Norway
A country with 5 million people, Norway ranks 21st out of 158 countries on the Global Terrorism Index (GTI). Having only two incidents of terrorism in the last ten years, being 21st on the list seems quite high. However, this ranking looks at the impact a terrorist act has had on the country in terms of the number of incidents, fatalities, injuries, and the amount of property damage caused by the events. It also takes into consideration the lasting psychological effects the terrorist attack has had on the country (Institute, 9).
One of the worst acts of terrorism in recent history was committed in 2011 in Norway by this sociopath, Anders Breivik. Acting upon what he believes are religious right-wing extremist values, this killer began his massacre by detonating a car-bomb in downtown Oslo at a government building that housed the office of the Prime Minister. The blast killed eight people and injured 209 people, some seriously. Breivik’s act of terror did not end in downtown Oslo. After successfully advancing his agenda in Oslo he continued on to commit, arguably, one of the most heinous acts of terror ever known. Breivik boarded a ferry and went to a small island called Utoya. Dressed as a police officer and showing fake identification to gain access to the island, Breivik opened fire on a youth camp killing 69 people, some as young as 14. Breivik chose this camp because of its affiliation with the Labour Party which he concludes is a Marxist regime. For this crime Breivik will serve a 21 year prison sentence, the maximum sentence allowed under the law (2011 Norway Attacks).
Finland
Finland is a country that has 5.4 million people living in it. It currently ranks 108 out of the top 158 countries on the Global Terrorism Index. Like Norway, Finland has had two terrorist attacks in the last 10 years. An attack in 2007 was said to be a copy of two attacks that happened in the US, one at Columbine High School and the other at the Virginia Tech campus that collectively killed 45 people and wounded 38 others, not including the gunmen.
The attack in Finland was carried out at a high school by a lone gunman, Pekka-Eric Auvinen (seen on the right), in 2007. The gunman who was 18 years old at the time killed seven students and one teacher during his rampage. After murdering eight people the gunman then killed himself with a self inflicted gunshot.
The second act of terror that was waged against the Finnish people in that last decade was carried out by the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK. In 2008, The PKK set fire to the Turkish Embassy in Helsinki. The act was believed to be politically motivated and carried out by 5 individuals 16 to 20 years old by throwing several Molotov cocktails at the Embassy doors. Luckily only one person was injured in the event and no one was killed. Although the Finland government could not prove that the 5 individuals, who subsequently confessed to the crime,were attached to the PKK, there was high probability that is was the Kurdish Workers Party. The PKK never claimed responsibility for the terrorist attack.
Latvia
Latvia is a small country in Eastern Europe with a population of approximately 2 million people. Latvia ranks at 134 out of the 158 countries on the Global Terrorism Index. In the last 10 years there was one terrorist attack in Latvia. Fortunately, no one has been killed due the terrorist attack.
In 2007, in Riga, there was a bomb detonated near a car belonging to the head of the criminal investigations division. No one was killed or injured in the attack. It is not known who committed this attack or why and no one has come forward to claim responsibility for this crime.
There was a second incident in 2010 that did not take place in Latvia but in Darfur that involved the kidnapping of 3 Latvians working for the World Food Program. Two pilots and a mechanic were taken by 8 armed individuals and held hostage for approximately 30 days until their release. No one was injured or killed in this incident.
Since the early 1990’s to the year 2000, there have been 16 attacks in Latvia. Fourteen of the 16 attacks occurred in Riga, Latvia and involving Russian extremists threatening to blow up various landmarks and transportation centers. Although there have been many attacks against the Latvian people in the last 20-25 years, only two people have been killed.
Belarus
Belarus is located in Eastern Europe and is home to about 9.5 million people. Belarus ranks 32nd out of the 158 countries on the Global Terrorism Index. There have been six terrorist attacks that have claimed the lives of 16 people within the last 10 years. One of the most devastating attacks was in 2011 at a metro station.
In Minsk, 2011, a bomb was set off under a platform of a metro station killing 14 and wounding more than 200 people. Although no specific group claimed responsibility for the attack, one of the most wanted men on the Russian terrorist watch list, Viktor Dvorakovskiy, was identified as the one of the ones responsible for the bombing. Fingerprints belonging to Dvorakovskiy were found at the scene. These prints also matched those found in a previous bombing on July 4, 2008 at a World War II memorial in Minsk. The memorial was having an Independence Day concert at the time of the bombing. Fifty people were injured in this attack but no one was killed.
Another terrorist attack occurred in 2006 in Paka village at Jiban Nagar in Chudanga (District), Belarus. This attack was found to be the responsibility of the Purba Bangla Communist Party, or PBCP. This group is related to the Maoist group in Bangladesh. A bomb was set off at a shop in the village. This bombing killed two people and injured three. After the bombing occurred the men responsible ran up to an elderly woman and shot her in the head killing her as well.
Ukraine
With 46 million people living in the Ukraine, it comes in at number 56 out of the 158 countries on the Global Terrorism Index. Over the last decade the Ukraine has sustained 13 terrorist attacks. One of the deadliest attacks did not occur on their homeland but in Russia when a bomb went off on in the arrival zone of an airport. The explosion killed 37 people most of whom were Russian but included several others from other countries including the Ukraine.
The attack on the airport happened in 2011. Along with the many dead were about 168 injured people. The bomb was set off by a suicide bomber, Magomed Yevloyev. This individual was part of the Dagestan Front of the Caucasus Emirate, a Muslim terrorist organization who has various location within the region. These are areas that have accepted Islam and have many plans to commit terrorist acts across the world, including the 2014 Winter Olympics.
An attack that took place on their homeland happened in 2010 in Zaporizhzhya, Ukraine. A bomb was placed at an Orthodox church using 500 grams of TNT. The blast killed an 80 year old Nun and injured 8 people.
Sweden
Sweden has a population of about 9.45 million people and ranks 61 out of 158 countries on the Global Terrorism Index. Sweden has had 10 terrorist attacks within the last 10 years and luckily there have not been very many fatalities or injuries.
The only terrorist attack that killed and injured anyone in Sweden in the last 10 years happened in December of 2010. A suicide bomber, Taimour Abdlwahab, was born in Iraq and had links to Al Qa’ida. The attack happened in Stockholm and consisted of the bomber wearing an IED made of pipe bombs attached to his belt. The man also had a back pack on that had a pressure cooker inside that was filled with screws and wires. The belt was the only device to have gone off but it killed one person and injured two others.
Other terrorist activity in Sweden involved groups such as the Animal Liberation Front and Global Intifada. ALF is an underground resistance that does not have a leader and commits illegal actions in pursuit of animal liberation. The attacks on Sweden only involved property damage such as breaking windows and store front damage. Global Intifada fights against capitalism and the current world order. They are only politically motivated and are opposed to any country that has supported the war in Iraq.
Lithuania
Lithuania is a country that has approximately 3.2 million people living in it. It currently ranks 136th out of 158 countries on the Global Terrorism Index. Over the last decade there has been no documented terrorist attacks on their land. During the 1990’s Lithuania had 8 terror attacks. All of the attacks during that time were never traced back to a particular terrorist group. One person was killed and two were injured during these attacks and mostly were done by explosive devises.
Russian Republic
With 143 million people living in Russian Republic, they rank at number 9 out of 158 countries on the Global Terrorism Index. Over the last decade the Russian Republic has sustained numerous terror attacks involving many fatalities and injuries. There have been 52 terror attacks since 2003 which ended up leaving 147 people dead and 385 injured.
There are two groups of terrorists that have been blamed for or claimed responsibility for the attacks on Russia. They are Caucasus Emirate and the Chechen Rebels. The Caucasus Emirate is a group focused on overthrowing the regional government in Russia and replacing it with an Islamic State. One of the deadliest attacks by the Caucasus Emirate occurred in January, 2011 in Domodedovo, Russia when a bomb went off on in the arrival zone of an airport. The explosion killed 37 people most of whom were Russian. Along with the many dead were about 168 injured people. The bomb was set off by a suicide bomber, Magomed Yevloyev. This individual was part of the Dagestan Front of the Caucasus Emirate, a Muslim terrorist organization who has various location within the region. These are areas that have accepted Islam and have many plans to commit terrorist acts across the world, including the 2014 Winter Olympics. There have also been several bombings on trains that left over 40 civilians dead and many more injured.
The Chechen Rebels are a group seeking independence from Russia and building an Islamic State, much like the Caucasus Emirate. In 2007 the Chechen Rebels were blamed for an explosion that occurred on a bus; 5 people were killed and 12 were injured. The Rebels have targeted civilians and government related individuals.
References:
START. The National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism, 17 Aug. 2012. Web. 24 Apr. 2013.
This is a good overview and an interesting read. Thank you.