ABSTRACT
Special attention is devoted to terrorist attacks against petroleum targets on the Arab Peninsula and the Greater Middle East region. Between 1968 and 1999, a total of only 262 incidents of petroleum terrorism were reported. This would indicate that petroleum installations are not a particularly attractive target for terrorist and rebel groups. Terrorist strikes against petroleum installations have represented only about two per cent of international terrorist incidents in recent decades. Terrorist target selection is a complex process involving political, ideological and tactical considerations. Attacks on difficult-to-protect targets such as pipelines and personnel account for more than half of all incidents of petroleum terrorism. Blasting of pipelines is the commonest kind of attack; it has also caused by far the greatest number of closedowns. Kidnapping has become increasingly widespread, and petroleum company personnel have suffered to a substantial degree from this. Bombing of petroleum company offices is the third most frequent type of attack, accounting for 25 incidents alone.
