Incident Summary:
02/07/2003: At 7:00am local time, a taxicab in west Belfast was hijacked, triggering a security alert with the local police. At 7:20 AM, the taxicab, a red Peugeot 406, was abandoned, and British Army experts carried out a controlled explosion on the car at Old Golf Course Road junction with the M1 highway, in West Belfast. The device was a pipe bomb connected to a gas cylinder. Police also stated that a caller had warned a Belfast newsroom of the device, but did not claim responsibility on behalf of any group. A police Spokeswoman later added that the vehicle was completely destroyed in the controlled explosion, and a security source suspected dissidents (Republican/pro-Irish) behind the incident.
Overview
GTD ID:
200302070005
When:
2003-02-07
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Western Europe
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
Northern Ireland
City:
Belfast
Location Details:
Belfast (Capital City)
What
Attack Information
| Type of Attack () |
Bombing/Explosion |
| Type of Attack () |
Hijacking |
| Successful Attack? () |
No |
Target Information ()
| Target Type: Unknown |
|---|
| Name of Entity |
City of Belfast |
| Specific Description |
Unknown targets in Belfast |
| Nationality of Target |
Northern Ireland |
Additional Information
| Hostages |
No |
| Ransom |
No |
| Property Damage |
Yes |
| Extent of Property Damage |
Minor (likely < $1 million) |
| Value of Property Damage |
Unknown |
How
Weapon Information
| Type |
Sub-type |
| Explosives |
Vehicle |
| Weapon Details |
|---|
| The device was a pipe bomb attached to a gas cylinder planted in the Peugeot 406 model taxicab. |
Additional Information
| Suicide Attack? | No |
| Part of Multiple Incident? | No |
| Criterion 1 () |
Yes |
| Criterion 2 () |
Yes |
| Criterion 3 () |
Yes |
| Doubt Terrorism Proper () |
No |
| Additional Information |
In the past, the Continuity IRA and the Real Irish Republican Army (RIRA) have conducted a series of similar attacks in the Belfast area. |
Who
Perpetrator Group Information
| Group Name |
Group Sub-name |
Claimed Responsibility |
| Irish Republican Extremists (suspected) |
Republican Extremists |
No |
Perpetrator Statistics
| Number of Perpetrators |
Unknown |
| Number of Captured Perpetrators |
Unknown |
Casualty Information
| Total Number of Casualties |
0 Fatalities / 0 Injured |
| Total Number of Fatalities |
0 |
| Number of U.S. Fatalities |
0 |
| Number of Perpetrator Fatalities |
0 |
| Total Number of Injured |
0 |
| Number of U.S. Injured |
0 |
| Number of Perpetrators Injured |
0 |
Sources
Sources
| Alan Erwin, "Republicans Blamed for Failed Bomb Attack," Press Association, February 7, 2003. |
| Suzanne McGonagle, "Meanwhile, in another part of town…," Irish News, February 8, 2003. |
| "Republicans Blamed for Car-Bomb Bid," Belfast News Letter, February 8, 2003. |
Criteria
Criteria 1
The act must be aimed at attaining a political, economic, religious, or social goal. In terms of economic goals, the exclusive pursuit of profit does not satisfy this criterion. It must involve the pursuit of more profound, systemic economic change.
Criterion 2
There must be evidence of an intention to coerce, intimidate, or convey some other message to a larger audience (or audiences) than the immediate victims. It is the act taken as a totality that is considered, irrespective if every individual involved in carrying out the act was aware of this intention. As long as any of the planners or decision-makers behind the attack intended to coerce, intimidate or publicize, the intentionality criterion is met.
Criterion 3
The action must be outside the context of legitimate warfare activities. That is, the act must be outside the parameters permitted by international humanitarian law (particularly the prohibition against deliberately targeting civilians or non-combatants.
Doubt Terrorism Proper
The existence of a "Yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper?" records reservation, in the eyes of GTD analysts, that the incident in question is truly terrorism. Such uncertainty, however, was not deemed to be sufficient to disqualify the incident from inclusion into the GTD. Furthermore, such a determination of doubt is subsequently coded by GTD analysts as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Alternate Designation
The determination of "yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper" by GTD analysts is coded as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Successful Attack
Success of a terrorist strike is defined according to the tangible effects of the attack. For example, in a typical successful bombing, the bomb detonates and destroys property and/or kills individuals, whereas an unsuccessful bombing is one in which the bomb is discovered and defused or detonates early and kills the perpetrators. Success is not judged in terms of the larger goals of the perpetrators. For example, a bomb that exploded in a building would be counted as a success even if it did not, for example, succeed in bringing the building down or inducing government repression.
Type of Attack
This field captures the general method of attack and often reflects the broad class of tactics used. It consists of the following nine categories:
- Assassination
- Armed Assault
- Unarmed Assault
- Bombing/Explosion
- Hijacking
- Hostage taking (Barricade Incident)
- Hostage taking (Kidnapping)
- Facility / Infrastructure Attack
- Unknown
Target Information
This field captures the general type of target. It consists of the following 22 categories:
- Abortion Related
- Airports & Airlines
- Business
- Government (General)
- Government (Diplomatic)
- Educational Institution
- Food or Water Supply
- Journalists & Media
- Maritime (includes Ports and Maritime facilities)
- Military
- NGO
- Other
- Police
- Private Citizens & Property
- Religious Figures/Institutions
- Telecommunication
- Terrorists
- Tourists
- Transportation (other than aviation)
- Unknown
- Utilities
- Violent Political Parties
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