# Are There Any Left-Wing Terrorists? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 12, 2008, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-left-wing-terrorists/456259 "2008-07-12T20:08:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2008, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-left-wing-terrorists/456259/1 "2008-07-12T20:08:34Z")
I know the extreme animal rights activists could be considered “left wing”, but there doesn’t seem to be many other liberal terrorists about. Are us Liberals in general letting our side down with our wimpish nature, or merely showing our overwhelming common sense and decency? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2008, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-left-wing-terrorists/456259/2 "2008-07-12T20:12:12Z")
[Google](http://terrorism.about.com/od/originshistory/a/LeftWingTerror.htm), and ye shall find. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2008, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-left-wing-terrorists/456259/3 "2008-07-12T20:19:46Z")
Various Communist outfits around the world are usually considered “left wing”, and some of them have engaged in terrorism. [Here’s a famous example](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbionese_Liberation_Army). They seemed to have reached a heyday in the 70’s, but there are a few still around. [For example](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revolutionary_Struggle) ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2008, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-left-wing-terrorists/456259/4 "2008-07-12T20:25:14Z")
The Provisional IRA’s stated goal was to establish a socialist state in Ireland. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2008, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-left-wing-terrorists/456259/5 "2008-07-12T20:47:00Z")
[QUOTE=Rysto] The Provisional IRA’s stated goal was to establish a socialist state in Ireland. [/QUOTE] All the Irish Republican terrorists, as far as I know, had a socialist agenda behind their murder campaigns. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2008, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-left-wing-terrorists/456259/6 "2008-07-12T20:48:48Z")
In the US or anywhere in the world? The recently publicized FARC should qualify. Both our Republican and Democratic presidential nominees have called them terrorists. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2008, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-left-wing-terrorists/456259/7 "2008-07-12T22:05:41Z")
I seem to recall a rather absurd thread here, wherein it was argued that Al Qaeda was left wing. I forget who held that point of view. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2008, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-left-wing-terrorists/456259/8 "2008-07-12T22:11:36Z")
The following groups designated as terrorist by the US State Department list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations are generally considered “left wing” The Abu Nidal Organization Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA) Communist Party of the Phillippines/New People’s Army Continuity Irish Republican Army The Kurdistan Workers Party The People’s Mujahedin of Iran The National Liberation Army of Colombia Palestine Liberation Front Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine PFLP-General Command The Real IRA Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia ELA of Greece Revolutionary Organization 17 November of Greece Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party-Front of Turkey Shining Path ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2008, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-left-wing-terrorists/456259/9 "2008-07-12T22:24:29Z")
You mentioned the animal rights people in the OP, but it should be noted that they are the most active group of terrorists in England–above Muslim extremists. So I don’t see that there’s much cause to worry that your side isn’t doing its part. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2008, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-left-wing-terrorists/456259/10 "2008-07-12T22:31:57Z")
I was going to ask, “Why are there no Liberal suicide-bombers”, but looking at the list **Captain Amazing** has provided, I think I’d have been way off-beam! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2008, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-left-wing-terrorists/456259/11 "2008-07-12T22:33:53Z")
p.s. I meant “left-wing”, not “Liberal”… I know they are not exactly inter-changeable!!! ---
**Author:** ![Svejk\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@Svejk\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Svejk_1)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2008, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-left-wing-terrorists/456259/12 "2008-07-12T22:37:49Z")
Not on **Captain Amazing** ’s list are some well known historical terrorist groups that made quite an impression, such as the _[Rote Armee Fraktion](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rote_armee_fraktion)_ in West-Germany and the _[Brigate Rosso](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Brigades)_ in Italy. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-left-wing-terrorists/456259/13 "2008-07-16T19:42:29Z")
The Irish National Liberation Army too. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-left-wing-terrorists/456259/14 "2008-07-16T22:13:23Z")
There’s the “ERF” (Earth Liberation Front). I think they’ve burned down a few Humvee dealerships and McMansions in California. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-left-wing-terrorists/456259/15 "2008-07-16T22:45:55Z")
There’s no such thing as a Humvee dealership, the Humvee is a nickname for the HMMWV, which the “H1” or “Civilian Hummer” is based on. “Hummer” dealerships sell H2s and H3s which are not connected to the military vehicle at all, and only bear a superficial aesthetic resemblance to them. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-left-wing-terrorists/456259/16 "2008-07-16T22:48:54Z")
And then, of course, Nepal has just recently just taken over by the Communist Party of Nepal who used a combination of terrorism and armed force against the government to achieve that goal. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-left-wing-terrorists/456259/17 "2008-07-16T22:53:11Z")
[QUOTE=Fear Itself] I seem to recall a rather absurd thread here, wherein it was argued that Al Qaeda was left wing. I forget who held that point of view. [/QUOTE] Was it because they hate Republicans? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2008, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-left-wing-terrorists/456259/18 "2008-07-17T00:00:50Z")
[QUOTE=World Eater] There’s the “ERF” (Earth Liberation Front). I think they’ve burned down a few Humvee dealerships and McMansions in California. [/QUOTE] uh, umm “E-L-F” ::Backs away:: Don’t eat my world… ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2008, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-left-wing-terrorists/456259/19 "2008-07-17T00:09:17Z")
**Greenpeace**. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2008, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-left-wing-terrorists/456259/20 "2008-07-17T03:33:08Z")
[QUOTE=World Eater] There’s the “ERF” (Earth Liberation Front). I think they’ve burned down a few Humvee dealerships and McMansions in California. [/QUOTE] Unless Paul Chadwick lied to me in _Concrete: Think Like a Mountain_, I think that was a group called “Earth First!” (Double-checking, I may be getting that mixed up with an article I read about the ELF) In any case, Earth First! may or may not make your list, depending on who you ask. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-left-wing-terrorists/456259.md?page=2)