Lois Larson
On December 29, 1975, a bomb detonated near the TWA baggage reclaim terminal at New York City's LaGuardia Airport, killing 11 people and injuring 74 others. The attack, which remains unsolved, was one of the deadliest in the city's history and marked the beginning of a four-year period of heightened terrorism in the United States. Investigators have pursued various leads, considering groups such as anti-Yugoslavian Croatians, agents of the Yugoslavian government, the Mafia, the F.A.L.N., and the Jewish Defense League as potential perpetrators. Despite these efforts, the case has gone cold, and the identity of those responsible remains a mystery.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 29 December 1975 |
| Location | LaGuardia Airport, New York City |
| Target | TWA baggage reclaim terminal |
| Number of Deaths | 11 |
| Number of Injuries | 74 |
| Type of Bomb | TNT or plastic explosives, controlled by household items |
| Suspects | Anti-Yugoslavia Croatians, Yugoslavian government agents, Puerto Rican terrorists, Palestine Liberation Organization, Jewish Defense League, Mafia, F.A.L.N., Zvonko Bušić |
| Status | Unsolved |
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What You'll Learn
The bomb was made of TNT or plastic explosives
On December 29, 1975, a bomb detonated near the TWA baggage reclaim terminal at LaGuardia Airport in New York City. The blast killed 11 people and seriously injured 74 others. The bomb was placed in a coin-operated locker located next to the baggage carousels. The explosion blew the lockers apart, sending fragments flying across the room, causing all 11 deaths and injuring several others.
The bomb was made of either TNT or plastic explosives and was controlled by everyday household items such as a Westclox alarm clock and an Eveready 6-volt lantern battery. The investigation, led by Queens Chief of Detectives Edwin Dreher, included 120 NYPD detectives, 600 FBI agents, ATF agents, and Port Authority investigators. One of the leads was a paroled political activist who had been imprisoned for a previous bombing. The activist's brother had been arrested at LaGuardia on a fraud charge the day before the bombing.
Despite the extensive investigation, the crime remains unsolved. Investigators theorized that it might have been committed by anti-Yugoslavian Croatians or agents of the Yugoslavian government intending to discredit the opposition. There are also similarities between the LaGuardia bombing and the plane hijacking and bombing of the same airport the following year by Croatian terrorist group OTPOR. Convicted Croatian ultranationalist and terrorist Zvonko Bušić was considered a person of interest, but he was never charged in the airport bombing and denied any involvement.
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11 people were killed
On December 29, 1975, a bomb detonated near the TWA baggage reclaim terminal at New York City's LaGuardia Airport, killing 11 people and seriously injuring 74 others. The bomb, which was placed in a coin-operated locker located next to the baggage carousel, was made of either TNT or plastic explosives and was controlled by household items such as a Westclox alarm clock and an Eveready 6-volt lantern battery.
The blast killed 11 people, with most of the dead being airport employees, people waiting for transportation, and limo drivers. The force of the explosion ripped a 10-by-15-foot hole in the reinforced concrete ceiling of the baggage claim area and sent fragments of the lockers flying across the room, causing all 11 deaths. Others were injured by shards of glass from the terminal's plate glass windows, with the glass, smoke, and dust from the explosion obscuring the view of those trying to escape.
One witness, 27-year-old lawyer H. Patrick Callahan, described how he and his law partner had just gone back inside the terminal and were leaning against one of the columns when the bomb went off. He said, "The people who died were standing next to us." Callahan's hearing was damaged from the blast, and it did not return for a week. Another witness, businessman Mike Schimmel, described carrying a young lady in her 20s out of the smoke-filled terminal, her coat still smoking from the blast.
The investigation into the bombing, led by Queens Chief of Detectives Edwin Dreher, included 120 NYPD detectives, 600 FBI agents, ATF agents, and Port Authority investigators. Despite this extensive effort, the crime remains unsolved, with no group or individual claiming responsibility for the attack. Investigators theorized that it might have been committed by anti-Yugoslavia Croatians or agents of the Yugoslavian government intending to discredit the opposition. However, no conclusive evidence has been found, and the public may never know the truth behind this deadly attack.
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74 people were injured
On December 29, 1975, a bomb detonated near the TWA baggage reclaim terminal at New York City's LaGuardia Airport, killing 11 people and seriously injuring 74 others. The bomb, which was made of either TNT or plastic explosives, was placed in a coin-operated locker located next to the baggage carousel. The explosion sent locker fragments and shards of glass flying across the room, causing serious injuries to 74 people.
The force of the blast ripped a large hole in the reinforced concrete ceiling of the baggage claim area and started a fire that took over an hour to get under control. Many of those injured were likely in the vicinity of the baggage claim area, including airport employees, people waiting for transportation, and limo drivers.
The attack occurred during a period of heightened terrorism in the United States, and while there were various theories and investigations, no group or individual has ever been held responsible for the bombing.
The crime scene was significantly altered by first responders who were fighting fires and tending to the injured, making it challenging for investigators to gather evidence. The bomb was determined to be relatively primitive and homemade, which may suggest that it was not the work of professional or highly organised terrorist groups.
The bombing of LaGuardia Airport was a tragic and violent event that caused serious injuries to 74 people, in addition to the loss of 11 lives. The impact of the blast and the subsequent chaos left a lasting impact on those who experienced it and highlighted the deadly nature of terrorism during that time in American history.
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The crime remains unsolved
On December 29, 1975, a bomb detonated near the TWA baggage reclaim terminal at LaGuardia Airport in New York City. The blast killed 11 people and seriously injured 74 others, and to date, the crime remains unsolved.
The bomb, which was made of either TNT or plastic explosives, was placed in a coin-operated locker located next to the baggage carousels. Investigators believe the explosion was equivalent to 25 sticks of dynamite, and it blew the lockers apart, sending fragments flying across the room. Shards of glass from the terminal's plate glass windows also injured people. The bomb created a 10-by-15-foot hole in the reinforced concrete ceiling of the baggage claim area, and the subsequent fire took over an hour to get under control.
The attack occurred during a period of heightened terrorism within the United States, and 1975 was a particularly volatile year, with bombings in New York City and Washington, D.C., and two assassination attempts on President Gerald Ford. Investigators have considered several groups as potential perpetrators, including anti-Yugoslavian Croatians, agents of the Yugoslavian government, the Mafia, the F.A.L.N., the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), and the Jewish Defense League. However, there has been no conclusive evidence linking any of these groups to the bombing.
While there was speculation about the identity of the perpetrators, the investigation stalled and failed to produce any serious suspects. Despite the efforts of numerous detectives, FBI agents, ATF agents, and Port Authority investigators, the LaGuardia Airport bombing remains a cold case, and it seems unlikely that those responsible will ever be brought to justice.
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The attack occurred during a period of heightened terrorism in the US
On December 29, 1975, a bomb detonated near the TWA baggage reclaim terminal at New York City's LaGuardia Airport, killing 11 people and injuring 74 others. The bomb, which was made of either TNT or plastic explosives, was placed in a coin-operated locker located next to the baggage carousels. The subsequent blast blew the lockers apart, sending fragments flying across the room and creating a wave of shrapnel that caused all 11 deaths. The force of the explosion also shattered the terminal's plate glass windows, with shards of glass injuring several people.
The attack occurred during a four-year period of heightened terrorism within the United States. 1975 was a particularly volatile year, with bombings in New York City and Washington, D.C., and two assassination attempts on President Gerald Ford. The LaGuardia Airport bombing was the deadliest attack by a non-state actor on American soil since the 1927 Bath School bombing, which killed 45 people. It was also the deadliest attack in New York City since the 1920 Wall Street bombing, which killed 38 people, until the September 11 attacks in 2001.
The investigation into the LaGuardia Airport bombing was the largest criminal investigation in the NYPD's history at the time, involving 120 NYPD detectives, 600 FBI agents, ATF agents, and Port Authority investigators. Despite the extensive investigation, the crime remains unsolved to this day. Investigators theorized that it might have been committed by anti-Yugoslavian Croatians or agents of the Yugoslavian government intending to discredit the opposition. Other suggested perpetrators included the Mafia, the F.A.L.N., the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), and the Jewish Defense League, although no evidence linked these groups to the attack.
The bombing had a significant impact on airport security and public awareness of terrorism. Airports across the country, including in Washington, Cleveland, and St. Louis, received hoax bomb threats in the wake of the attack, leading to evacuations. The LaGuardia Airport bombing also sparked a broader discussion about the rise of terrorism in the United States and the need for improved security measures to protect the public.
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Frequently asked questions
On December 29, 1975, a bomb detonated near the TWA baggage reclaim terminal at LaGuardia Airport in New York City, killing 11 people and injuring 74 others.
To date, the crime remains unsolved. Investigators have considered several groups, including anti-Yugoslavian Croatians, agents of the Yugoslavian government, the Mafia, the F.A.L.N., the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), and the Jewish Defense League. However, no conclusive evidence has linked any of these groups to the attack.
The bombing was one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in American history at the time, surpassed only by the 1927 Bath School bombing. It caused extensive damage to the airport terminal, ripping a hole in the reinforced concrete ceiling and shattering windows. The blast and resulting shrapnel led to fatalities and severe injuries, with many suffering from severed limbs and hearing damage.
The exact motive remains unknown, especially as no group has officially claimed responsibility. Investigators speculated that it could be linked to discrediting political opposition or broader tensions involving groups like the PLO and their pursuit of Palestinian rights.
The investigation was led by Queens Chief of Detectives Edwin Dreher and involved 120 NYPD detectives, 600 FBI agents, ATF agents, and Port Authority investigators. They determined that the bomb was made of TNT or plastic explosives and was detonated using household items like an alarm clock and battery. Despite the extensive investigation, the case remains cold, with no suspects identified beyond initial speculation.
