governmentattic org Rummaging in the governments attic Description of document Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI Monograph The Fedayeen Terrorist Monograph June 1970 Released date 31-July-2008 Posted date 16-August-2008 Title of Document The Fedayeen Terrorist Monograph Source of document Federal Bureau of Investigation Record Information Dissemination Section 170 Marcel Drive Winchester VA 22602-4843 The governmentattic org web site “the site” is noncommercial and free to the public The site and materials made available on the site such as this file are for reference only The governmentattic org web site and its principals have made every effort to make this information as complete and as accurate as possible however there may be mistakes and omissions both typographical and in content The governmentattic org web site and its principals shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to have been caused directly or indirectly by the information provided on the governmentattic org web site or in this file -- Web site design Copyright 2007 governmentattic org -- U S Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Investigation Washington D C 20535 July 31 2008 Subject THE FEDAYEEN TERRORIST MONOGRAPH FOIPA No 1108394- 000 The enclosed documents were reviewed under the Freedom of Information Privacy Acts FOIPA Title 5 United States Code Section 552 552a Deletions have been made to protect information which is exemptfrom disclosure with the appropriate exemptions noted on the page next to the excision In addition a deleted page information sheet was inserted in the file to indicate where pages were withheld entirely The exemptions used to withhold information are marked below and explained on the enclosed Form OPCA-16a Section 552 Section 552a D b 1 D b 7 A D d 5 D b 2 D b 7 B D j 2 D b 3 i iJ b 7 C D k 1 D b 7 D D k 2 D b 7 E D k 3 D b 7 F D k 4 D b 4 D b 8 D k 5 D b 5 D b 9 D k 6 t J b 6 D k 7 12 page s were reviewed and 12 page s are being released • Document s were located which originated with or contained information concerning other Government agency ies OGA This information has been • referred to the OGA for review and direct response to you • referred to the OGA for consultation The FBI will correspond with you regarding this information when the consultation is finished 181 You have the right to appeal any denials in this release Appeals should be directed in writing to the Director Office of Information and Privacy U S Department of Justice 1425 New York Ave NW Suite 11050 Washington D C 20530-0001 within sixty days from the date of this letter The envelope and the letter should be clearly marked Freedom of Information Appeal or Information Appeal Please cite the FOIPA number assigned to your request so that ii may be easily identified o The enclosed material is from the main investigative file s in which the subject s of your request was the focus of the investigation Our search located additional references in files relating to other individuals or matters which may or may not be about your subject s Our experience has shown when ident references usually contain information similar to the information processed in the main file s Because of our significant backlog we have given priority to processing only the main investigative file s If you want the references you must submit a separate request for them in writing and they will be reviewed at a later date as time and resources permit C8I See additional information which follows Sincerely yours David M Hardy Section Chief Record Information Dissemination Section Records Management Division Enclosure s This is in response to your Freedom of Information Act request concerning the above subject EXPLANATION OF EXEMPTIONS SUBSECTIONS OF TITLE 5 UNITED STA TES CODE SECTION 552 h I A specifically authorized under criteria established by an Executive order to be kept secret in the interest of national defense or foreign policy and B are in fact properly classified to such Executive order b 2 related solely to the internal personnel rules and practices of an agency h 3 specifically exempted from disclosure by statute other than section 552b of this title provided that such statute A requires that the 111auers be withheld from the public in such a manner as to leave no discretion on issue or B establishes particular criteria for withholding or refers to particular types of matters to be withheld hJ 4 trade secrets and commercial or financial information obtained from a person and privileged or confidential h H5 inter-agency or intra-agency memorandums or letters which would not be available by law to a party other than an agency in litigation 111 th the agency i h 116 pe1·so11nel and medical tiles and similar files the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy r h J 7 1 rc·corJs or I ni orrnat1011 compiled for law enforcement purposes but only to the extent that the production of such law enforcement recorJs or information A could be reasonahly be expected to interfere with enforcement proceedings B would deprive a person r a right to a fa11· trial or an impartial adjudication Cl could be reasonably expected to constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy D l could reasonably be expected to disclose the identity of confidential source including a State local or foreign agency or authority or any private institution which furnished information on a confidential basis and in the case of record or information compiled hy a criminal law enforcement authority in the course of a criminal investigation or by an agency conducting a lawful national security intelligence investigation information furnished by a confidential source E would disclose techniques and procedures for law enforcement investigations or prosecutions or would disclose guidelines for law enforcement investigations or prosecutions if such Jisclosure could reasonably be expected to risk circumvention of the law or F could reasonably be expected to endanger the life or physical safety of any individual h SJ contained in or related to examination operating or condition reports prepared by on behalf of or for the use of an agency responsible for the regulation or supervision of financial institutions or b 9 geological and geophysical information and data including maps concerning wells SUBSECTIONS OF TITLE 5 UNITED STATES CODE SECTION 552a u Sl information compiled in reasonable anticipation of a civil action proceeding J 2 material reporting investigative efforts pertaining to the enforcement of criminal law including efforts to prevent control or reduce crime or apprehend criminals I I I l information which is currently and properly classified pursuant to an Executive order in the interest of the national defense or foreign policy for example information involving intelligence sources or methods i k 2 1nvestigatory material compiled for law enforcement purposes other than criminal which did not result in loss of a right benefit or privilege un ler Federal programs or which would identify a source who furnished information pursuant to a promise that his her identity would be held in confidence k 3 material maintained m connection with providing protective services to the President of the United States or any other individual pursuant to the authority of Title 18 United States Code Section 3056 kl 4 required by statute to be maintained and used solely as statistical records k S investigatory material compiled solely for the purpose of determining suitability eligibility or qualifications for Federal civilian employment or for access to classified information the disclosure of which would reveal the identity of the person who furnished information pursuant to a promise that his her identity would be held in confidence kJ 6 testing or examination material used to determine individual qualifications for appointment or promotion in Federal Government service the release of which would compromise the testing or examination process ik 7 material uscJ to Jeternune pOlential for promotion in the armed services the disclosure of which would reveal the identity of the person who furnished the mmerial pursuant lO a promise that his her identity would be held in confidence FBl D01 ALL IJJFOPJI ATIOIJ COIITAIHEI• HEREnl lS TJNCLA i HF'IEI 1 COPY -·· DATE O J-21-200 3 BY 603 4 UC BAuJ 5TP Jll1 r11 Mt 1 • lfLlf tllSH ' f-''G UI I J J• ro S•I UIII i1 c HT 11 CM• UP ZUlll C i P P f C ARAB TERRORISTS ATTACKS--WESTERN EUROPE THE FEDAYEEN TERRORIST-A PROFILE Not for Dissemination Outside the Bureau I - FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATIO st -nirn _________ •·w xrn - r UNITED STATES DEPARTME T OF JUST CJil uz o F •_rn j John Edgar Hoover Director j _ L 'J 1 - · - - _1 f LO - ----i '------ J __ j ALL HJFOP MATIOl-1 CDJ ITAUIED HEP Em IS mTCLA -SIFIED DATE 04-21-2008 BY 60324 IJC BAT J $TP FJ1H THE FEDAYEEN TERRORIST-A PROFILE Not for Dissemination Outside the Bureau June 1970 Federal Bureau of Investigation United States Department of Justice John Edgar Hoover Director I ALL HJFOPHA TIDM COloITAINED HEPEHJ r C'HC'LA srFIED DATE 1J4-21- 008 BY 60324 TJC BAW 3Tf' Flm TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION CONCLUSIONS PROFILE OF THE i ii FEDAYEEN TERRORIST l Ba ck ground • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Language Ability • Document tion • • Transportation Weapons • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Training • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Modus Operandi • Involvement by Fedayeen Groups Use of Non-Arab Mercenaries •• I General • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Contacts in Target Country ••• Attacks on Aircraft • • • • • • • • • • • • • Assistance by Arab Diplomatic Missions • • • --------i---'· ___ landl ft •• _ •• Two Unidentified West Ger m_a_n_s- - - - - -- L -_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ I 1 l 1 2 3 3 3 3 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 6 7 h6 iJ7C INTRODUCTION Tb• purpose of this • onograpb is to furnish Field Agents a profile of tbe tedayeen terroriat The profile is baaed on an analyaia of the ten fedayeen terrorist attacks in lurope which are portrayed on tbe cover ot this docu• ent aa well u other inforaation available to the Bureau As a profile it forth the probabilities regarding the proapective tedayeen terrori•t baaed on available evidence and should not be interpreted as excluding other poasibilities ••ta Tbis aonograph is a follow-up to a previous aonograph which presented an overall view of the leading tedayeen groups including politic• leadership operations and propaganda Alao included in the previous aonograph were a su-ary of the leading Middle Baat co-uniat parties and details of Arab activitiea in the United States including fedayeen support which exiat• aaong Arab individuals and groups black extremists and doaestic subversive groups The second aonograph has been prepared in view of persiatent reports that terrorist attacks in Europe will be extended to tbe United State• The two • onographs should enable field offices to develop aore effective inforaant coverage of Arab activities in the United States including intoraation relating to any plans to conduct terrorist activities here and to better evaluate data received in the context of the potential Arab terrorist Tbi• aonograpb contains intoraation classified up to S t-Background Use Only It has been prepared tor Bureau uae and • u• t not be disseminated outside the Bureau 1 I CONCLUSIONS Fedayeen terrorist activities against Israeli targets and supporters outside the Middle East will continue As Arabs or those with an Arab visage appearing in the vicinity of air terminals and Israeli establishments have become increasingly suspect terrorists will probably rely more on non-Arab mercenaries in the planning and execution of future terrorist operations Whether such operations will be extended to the United States will depend on the extent of this country's continued support for Israel the severity of Arab military losses inflicted with American equipment and the need of any of the fedayeen groups of lesser stature to improve their iu ge or finances through an attack against United Statesbased Israelis or their supporters in this country If the fedayeen do carry out terrorist acts in the United States they will probably rely on the large segment of sympathetic Arab students residing here for at least the planning stages of the operation They relied on students in Europe and it is logical that they would not want to change a successful format A student's support of Al Fatah would not prevent his participation in a terrorist operation carried out by one of the other fedayeen groups While no information has been developed that terrorist attacks have been committed in the United States by fedayeen groups the volatile nature of Middle East politics militate against this threat's remaining dormant ii I ALL INFDIUIATION CO ITAINED HEREIN 1 5 UMCLA 5 SIFIED DATE 04-Zl-Z0C 8 BY 6 J 324 IJC BAW STP Y MM PROFILE OF THE FEDAYEEN TERRORIST BacJyround The terrorist will almost invariably be an Arab national having been born and raised in Palestine or one of the Arab countries most involved with Israel with the exception of Syria The terrorist can be a • ember of either sex and most probably in his her 20's or 30's Without exception all who co-itted terrorist acts in Europe were under 40 years of age at the time of the act However he she could also be a teenager or a subteen since fedayeen feel that a terrorist act co-itted by a child is politically very effective and if apprehended a child will be treated leniently by the courts If the terrorist is a child he she will be accompanied to the target country by an adult who will depart just before the commission of the act The child can also expect the assistance of an Arab already present in a target country Be she will be a student or a teacher who has accepted the mission willingly without regard to his her personal safety The perpetrator will be quite willing to face a jail sentence regardless of duration which may result from the terrorist act Language Ability There will not be a requirement ·that the terrorist speak the language of the target country as there will usually be an Arab located there who will assist the terrorist in this regard For instance the 15-year-old -youth who bombed the Israeli Embassy in Bonn on September 8 1969 was able to arrive in Germany commit the act and successfully escape while having no speaking ability whatsoever in the German language Documentation The terrorist will have documentation of some sort and will not have been smuggled clandestinely into the target country This documentation can be either a passport or a laissez-passer issued by Lebanese authorities to Palestinian - l - refugees The passport can be legitimate or counterfeit and if the latter is the case will purport to have been issued not in the country represented but in a diplomatic establishment of that country in another Arab state The passport will not be or purport to be Syrian The issuing of a visa to the terrorist will most likely have occurred at a diplomatic establishment of the target country which is located in the Middle East If this is the case the visa will probably have been issued in Amman Jordan or Beirut Lebanon both fedayeen strongholds Transec rtation He she will travel to the target country by plane No particular air line is favored as United States Middle East and European air lines were used by the perpetrators of the terrorist acts in Europe The odds are against the terrorist flying directly from the Middle East to the target country he she will fly to a third country stay there for a short period and then go on to the target country In this regard Arab governments have reportedly demanded that terrorist attacks abroad not be launched directly from the Middle East Although in some cases a number of precautions were taken including the purchasing of plane tickets on different days by members of the same group who then traveled to the target country aboard different air lines the perpetrators on other occasions bought the tickets at the same time and traveled on the same air line After arriving in the target country the perpetrators used routine methods of transportation including taxi cabs rented cars and automobiles belonging to friends residing in the target country On one occasion it was reported that terrorists used an automobile belonging to a Jordanian military attache to surveil an Israeli diplomatic establishment When leaving or attempting to leave the target country after the commission of the terrorist attack the perpetrator will probably use air transportation tickets most likely having been purchased before his arrival in the target country On one occasion however the perpetrator rented a car and drove from Europe to Amman - 2 - Weapons Weapons used by terrorists in Europe included rifles pistols Russian-made fragmentation hand grenades thermite grenades homemade bombs and other explosives including plastique The latter is reportedly favored since its existence cannot be ascertained through the use of metal detection devices It bas been reported that as weapon searches are becoming institutionalized particularly at airports the fedayeen groups are seeking ways of purchasing their weapons or sabotage materials in the country where the operation is to be mounted In this regard German authorities are concerned over the increasing number of small arms held by members of Arab groups in Germany and feel that such weapons may be used in terrorist operations in the future Training The terrorist will have been trained for his mission abroad in the Kiddle East probably by a fedayeen group in Jordan There is no information that anything other than final planning and coordinating of activities will take place in the target country The trainingaf the terrorist will consist of the study and practice of guerrilla techniques politics defensive tactics explosives and the use of small arms including pistols and knives Modus Operandi General All attacks were carried out by Arabs who traveled from the Middle East to the target country specifically for the attack There is no information that any terrorist made a dry run to the target country before he arrived there to carry out the attack However in one instance there was information that the terrorist had resided previously in the target country After arriving in the target country the terrorist will reside in a third-rate hotel or at the residence of a local Arab In most cases the terrorist will have an Arab contact in the target country who will assist in the planning but not in the execution of the operation - 3 - Contacts in Target Country In regard to these local Arab contacts the following information is pertinent One I a Palestinian residing in Frankfort was arrested by German authorities as an accessory in the February 21 1970 bombing of the Austrian Airways plane The plane was bombed by means of an explosive wired to an altimeter which triggered a positive electrical contact and explosion when the plane reached 3 000 meters in altitude The altimeter was purchased in Germany r b6 b7 After he was contacted by the p o t o r s who had flown to Germany to carry out the attack obtained a hotel room for them in Frankfort He was a so one of the individuals who went along on an automobile trip t o t altimeter The explosion device itself was tested at re•idence fnd ooe ff the perpetrators who had a s ye briefly at __ _ residence was accompanied by to the airport on February 20 1970 when he boarde a ight for Cairo When he was arrested r--lhad in his possession a letter which indicated that he iis Tncontact for organizational purposes withi a Jordanian living in a student home in Wes Berlin A je rch residence revealed documents which indicated connection with Al Fatah and the General Union of Pa estinian Students GUPS in Germany I ofl b6 b7C Temporarily rt idinc inJ residence at the tillle was a Palestinian --- ---- - --- --- who is known to German security author1 es as a collector of donations Al Fatah and a participant in GUPS conferences Among effects were leaflets an Al Fatab pennant and books o an donation receipts According to German authorities GUPS was one of the key Arab groups to serve as a ''base of underground work for the Palestinian liberation movement in Germany It cooperates closely with the fedayeen organizations particularly Al Fatah which doainates the German scene in terms of its influence over local Arab groups GUPS on behalf of Al Fatah and other fedayeen groups holds meetings billed as cultural events during which Arab views on the Middle East crisis are presented and collections are taken All funds are raised under the pretense of being contributions to a cultural fund or donations to families of fallen comrades but they are actually intended for the support of fedayeen organizations GUPS also participates in the recruitment of Arabs and Europeans for guerrilla training in the Middle East - 4 - Attacks on Aircraft The attacks against aircraft on the ground and or in-transit passengers were carried out with very precise ti• ing the perpetrators obviously having been briefed by aoMone with detailed knowledge of the airport and flight • chedules Relative to this point one source has advised that the Arabs are interested in recruiting well-placed aaployees at international airports J 1 With one exception attacks on aircraft were carried out by terrorists who had a legitimate reason to be at the rport either because they had purchased an air-line ticket er having departed one aircraft they were waiting in the interutional in-transit passenger lounge to make connections with another flight The one exception concerns the February 18 1969 attack on an El Al aircraft at Zurich by terrorists who drove directly to the runway in a rented car to carry out the attack Operations against aircraft which were aloft were carried out by hijacking with the exception of the February 21 1970 bombings of Swissair and Austrian Airways planes which aa indicated above were bombed by means of an explosive rigged to an altiaeter and set up to explode at 3 000 meters in altitude Assistance by Arab Diplomatic Missions There has been no confirmed information furnished by European authorities which links official Arab establishaents in Europe with any of the bombings or hijackings Bowever there is reliable information which indicates that the terrorists were counting on the assistance of these diplomatic establishments in making th ir escape from the target country Involvement by Fedayeen Groups The terrorist acts in Europe which have been surveyed have been carried out by the Popular Front for the Liberation ot Palestine the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine General Command PFLP-GC and the Action Organization for the Liberation of Palestine Al Fatah and the Popular Democratic Pront for the Liberation of Palestine are not known to have participated however European sources are concerned that Al Patah may engage-in such acts in the future - 5 - Uee of Non-Arab Mercenaries A whole new dimension has been added to the problem of defining the fedayeen terrorist by reports that non-Arab lul'opean mercenaries have been recruited to carry out or u • iat in terrorist activities Such individuals include · 1 la Dutch national and self-described adventurer claimed he was trained in Jordan by Al Fatah during the Swnmer of 1969 His training included uses of explosive materials bo11bings in particular band grenades firearms and self-defense Re was given a leirut accommodation address and was issued a 9mm pistol and a knife before his return to Amsterdam His future target n • supposed to be an aircraft and he was told that he would 1 a recontacted after he returned to Europe However there have been no follow-up contacts by representatives of Al Fatah or any other fedayeen groups 2 • ___ __ --- -- - ---- - -- --------' a United St ates citizen and suspected intelligence provocateur claimed in lay 1969 that he had been recruited and trained by Al Fatah and given intelligence and sabqtage rssignments in Israel There are definite indications I --- - actually was in contact with the United Arab Republic intelligence and Al Fatah and had been in Syria Lebanon and Jordan shortly before May 1969 When confronted by authorities he had two pistols in hie possession and highly sophisticated sabotage material The latter consisted of explosive devices expertly concealed in cakes of soap and shaving cream of Dutch and British manufacture b6 b' C I 3 and both British subjects were arrested by British authorities on a charge of attempting to destroy an El Al plane at London Airport They had visited the Middle East during November and December 1969 and met fedayeen members presU11ably PPLP who gave them an assign11ent to blow up the El Al plane Their weapons consisted of more than eleven pounds of gelignite two detonators and a wrist watch timing device Their aeeting with the feda een took lace in Amman Jordan and the go-between was a British national e• pl ed either b the _ e The motive of ___ __ was money ____ - 6 - b6 b7C 4 Two Unidentified West Germans Two individuals who have been identified only as West Germans are reported to have assisted members of the PPLP-GC in the bombing of the Swissair and Austrian Airways planes on February 21 1970 In September or October 1969 two young men who identified themselves as West Germans ' viei ted PFLP-GC headquarters in Amman Jordan and expressed · their sympathy for the Palestine problem and the fedayeen 'One of them was an electrical engineer and PFLP-GC sought hie advice on electrical problems connected with explosives which he readily provided They then returned to West Germany · and PFLP-GC maintained contact th t o Wed On February 10 1970 Germans were contacted in Frankfort byj _andL _ _ _ _ ____ two PFLP-GC members who had flown o est rmany on a terrorist • ieaion A discussion was held as to what device should be uaed to blow up a plane One of the West Germans suggested an altimeter rigged to an explosive and set to give an electrical charge at 3 000 meters All agreed that this was a satisfactory technique The altimeters were then purchased in Prank tort and the West Germans helped the terrorists wire them to the explosives which were then placed in a hollowedout used radio set and packaged for mailing to Israel There is some discrepancy as to who actually mailed the packages One reliable source advised that the two Germans took the responsibility for mailing the packages one from Frankfort and one from Zurich Another source also reliable furnished information concerning one of the packages which the source claimed was mailed by in Frankfort to a business11 n in Jerusalem I I following his successful escape and return to Amman expressed his opinion that the two West Germans were actually Israeli agents who saw to it that the bombs were not placed on El Al planes He felt that the PFLP-GC had been entrapped into carrying out the bombings by the Israelis in an effort to embarrass the fedayeen Subsequent PFLP-GC efforts to locate the two West Germans were negative - 7 - • b6 b7C b6 b7C