Incident Summary:
02/01/2004: In the second of two related attacks, a suicide bomber, dressed as an Islamic cleric, bombed the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) headquarters in Irbil, Iraq. The bombing took place on a major Muslim holiday, Eid al-Adha (the Festival of Sacrifice), during a reception for worshipers, and was most likely directed at the party leadership attending the meeting. Reports estimated that 100 people were killed, including several party leaders and key figures, and 267 were injured in both attacks.
Overview
GTD ID:
200402010009
When:
2004-02-01
Country:
Iraq
Region:
Middle East & North Africa
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
Arbil
City:
Arbil
What
Attack Information
Type of Attack () |
Bombing/Explosion |
Successful Attack? () |
Yes |
Target Information ()
Target Type: Violent Political Party |
Name of Entity |
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) |
Specific Description |
Headquarters |
Nationality of Target |
Iraq |
Additional Information
Hostages |
No |
Ransom |
No |
Property Damage |
Yes |
Extent of Property Damage |
Unknown |
Value of Property Damage |
Unknown |
How
Weapon Information
Type |
Sub-type |
Explosives |
Suicide (carried bodily by human being) |
Weapon Details |
Very high-grade plastic explosives were used in this attack. |
Additional Information
Suicide Attack? | Yes |
Part of Multiple Incident? | Yes |
Criterion 1 () |
Yes |
Criterion 2 () |
Yes |
Criterion 3 () |
Yes |
Doubt Terrorism Proper () |
No |
Additional Information |
This was one of two related attacks (cf. 200402010008-09). Casualty reports were made cumulatively for both attacks, so these figures have been distributed evenly across the two cases in order to preserve the statistical accuracy of the database. These bombings may have had an influence on the negotiations over Kurdistan's push for more independence in Iraq's interim government. The KDP and the PUK both issued statements of unity in the face of opposition, and stated a renewed drive for more Kurdish independence. |
Who
Perpetrator Group Information
Group Name |
Claimed Responsibility |
Unknown |
No |
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators |
1 |
Number of Captured Perpetrators |
0 |
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties |
50 Fatalities / 133 Injured |
Total Number of Fatalities |
50 |
Number of U.S. Fatalities |
Unknown |
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities |
1 |
Total Number of Injured |
133 |
Number of U.S. Injured |
Unknown |
Number of Perpetrators Injured |
0 |
Sources
Sources
Correspondents in Arbil, Iraq, "Iraqi Kurds grieve for holiday blast victims," Nationwide News Pty Limited, The Australian, (Agence France-Presse), February 02, 2004. |
Tom Lasseter, "Bombs shake unity efforts: 110 confirmed dead, more than 200 hurt," The Gazette (Montreal, Quebec), Knight Ridder, February 3, 2004. |
Rory McCarthy, "Kurd rivals unite as they mourn bomb victims: Suicide blasts in Iraq that claimed 67 lives have increased resolve to demand autonomy," The Guardian (London), February 3, 2004. |
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