Terrorism in France refers to the terrorist attacks that have targeted the country and its population during the 20th and 21st centuries. Terrorism, in this case is much related to the country's history, international affairs and political approach. Legislation has been set up by lawmakers to fight terrorism in France.
CBC News reported in December 2018 that the number of people killed in terrorist attacks in France since 2015 was 249, with the number of wounded at 928. Since 1970, France experienced 2,654 terrorist incidents, resulting in 1,247 terrorist-related deaths and 2,559 injuries, the second highest in western Europe after the United Kingdom.National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism. (2017). Global Terrorism Database (globalterrorismdb_0617dist.xlsx). Retrieved from https://www.start.umd.edu/gtd University of MarylandNational Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism. (2017). Global Terrorism Database (gtd1993_0617dist.xlsx). Retrieved from https://www.start.umd.edu/gtd University of Maryland France remains the country most affected by Islamist terrorism within Europe, with recent data showcasing a total of 82 Islamist attacks and 332 deaths from 1979 to 2021.
History +Deaths and Injuries due to Terrorist incidents in France by Year Year Number ofincidents Deaths Injuries2020971020193416201831030201793162016269547020153616244320141411520131205201265882011804201030020099011200813012007163820063413200533011200411010200334021200232042001210162000284119994602199812101997130041996270181141995711917719949772219931200199212691219911376519903033198925321988546191987875819869525306198510617831984145155719831212018619826217144198166878198094207419792121141197859211719775337197658710197539325197429341197314520197291019710001970000 Total 2,6545472,559
Islamic terrorism
Right-wing terrorism
List of significant terrorist incidents inside France
FranceDateSubLocationDeathsInjuriesTypePerpetratorDescription of target and attack15 September 1958Paris13Small arms fireFLN (Algerian nationalists)– Government institutions
Several gunmen fire into the car of the French Minister of Information, Jacques Soustelle. The minister survives unharmed, however four bystanders are struck and one is killed.18 June 1961Blacy, Marne28100+Improvised Explosive DeviceOrganisation armée secrète– Private citizens & property
A bomb attack on a Strasbourg–Paris train carried: it was the deadliest terrorist attack in modern French history until the November 2015 Paris attacks. ()14 December 1973Marseille420Improvised Explosive DeviceCharles Martel Group– Diplomatic (Algeria)
A man exits a car and throws a bomb into the compound of the Algerian Consulate; the subsequent explosion kills 4 and injures 20 more, 4 seriously.15 September 1974Paris234Improvised Explosive DevicePFLP (Palestinian nationalists)– Private Citizens & Property
A bomb explodes at the Drugstore Saint Germain, part of the fashionable circuit of restaurants and bars on Paris's Left Bank, killing two and injuring 34.24 October 1975Paris2-Grenade & Small arms fireASALA (Armenian nationalists)– Diplomatic (Turkish)
As İsmail Erez is returning from a reception – and as his vehicle approached the building of the Turkish Embassy in Paris – a group of 3–4 armed Armenian militants ambush the automobile, killing him and his driver Talip Yener.20 May 1978Paris43Grenade & Small arms firePFLP (Palestinian nationalists)– Airports & airlines
Three terrorists open fire on El Al passengers in the departure lounge. All three terrorists are killed, along with one policeman, and three French tourists are also injured.5 October 1978Marseille912Small arms fire– Private citizens & property
At about 21:00 (UTC+1), three hooded men armed with sub machine guns enter a quiet neighborhood bar and shoot 21 patrons, killing nine. The attack at Le Telephone bar was likely related to organized crime, although none of the attackers were identified.23 December 1979Paris1-Grenade & Small arms fireASALA (Armenian nationalists)– Diplomatic (Turkish)
A gunman fires an automatic weapon amid crowds of Christmas shoppers, killing the director of the Turkish National Tourist Office, Yilmaz Colton, in Paris. The director was struck by three bullets while walking along the Champs-Élysées.28 January 1980Paris18Improvised Explosive Device – Diplomatic (Syrian)
A bomb blast destroys the ground floor of the Syrian Embassy, killing one and injuring 8 others. Three of those injured were in a serious condition, including a pregnant woman. The attack happened 2 hours before the arrival of then Foreign Minister of Syria, Abdel Halim Khaddam, in France.17 July 1980Paris24Small arms fireGuards of Islam (Iranian agents)– Government institutions (Shah of Iran)
Former Iranian Prime Minister Shahpour Bakhtiar escapes an assassination attempt in which a French policeman and a female neighbour are killed. Four other officers were wounded, one seriously. Allegedly posing as reporters, a trio of gunmen attempted to enter the exiled leader's apartment in Neuilly, a suburb of Paris. A police guard at an armored door to the residence resisted and a gunfight took place.29 July 1980Lyon211Small arms fireASALA (Armenian nationalists)– Diplomatic (Turkish)
Two gunmen storm the Turkish Consulate General in Lyon. The gunmen are unable to locate the Turkish consul general and open fire on the waiting area, killing two people and wounding eleven others, two seriously.3 October 1980Paris440Improvised Explosive Device-– Religious figures & institutions
A bomb went off outside the Union Libérale Israélite de France synagogue on Rue Copernic. The bomb had been hidden in the saddlebags of a motorcycle parked outside the synagogue on the eve of Simchat Torah. The explosion happened shortly before the end of services, however one of those killed were members of the congregation. French police initially suspected that the attack had been carried out by neo-Nazis, but later attributed it to the PFLP or one of its offshoots.25 November 1980Paris21Small arms fire-– Private citizens & property
An unknown gunman murders the Jewish owners of a Paris travel agency that specialized in tours to Israel. The assailant walked into the office of IT-Tours and fired from an automatic pistol, fatally wounding Edwin Douek, the proprietor. His wife, Michele, was killed instantly and a clerk was slightly wounded. Edwin Douek died of his wounds later in a hospital.4 March 1981Paris21Small arms fireASALA (Armenian nationalists)– Diplomatic (Turkish)
Two gunmen open fire on Turkish Labour Attache, Resat Morali, and the Religious Affairs Officer in the Turkish Embassy, Tecelli Ari. Both are killed.24 September 1981Paris12Small arms fire – Hostage taking
(2 days)ASALA (Armenian nationalists)– Diplomatic (Turkish)
At about 11:30 CET, four members of Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia took over the consulate killing a Turkish guard, wounding the Turkish Consul and taking 56 people hostage, including 8 women and a 3-year-old child.
Shortly after midnight, the militants' leader started the negotiations that led to the end of the ordeal at about 2 a.m. He was promised by French authorities that the four militants would receive political asylum. The next day, however, the French Government issued a statement saying that the men would have to stand trial on charges growing out of the assault, including the death of a Turkish guard.Frank J. Prial (25 September 1981), "60 held 15 hours in a siege in Paris". The New York Times.29 March 1982Ambazac527Improvised Explosive DeviceCarlos the Jackal– Transport
A explosion on a Paris-Toulouse express train kills five passengers and injures 27 near Ambazac. The blast in the baggage compartment of the Capitole Express was caused by several pounds of extremely powerful explosives, intentionally planted. In 2011 Carlos the Jackal was tried for involvement in the attack and was subsequently convicted and sentenced to life in prison.22 April 1982Paris147Car bombCarlos the Jackal– Political
A powerful car bomb detonates in a crowded street in central Paris during the morning rush hour, killing a young woman and injuring 46 people. The apparent target are the offices of the Libyan newspaper Al-Watan al-Arabi. In 2011 Carlos the Jackal is tried for involvement in the attacks and is subsequently convicted and sentenced to life in prison.9 August 1982Paris622Grenade & Small arms fireAbu Nidal Organization– Private Citizens & Property
Two assailants throw grenades into the dining room of the Chez Jo Goldenberg restaurant and fire machine guns at the patrons. Six people die, including two American tourists, and 22 others are wounded in the attack on the Jewish restaurant in Paris's Marais district.21 August 1982Paris12Improvised Explosive Device-– Diplomatic (United States)
A bomb, that police said was intended to target a United States diplomat, explodes on a luxurious residential street on the Left Bank near the Eiffel Tower, killing a bomb disposal expert and wounding two others. The bomb had been planted under the vehicle of Roderick Grant, commercial counselor at the United States Embassy in Paris.28 February 1983Paris14Improvised Explosive DeviceASALA (Armenian nationalists)– Private Citizens & Property
A bomb detonates at the Turkish-owned Marmara Voyages tourism agency in central Paris, killing one female employee and injuring four others. The blast reportedly caused the roof of the offices to collapse.15 July 1983Paris855Improvised Explosive DeviceASALA (Armenian nationalists)– Airports & airlines
A bomb explodes inside a suitcase at the Turkish Airlines check-in desk in the south terminal of the Orly Airport, sending flames through the crowd of passengers checking in for a flight to Istanbul. The bomb consisted of a half kilo of Semtex explosive connected to three portable gas bottles, which caused extensive burns on the victims. Three people were killed immediately in the blast and another five died in hospital. Four of the victims were French, two were Turkish, one was American, and one was Swedish.The New York Times. Death Toll Rises to 7 After Terror at Orly. 22 July 19835 August 1983Avignon7–Small arms fire– Private citizens & property
At approximately 4:00 (UTC+1), two gunmen shoot to dead seven people at a Sofitel Hotel in a popular holiday town. The victims include the French consul-general for Saarbrücken in West Germany, Lucien Andre. Three other hotel guests and three employees of Sofitel were also killed after apparently being rounded up and ushered into a hotel room.1 October 1983Marseille126Improvised Explosive DeviceASALA (Armenian nationalists)– Private Citizens & Property
One man is killed and 26 people injured when multiple bombs destroyed the American, Soviet and Algerian pavilions at an international trade fair in Marseille. An Armenian guerrilla group took responsibility for the attack in a telephone call to the police. However then Interior Minister, Gaston Defferre, later stated that the far rightist Charles Martel Group had also taken responsibility for the blast.31 December 1983Marseille558+Improvised Explosive DeviceCarlos the Jackal– Transport
A bomb explodes in the two first-class cars of an AGV locomotive as it heads north toward Paris, from the Gare de Marseille-Saint-Charles. Although the train was travelling at about 160 kilometres per hour, it does not derail. Rescue workers find 2 passengers dead and 20 wounded, 5 of them seriously.
Half an hour later a second bomb explodes in the baggage checkroom of the main hall at the Gare de Marseille-Saint-Charles, killing 2 people and wounding at least 38. In 2011 Carlos the Jackal is tried for involvement in the attacks and is subsequently convicted and sentenced to life in prison.7 February 1984Paris21Small arms fireHezbollah & Islamic Jihad– Government institutions (Shah of Iran)