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Communist terrorism, state and dissident, is terrorism committed by various movements that claim adherence to the doctrines of Karl Marx, both during a revolutionary struggle and during the consolidation of power after victory.

Many Orthodox Communists have emphasized revolution over reform and offered a vision of the working classes sweeping away the capitalist system. Some of these communist movements and parties had adopted armed struggle and seen terrorism as a viable option; on the other hand some dissident leftist terrorist organisations, including some of those in Western democracies, had little faith in the working classes, believing them to have been corrupted and sometimes argued that "liberating violence" was necessary to spur the revolution on.

Origins, evolution and history

German Social Democrat Karl Kautsky traces the origins of revolutionary terror to the "Reign of Terror" of the French Revolution. Lenin considered the Jacobin use of terror as a needed virtue and accepted the label Jacobin for his Bolsheviks. This, however, distinguished him from Marx.

The deterministic view of history was used by Marxist regimes to justify the use of terror. Terrorism came to be used by Marxists, both the state and dissident groups, in both revolution and in consolidation of power. The doctrines of Marxism, Marxism-Leninism, Maoism and anarchism have all spurred dissidents who have taken to terrorism. Marx, except for a brief period in 1848 and within the Tsarist mileu, did not advocate revolutionary terror, feeling it would be counterproductive. Communist leaders used the idea that terror could serve as the force which Marx said was the "midwife of revolution", and after World War I communist groups continued to use it in attempts to overthrow governments. For Mao, terrorism was an acceptable tool.

After World War II Marxist-Leninist groups seeking independence, like nationalists, concentrated on guerilla warfare along with terrorism. By the late 1950s and early 1960s there was a change from wars of national liberation to contemporary terrorism. For decades terrorist groups tended to be closely linked to communist ideology, being the predominent category of terrorists in the 1970s and 1980s, but today they are in the minority, their decline attributed to the end of the cold war and the fall of the Soviet Union.

Terrorist organizations claiming adherence to Communist ideology

Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine

In 1969, a faction of the left-wing Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) broke away from the main organization to form the Popular Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PDFLP). The PDFLP was headed by Secretary-General Nayef Hawatmeh, who had been referred to as a leader of the PFLP's Maoist tendency. He believed that the PFLP had become, under the guidance of George Habash, too focused on military matters, and wanted to make the PDFLP a more grassroots and more ideologically focused organization.

In 1974, the same year as the PDFLP changed its name into the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), it acted as a strong supporter of the 1974 Ten Point Program. This document, which was accepted by the Palestinian National Council (PNC) after lobbying by Fatah and DFLP, cautiously introduced the concept of a two-state solution in the PLO, and caused a split in the organization leading to the formation of the Rejectionist Front, where radical organizations such as the PFLP, PFLP-GC, Palestine Liberation Front and others gathered with the backing of Syria, Libya and Iraq to oppose Arafat and PLO moderation.

In 1974 the organization perpetrated a major terror attack in Israel, when attacking a local elementary school in the village of Ma'a lot. Taking the school-kids for hostage, 22 children aged 14–16 years-old were killed when an army commando engaged them.

In 1978 the DFLP temporarily switched sides and joined the Rejectionist Front after clashing with Arafat on several issues, but it would continue to serve as a mediator in the factional disputes of the PLO. In the tense situation leading up to the 1983 Fatah rebellion, during the Lebanese Civil War, DFLP offered mediation to prevent the Syrian-backed formation of a rival Fatah leadership under Said al-Muragha (Abu Musa), the Fatah al-Intifada faction. Its efforts ultimately failed, and the PLO became embroiled what was in effect a Palestinian civil war.

Shining Path

The Communist Party of Peru, more commonly known as the Shining Path (Sendero Luminoso), is a Maoist guerrilla organization in Peru that launched the internal conflict in Peru in 1980. Widely condemned for its brutality, including violence deployed against peasants, trade union organizers, popularly elected officials and the general civilian population, Shining Path is on the U.S. Department of State's "Designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations" list. Peru, the European Union, and Canada likewise regard Shining Path as a terrorist group and prohibit providing funding or other financial support. The actions of the Shining Path claimed between 25,000 and 30,000 lives, of these more than 1,000 were children.

FARC

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) is a Marxist-Leninist organization in Colombia which has employed vehicle bombings, gas cylinder bombs, killings, landmines, kidnapping, extortion, hijacking, as well as guerrilla and conventional military. The United States Department of State includes the FARC-EP on its list of foreign terrorist organizations, as does the European Union. It funds itself primarily through extortion, kidnapping and their participation in the illegal drug trade. Many of their fronts have also overrun and massacred small communities in order to silence and intimidate those who do not support their activities, enlist new and underage recruits by force, distribute propaganda and, more importantly, to pillage local banks. Businesses operating in rural areas, including agricultural, oil, and mining interests, were required to pay "vaccines" (monthly payments) which "protected" them from subsequent attacks and kidnappings. An additional, albeit less lucrative, source of revenue was highway blockades where guerrillas stopped motorists and buses in order to confiscate jewelry and money. An estimated 20-30 percent of FARC combatants are under 18 years old, with many as young as 12 years old, for a total of around 5000 children.), Children who try to escape the ranks of the guerrillas are punished with torture and death.

ETA

ETA is a Marxist-Leninist paramilitary Basque nationalist organization. In 1965, the sixth Assembly of ETA adopted a Marxism-Leninism|Marxist-Leninist position; its precise political line has varied with time, although they have always advocated some type of socialism. Like the nationalist movement in Ireland, in ETA nationalism predominated over communism, but they did accept Soviet support ETA has committed approximately 900 killings and dozens of kidnappings. More than 500 ETA militants are held in prison in Spain and France. On March 22, 2006 the organization declared a "permanent ceasefire." ETA broke the ceasefire with a car bomb attack on December 30, 2006 at Barajas International Airport, Madrid killing two Ecuadorians.

Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist

The Communist Party of Nepal has been responsible for hundreds of attacks on government and civilian targets. After the UPF's Maoist wing (CPN-M) performed poorly in elections and was excluded from the election of 1994. The Maoists then turned to insurgency in order to overthrow Nepal's monarchy, parliamentary democracy and change Nepalese society, including a purge of the nation's elite class, a state takeover of private industry, and collectivization of agriculture.

In Nepal attacks against civilian populations occurred as part of Maoist strategy - Amnesty International states:

The CPN (Maoist) has consistently targeted private schools, which it ideologically opposes. On the 14 April 2005 the CPN (Maoist) demanded that all private schools shut down, although this demand was withdrawn on 28 April. Following this demand, it bombed two schools in western Nepal on 15 April, a school in Nepalganj, Banke district on 17 April and a school in Kalyanpur, Chitwan on 21 April. CPN (Maoist) cadres also reportedly threw a bomb at students taking classes in a school in Khara, Rukum district.

Until recently, the Maoist insurgency had been fighting against the Royal Nepalese Army and other supporters of the monarchy. They have since been elected to power in national elections and began implementing reforms as the legitimate government of Nepal.

Communist Party of India (Maoist) and Naxalites

The Naxalite extremist Communist terror groups in India have effectively taken over large parts of the rural regions of the country in recent years. Advocating a violent, revolutionary Maoist ideology, they and their associates in the Communist Party of India (Maoist) and People's War are regarded as India's biggest and most pernicious security threat. Naxalite Communists have engaged in numerous terrorist attacks and human rights violations in India's "Red Corridor" (the regions in India that they have taken over).

A Frontline Cover Story calls the Bhamragad Taluka where the Madia Gond Adivasis live, the heart of the naxalite-affected region in Maharashtra.

Communist Party of the Philippines

The Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, the New People's Army (CPP/NPA) is a paramilitary group fighting of Maoist ideology (Preamble, Constitution of the Communist Party of the Philippines, 1968) fighting for communist revolution in the Philippines. It was formed on March 29, 1969. The Maoist NPA fights a "protracted people's war" as the military wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). The NPA is classified as a terrorist organization by the Philippine Government, the US , EU and other countries. The NPA's targets often include politicians, military, police, criminals, landlords, business owners and occasionally U.S. agents in the Philippines. Before the Second Rectification Movement, wherein certain "errors" were being rectified, the group conducted a purge, killing thousands of partisans and members on accusations of being deep penetration agent by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine intelligence community. Former NPA fighter Robert Francis Garcia chronicled the wild murders in his book To Suffer Thy Comrades and organized the Peace Advocates for Truth, Healing and Justice (PATH), a group composed of survivors of the "purges" and the families of victims and their friends and supporters.

Out of that rectification movement, the party was split into two, the "Reaffirmists", who uphold the "protracted people's war" and the "mass line"; while the "Rejectionists", who rejects the basic tenets of the party. The latter faction was also known for initiating the mass purges, especially against alleged deep penetration agents before the rectification of errors inside the party system.

November 17

Revolutionary Organization 17 November (also known as 17N or N17) is Marxist terrorist organization formed in 1973 in Greece, recognized as a terrorist organization by the Greek State, the US and international law enforcement", and believed by many to be have been disbanded in 2002 after the arrest and trial of a number of its members. During its heyday, the urban guerrilla group assassinated 23 people in 103 attacks on U.S., diplomatic and Greek targets. Greek authorities believe spin-off terror groups are still in operation, including Revolutionary Struggle, the group that allegedly fired a rocket propelled grenade at the U.S. Embassy in Athens in January 2007.

Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front

The Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front, is a militant Marxist-Leninist party in Turkey. It is in the terrorist organization lists in the U.S., the UK and the EU. The organisation is listed among the 12 active terrorist organisation in Turkey as of 2007 according to Counter-Terrorism and Operations Department of Directorate General for Security (Turkish police).

It also appears as one of the 44 names in the current U.S. State Department list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations, 48 groups and entities to which European Union's Common Position 2001/931/CFSP on the application of specific measures to combat terrorism applies and 45 international terrorist organisations in the list of Proscribed Terrorist Groups of the UK Home Office.

May 19th Communist Organization

The May 19 Communist Organization, also referred to as the May 19 Communist Coalition, was a US-based, self-described revolutionary organization formed by splintered-off members of the Weather Underground and the Black Liberation Army. The M19CO name was derived from the birthdays of Ho Chi Minh and Malcolm X. The May 19 Communist Organization was active from 1978 to 1985. It also included members of the Black Panthers and the Republic of New Africa (RNA). The group was originally known as the New York chapter of the Prairie Fire Organizing Committee (PFOC), an organization devoted to legally promoting the causes of the Weather Underground.

This alliance between the Weather Underground and the Black Liberation Army had three objectives:

In 1981 Kathy Boudin, together with several members of the Black Liberation Army, participated in a robbery of a Brinks armored car at the Nanuet Mall, near Nyack, New York. Upon her arrest, Boudin was identified as a member of the May 19 Communist Organization. From 1982 to 1985, a series of bombings were ascribed to the group. By May 23, 1985, all members of the group had been arrested, with the exception of Elizabeth Duke, who remains a fugitive. At a 1986 trial, six group members were tried and convicted of multiple counts of domestic terrorism.

Red Army Faction (RAF)

The Red Army Faction, was one of postwar West Germany's most active and prominent militant communist terror groups. The group was a successor to the Baader Meinhoff Gang. It was formally founded in 1970 by Andreas Baader, Gudrun Ensslin, Horst Mahler, Ulrike Meinhof, Irmgard Möller and others.

The Red Army Faction operated from the 1970s to 1998, committing numerous crimes, especially in the autumn of 1977, which led to a national crisis that became known as "German Autumn". It was responsible for 34 deaths, including many secondary targets such as chauffeurs and bodyguards, and many injuries in its almost 30 years of existence.

Ejército Revolucionario del Pueblo (ERP)

The People's Revolutionary Army (Ejército Revolucionario del Pueblo), was the military branch of the communist PRT (Partido Revolucionario de los Trabajadores, or Workers' Revolutionary Party) in Argentina. The avowed aim of the ERP was a communist armed revolution against the Argentine government in pursuit of "proletarian rule" and socialist revolution and then spread to all Latin America.

Official Irish Republican Army

The Official Irish Republican Army was an Irish republican paramilitary group who wished to unify Ireland The movement in Ireland was predominated by nationalism rather than communism, although the IRA, like ETA in Spain, accepted Soviet support.

Red Brigades

The Red Brigades were founded in August 1970 mostly by former members of the Communist Youth movement expelled from the parent party for extremist views. It was the largest terrorist group in Italy whose aim was to overthrow the government and replace it with a communist system.

First of October Anti-Fascist resistance Groups (GRAPO)

The First of October Anti-Fascist resistance Groups were a Maoist terrorist group in Spain

Western perspectives on terrorism committed by groups claiming adherence to Communist ideology

Terrorism in the form of 'communist fighting organizations' which operated in western Europe was seen as a threat by NATO and also by the Italian, German and British governments. In recent years, there has been a marked decrease in such terrorism, which has been substantially credited to the end of the Cold War and the fall of the U.S.S.R. However, at its apogee, communism was argued by some to be the major source of international terrorism (whether inspired by the ideology or supported by its states).

See also

• List of designated terrorist organizations

Further reading

• Deletant, Dennis (1999) Communist Terror in Romania, C. Hurst & Co, ISBN 1850653860
• Adelman, Jonathan (1984) Terror and Communist Politics: The Role of the Secret Police in Communist States, Westview Press, ISBN 0865312931
• Evgeni Genchev (2003) Tales from the Dark: Testimonies about the Communist Terror, ACET 2003, ISBN 9549320014

References

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2. Alexander, Yonah; Pluchinsky, Dennis A. (1October 1992). Europe's red terrorists: the fighting communist organizations (1st ed.). Routledge. p. 183. ISBN 978-0714634883. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
3. Martin, pages 223-4
4. Karl Kautsky (1919). "Revolution and Terror". Terrorism and Communism. Kautsky said: "It is, in fact, a widely spread idea that Terrorism belongs to the very essence of revolution, and that whoever wants a revolution must somehow come to some sort of terms with terrorism. As proof of this assertion, over and over again the great French Revolution has been cited." (Translated by W.H. Kerridge) {{cite book}}: External link in |chapterurl= (help); Unknown parameter |chapterurl= ignored (|chapter-url= suggested) (help)
5. The Gulag Archipelago by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
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7. Schwab, Gail M., and John R. Jeanneney, The French Revolution of 1789 and its impact, p. 278, Greenwood Publishing Group 1995
8. Chaliand,Gérard and Arnaud Blin, The history of terrorism: from antiquity to al Qaeda By , p. 105, University of California Press, 2007
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• Terrorism by form