simultaneous Attacks at the Rome and Vienna airports - December 27, 1985
Abu Nidal terrorists spray AK-47 fire and toss grenades at American and Israeli Airline counters at the Rome and Vienna airports, mowing down 30 Holiday travellers in both attacks.
Storming of Pan Am 73 in Karachi, Pakistan - September 5, 1986
Abu Nidal operatives dressed as Pakistan Security Agents drive a van up to Pan Am 73 bound for Bombay, India and take over the 747 jetliner. The hijackers open fire on the hostages after learning of a take over operation by US and Pakistan Commandos. 22 killed.
Bombing of Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland - December 21, 1988
A Pan Am 747 Jetliner from London to New York explodes over the scottish village of Lockerbie, raining debris and bodies over the countryside, killing 270 passengers and crew and 11 Lockerbie residents. A Radio stuffed with Semtex inside a suitcase which originated in Libya and ended up on 3 planes and 3 airports finally reaching Pam Am 103 caused the blast .
First Bombing of World Trade Center - February 26, 1993
A Ryder Rental Truck packed full of explosives explodes in the parking garage of the WTC. The plan had been to weaken support columns, resulting in the crash of one tower into the other and causing both to collapse. The plan failed but six people were killed. A precursor for the horror of 9-11.
Bombing of Khobar Tower, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia - June 25, 1996
19 Americans are killed in a bombing outside the Khobar Towers military complex.
Massacre at Hatshepsut Temple in Luxor, Egypt - November 17, 1997
A terrorist commando assaults the ruins of Hatshepsut Temple in Deir el Bahri, Egypt disguised as Egyptian Security and armed with assault rifles and machetes, they systematically slaughter more than 62 tourists at the site. The killings go on for an hour in which the bodies, particularily of women, are mutilated with machetes. Although no Americans were killed in the attack, it was a particularily heinous one.
Bombing of the US Embassies in Africa - August 7, 1998
The US Embassies in Dar Es Salaam Tanzania and Nairobi Kenya are destroyed by truck bombs killing 200 people. The attacks are linked to Al Qaeda.
Bombing of the USS Cole- Aden Yemen - October 2000
A dinghy packed with explosives explodes alongside the USS Cole, killing 19 American servicemen
