15 May Organization
Encyclopedia
Founded in 1979, the 15 May Organization or Abu Ibrahim Faction was a minor breakout faction from Wadie Haddad
's Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine - External Operations
(PFLP-EO).
The group was led by Muhammad al-Umari (kunya
: Abu Ibrahim), and took credit for several bomb
ings of international targets in the early 1980s, including hotel
s http://www.danielpipes.org/article/1697 and airliner
s, but is believed to have disbanded after members joined Fatah
radical Col. Hawari's Fatah Special Operations Group
.
into an unnamed European country, and finally arrived in London, with several kilograms of plastic explosive
s hidden inside his suitcase. He rented a room in the centre of the fifth floor, where Ibrahim had hoped an explosion might cause enough structural damage to cause the building to collapse. The bomb detonated prematurely on January 17 however, and killed only Zuhair himself; injuring several hotel guests. After his death, his photograph was hung in one of Ibrahim's safe houses, and Capt. Mohammed Rashid named his son after Zuhair.
In 1981, the group organised the bombing of Israeli airline El Al
offices in Rome
and Istanbul
, as well as the Israeli embassies in Athens
and Vienna
.
The following year, the group unsuccessfully attempted to bomb a Pan AM flight in Rio de Janeiro
, and then successfully detonated a bomb, killing only one passenger, aboard Pan Am Flight 830
on August 11. The latter attack was orchestrated by Rashid, who was imprisoned for his actions.
, and founder Abu Ibrahim was believed by US authorities to have relocated there after the group disbanded.
Twenty days after the unsuccessful bombing by Rashid, construction contractor Adnan Awad
turned himself over to the American Embassy in Saudi Arabia and claimed that he had been pressured into joining the group. He was turned over to the Swiss, but later returned to the United States to help secure indictment against the 15 May leadership. With his aid, American intelligence agencies determined that it was the 15 May Organization that had constructed the bomb aboard Pan Am Flight 830
.
http://www.globalsecurity.org/security/library/congress/1991_cr/h910112-terror.htm
Abu Ibrahim was placed on the FBI's most wanted on June 2009
Wadie Haddad
Wadie Haddad , also known as Abu Hani, was a Palestinian doctor of medicine and the leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine's armed wing...
's Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine - External Operations
Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine - External Operations
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine - External Operations or Special Operations or Special Operations Group were organizational names used by Palestinian radical Wadie Haddad when engaging in international attacks, that were regarded as terrorism, and were not sanctioned by the...
(PFLP-EO).
History
The name is drawn from 15 May 1948, the day that the British Mandate over Palestine ended and the first Arab-Israeli War began.The group was led by Muhammad al-Umari (kunya
Kunya (Arabic)
A kunya is a teknonym, the name of an adult derived from their child, especially their eldest son, in Arabic names.A kunya is expressed by the use of abū or umm in a genitive construction, i.e "father of" or "mother of" as a honorific in place of or alongside given names in the Arab world and the...
: Abu Ibrahim), and took credit for several bomb
Bomb
A bomb is any of a range of explosive weapons that only rely on the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy...
ings of international targets in the early 1980s, including hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
s http://www.danielpipes.org/article/1697 and airliner
Airliner
An airliner is a large fixed-wing aircraft for transporting passengers and cargo. Such aircraft are operated by airlines. Although the definition of an airliner can vary from country to country, an airliner is typically defined as an aircraft intended for carrying multiple passengers in commercial...
s, but is believed to have disbanded after members joined Fatah
Fatah
Fataḥ is a major Palestinian political party and the largest faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization , a multi-party confederation. In Palestinian politics it is on the left-wing of the spectrum; it is mainly nationalist, although not predominantly socialist. Its official goals are found...
radical Col. Hawari's Fatah Special Operations Group
Fatah Special Operations Group
The Fatah Special Operations Group , Martyrs of Tel al-Za'tar, Amn Araissi or Hawari Group was a radical Palestinian faction associated to Fatah, the main group of the Palestine Liberation Organization ....
.
Operations
In 1980, in the group's first attack was against the Royal Hotel in London, England, ostensibly because of its high number of Jewish patrons. The 21-year old Palestinian-Iraqi Mohammed Zuhair travelled from BaghdadBaghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
into an unnamed European country, and finally arrived in London, with several kilograms of plastic explosive
Plastic explosive
Plastic explosive is a specialised form of explosive material. It is a soft and hand moldable solid material. Plastic explosives are properly known as putty explosives within the field of explosives engineering....
s hidden inside his suitcase. He rented a room in the centre of the fifth floor, where Ibrahim had hoped an explosion might cause enough structural damage to cause the building to collapse. The bomb detonated prematurely on January 17 however, and killed only Zuhair himself; injuring several hotel guests. After his death, his photograph was hung in one of Ibrahim's safe houses, and Capt. Mohammed Rashid named his son after Zuhair.
In 1981, the group organised the bombing of Israeli airline El Al
El Al
El Al Israel Airlines Ltd , trading as El Al , is the flag carrier of Israel. It operates scheduled domestic and international services and cargo flights to Europe, North America, Africa and the Far East from its main base in Ben Gurion International Airport...
offices in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, as well as the Israeli embassies in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
and Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
.
The following year, the group unsuccessfully attempted to bomb a Pan AM flight in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, and then successfully detonated a bomb, killing only one passenger, aboard Pan Am Flight 830
Pan Am Flight 830
Pan Am Flight 830 was a Boeing 747-121, named "Clipper Ocean Rover", flying from Narita International Airport in Tokyo to Honolulu International Airport in Hawaii on August 11, 1982....
on August 11. The latter attack was orchestrated by Rashid, who was imprisoned for his actions.
Downfall
The 15 May Organization is believed to have been sponsored by IraqIraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, and founder Abu Ibrahim was believed by US authorities to have relocated there after the group disbanded.
Twenty days after the unsuccessful bombing by Rashid, construction contractor Adnan Awad
Adnan Awad
Adnan Awad was a Captain in the Palestinian Liberation Army who joined the 15 May Organization and prepared to bomb the Noga Hilton hotel in Geneva, Switzerland on August 31, 1982, but instead fled the scene and later turned himself into the American embassy and claimed he wanted to renounce any...
turned himself over to the American Embassy in Saudi Arabia and claimed that he had been pressured into joining the group. He was turned over to the Swiss, but later returned to the United States to help secure indictment against the 15 May leadership. With his aid, American intelligence agencies determined that it was the 15 May Organization that had constructed the bomb aboard Pan Am Flight 830
Pan Am Flight 830
Pan Am Flight 830 was a Boeing 747-121, named "Clipper Ocean Rover", flying from Narita International Airport in Tokyo to Honolulu International Airport in Hawaii on August 11, 1982....
.
http://www.globalsecurity.org/security/library/congress/1991_cr/h910112-terror.htm
Abu Ibrahim was placed on the FBI's most wanted on June 2009