In the last two months, the Moslem media have begin to raise the issue of widespread terrorism by Islamic groups. As is often noted, not all terrorists are Moslem, but most of those operating currently are. The Islamic media had largely ignored this fact until recently. But Islamic terrorism is not a recent phenomena. It's been going on in a big way for over three decades. A list of the attacks by Islamic terrorists since 1968 makes grim reading. Such a list is displayed below. 

In addition to these individual incidents, there were sustained campaigns of Islamic militants against infidels (non-Moslems), which are not listed in detail. These include the campaigns in Kashmir (1989-present), Indonesia (1998-present), Egypt (1985-present), Philippines (2000-present), Nigeria (1999-present), Lebanon (1975-90), Sudan (1988-present), Pakistan (1989-present), Israel (2000-present). These campaigns against non-Moslems go beyond the lower level of religious strife that has taken place for centuries. The current violence is part of the Islamic radicalism espoused by groups like al Qaeda. The objective is the expulsion of infidels (non-Moslems) from Islamic areas (as defined by Islamic radicals) and the eventual conversion of all infidels to Islam. This religion based terrorism has killed over half a million infidels (mostly Christians) in the past two decades. The violence goes farther back than that, with Islamic violence against Jews and Christians in Palestine growing rapidly after the Ottoman empire collapsed in 1918. While the Turks were Moslems, they sought to prevent religious violence. With the Turks gone, the inherent hostility of Islam for other religions thrived once more. 

Arab Christians increasingly fled the Middle East, while Jews arrived in greater numbers from the late 19th century on. When Israel was founded in 1948, the Islamic world became fixated on destroying the nation of infidels in their midst. Despite an overwhelming population and military advantage, Arab armies failed in repeated attempts to invade Israel. After the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, which lasted on six days, more and more Moslems turned to terrorism. Many of the attacks were inside Israel, or the Palestinian areas occupied by Israel after the 1967 war (because no Arab leaders were willing to negotiate a peace with Israel.) The list below includes the incidents of international terrorism by Islamic radicals. Most attacks were against Christians and Jews, but some targeted Moslems as well.

There is much discussion in the Moslem world about why there should be this much terrorism, and there is no agreement on the reasons, other than that the Arabs are incapable of effective military operations, rational thought or political compromise, and are only capable of terrorist attacks against real or imagined enemies. Other groups (Sikhs, Tamils, fundamentalist Christians, political radicals) have been responsible for terrorist attacks during this period, but these groups eventually gave it up, and their death toll, combined, does not match the number killed of Islamic groups. 

Most Notable Islamic Terror Attacks

1968
June 5 - U.S. presidential candidate Robert Kennedy murdered by Palestinian Sirhan Sirhan, in Los Angeles, which causes further terrorist attacks, as Arab terrorist groups demanded his release.

1969
Feb. 18 - Boeing 707 attacked at Zurich, Switzerland, killing the pilot and 3 passengers.
Aug. 29 - TWA 707 hijacked from Rome to Damascus, released with only wounded.
Nov. 27- El Al office in Athens, Greece attacked. Innocent bystanders killed.

1970
Feb. 21 - Swiss airliner blown up over Switzerland, killing all 47 people on board.

Feb. 23 - PLO terrorists open fire on a busload of Christian pilgrims killing 1 and wounding 2 Americans.
April 21- Bomb explodes aboard a Philippines airliner. All 36 aboard are killed.

Sept. 6 - "Skyjack Sunday" in Jordan. 3 planes (TWA, Swissair, Pan Am) en route to the U.S. hijacked, 400+ hostages, planes blown up in Jordan, Governments agreed to PFLP's demands, released terrorists from jails and hostages released.

Sept. 14 - The PFLP hijacked TWA flight to Ammon, 4 Americans injured.

1971
Nov. 28 - Jordanian prime minister Tal killed by terrorists at the Sheraton Hotel in Cairo, Egypt.
Dec. - Jordanian ambassador to London, England is shot by hit squad.

1972
Jan. 26 - Bomb explodes on a Yugoslav plane killing all but one passenger.

May 30 - Ben Gurion Airport, Israel attack killed 26, and wounded 78 U.S. citizens from Puerto Rico.
Sept. 5 - Palestinian terrorists seize 11 athletes in the Olympic Village in Munich, Germany, 9 hostages and 5 terrorists killed, plus David Berger from Cleveland.

1973