Counterterrorism Efforts Against the Abu Nidal Organization (ANO)

By: Aaron Barden

Overview

Sanctions on State Sponsors

New Policies in Europe

Use of Covert Ops

Sanctions on State Sponsors

LibyaUN sanctions after bombing of Pan Am

103 in 1988US executive order from President

Reagan

SyriaHeavy sanctions by international

communityKept Syria away from being allied with

US

New Policies in Europe

PolandAction plan to improve cooperation

in intelligence gathering

United KingdomNew law allowing police to arrest

members and seize property of certain terrorist groups

Use of Covert Ops

US CTC used sleeper cells to fuel Nidal’s paranoiaThe Abu Nidal Handbook

US domestic monitoring of ANO sympathizersFound Zein al-Abdeen Hassan Isa, which

led to shutdown of St. Louis Cell of ANO

Jordanian security forces captured Nidal’s familyThreatened execution if he continued

activity in Jordan

Conclusions

Abu Nidal killed himself in 2002

Efforts were extremely effectiveLast notable act of terror was in

1991

Remains on the terror watch list but is widely considered inactive