This is a timeline of incidents in 2003 that have been labelled as "terrorism" and are not believed to have been carried out by a government or its forces (see state terrorism and state-sponsored terrorism).
Tel Aviv Central Bus Station massacre: Two Palestinian suicide bombers from the Islamic Jihad detonated about 2 minutes apart, the explosions ripped through a crowded neighborhood near the old Tel Aviv bus station.[1]
In the first suicide bombing since the start of the Iraq war, a Palestinian suicide bomber detonated himself outside a crowded cafe in the Mediterranean coastal city of Netanya, wounding nearly 40 people, two of them critically.[1]
Two female suicide bombers attacked Chechen Administrator Mufti Akhmed Kadyrov during a religious festival in Iliskhan Yurt. Kadyrov escaped injury, but 14 people were killed and 43 were wounded. Chechen rebel leader Shamil Basayev claimed responsibility.[4]
2003 French Hill suicide bombings: A suicide bomber disguised as a religious Jew detonated on a bus in Jerusalem. A second bomber prematurely detonated, only killing himself.[1]
Afula mall bombing: In the fifth suicide bombing in two days, a female Palestinian student suicide bomber detonated at the main entrance to the Shaarei Amakim mall in Afula.[1]
Davidka Square bus bombing: A Hamas Palestinian suicide bomber, dressed as an ultra-Orthodox Jew, detonated his explosives belt on a bus in downtown Jerusalem.[1]
A Palestinian suicide bomber detonated a bag of explosives in a grocery store located in Moshav Sde Trumot, Israel. Avner Mordechai, 63, the owner of the store, was critically injured in the blast, and later died of his injuries.[1]
A Palestinian suicide bomber detonated his explosives inside the home of Mazal Afari, 65, a resident of Moshav Kfar Yavetz, east of Netanya, Israel, killing her and three of her grandchildren were lightly injured, the bombing caused the house to collapse.[1]
2003 West Virginia sniper: Three people were killed in a series of sniper shootings in West Virginia. Eight years after the shootings, a suspect named Shawn Lester was arrested and was eventually convicted and sentenced to 46 years in prison for the shootings.
Shawn Lester
Terrorism in the United States
August 13
2 (+2)
12
Israel
Two Palestinian suicide bombers blew themselves up in almost simultaneous attacks, in the Israeli towns of Rosh Ha'ayin and Ariel.[1]
Two sophisticated homemade bombs exploded approximately one hour apart, at the Chiron Corporation in Emeryville, California, causing minor property damage but no injury. Other explosive devices were discovered and defused for the authorities.[8] The FBI believes the second bomb was timed to target first responders.[9][10]
Revolutionary Cells – Animal Liberation Brigade
Terrorism in the United States
August 29
95
500+
Iraq
Imam Ali mosque bombing: Double car bombing of the Shia Imam Ali mosque.
Tzrifin bus stop attack, Café Hillel bombing: Two Palestinian suicide bombings, the first at a crowded bus stop near Tel Aviv, the second five hours later at a popular Jerusalem nightspot. Among the victims of the bombings was the head of a Jerusalem hospital emergency room and his 20-year-old daughter who was going to get married later that evening.[1]
A bomb strapped to a horse kills eight and injures 15 in the village of Chita. The attack is blamed on FARC, as the same technique had been used in the past.[11]
2003 Baghdad bombings: Suicide bombings targeting a Red Cross compound and three police stations. A fourth police station was also targeted but the bomber's explosives failed to detonate and he was wounded and arrested by police.
Riyadh compound bombings: A suicide car bomber targeted the Muhaya residential compound, which was occupied mainly by nationals of other Arab countries. The next day, Deputy Secretary of State Armitage said al-Qaeda was probably responsible.[4]
Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (suspected)
November 15/20
57
700+
Istanbul, Turkey
2003 Istanbul bombings: Two Istanbul synagogues, Bet Israel and Neve Shalom were hit with truck bombs on November 15. Five days later, the headquarters of the HSBC Bank of Turkey and the British consulate of Istanbul were also bombed.
2003 Abbeville, South Carolina right-of-way standoff: Two police officers were killed in 14-hour shootout and standoff with three self-proclaimed "sovereign citizens" in Abbeville, South Carolina.
Geha Interchange bus stop bombing: A Palestinian suicide bomber, a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) blew himself up at a bus stop under the Geha Bridge in Tel Aviv, Israel.[1]
Two suicide truck bombers killed 14 persons as President Musharraf's motorcade passed through Rawalpindi, Pakistan. An earlier attempt on December 14 caused no casualties. Pakistani officials suspected Afghan and Kashmiri militants.[4]