Tag Archives: 1993

24 April 1993

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An IRA bomb devastates the Bishopsgate area of London.
The 1993 Bishopsgate bombing was a significant event carried out by the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) in the heart of London’s financial district on April 24, 1993. This attack was part of a broader campaign by the IRA to put economic pressure on the British government by targeting financial centers.

A large truck bomb was parked on Bishopsgate, a major thoroughfare in the City of London. The bomb contained about one ton of explosives and was detonated at around 10:27 AM. The explosion was massive and caused widespread devastation. It resulted in the death of one person, Edward Henty, a news photographer, and injured over 40 others. Additionally, the blast caused significant damage to buildings and infrastructure in the vicinity, including the historic St Ethelburga’s church, which was almost completely destroyed.

The financial toll of the bombing was enormous, with damage estimated at around £350 million. The attack led to heightened security measures in the City of London, including the installation of roadblocks and checkpoints that restricted traffic access, fundamentally changing the area’s security landscape.

The Bishopsgate bombing highlighted the IRA’s ability to strike at significant urban centers and contributed to the momentum for progressing peace talks, which eventually led to the IRA ceasefire in 1994 and the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.

2 December 1993

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Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar is shot and killed by police in Medellín.

Pablo Escobar was a notorious Colombian drug lord who gained infamy as the leader of the Medellín Cartel, one of the most powerful and dangerous drug cartels in the world during the late 20th century. He was born on December 1, 1949, in Rionegro, Antioquia, Colombia, and was raised in Medellín.

Escobar started his criminal career by engaging in small-scale criminal activities, including stealing tombstones and selling fake lottery tickets. However, he soon turned to more lucrative ventures, such as smuggling and distributing cocaine. The Medellín Cartel, founded in the 1970s, became a major player in the global drug trade, dominating the cocaine market and trafficking large quantities of the drug to the United States and other countries.

Escobar was known for his ruthlessness and willingness to use violence to eliminate rivals and law enforcement officials. He was responsible for the deaths of thousands of people, including politicians, police officers, and civilians. His influence extended beyond the drug trade, as he became involved in politics and gained support by funding social programs and infrastructure projects in Colombia.

The Colombian government, with the assistance of the United States, launched efforts to capture Escobar and dismantle the Medellín Cartel. Escobar’s life on the run became the subject of intense international attention. He surrendered to Colombian authorities in 1991 under an agreement that allowed him to build his own prison, known as “La Catedral,” where he continued to run his criminal operations.

In 1992, Escobar escaped from La Catedral after the Colombian government attempted to transfer him to a more conventional prison. A manhunt ensued, and he was eventually located and killed by Colombian law enforcement in December 1993 in a rooftop shootout in Medellín.

26 February 1993

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World Trade Center bombing: In New York City, a truck bomb parked below the North Tower of the World Trade Center explodes, killing six and injuring over a thousand people

The 1993 World Trade Center bombing was carried out by a group of terrorists led by Ramzi Yousef, a Pakistani national. The attack occurred on February 26, 1993, when a truck bomb was detonated below the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. The explosion killed six people and injured over a thousand others.

In addition to Yousef, several other individuals were involved in planning and carrying out the attack. These included Abdul Rahman Yasin, who helped mix the chemicals used in the bomb, and Mohammed Salameh, who rented the truck that was used to transport the bomb to the World Trade Center.

In 1997, Ramzi Yousef was convicted for his role in the bombing and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The other individuals involved in the attack were also apprehended and convicted.