Americans and U.S. institutions have long been favorite targets for terrorists. Some notable attacks since 1983:

Yemen, October 2000.
A bomb blast tears through the destroyer USS Cole in the Yemeni port of Aden, killing 17 sailors.

Kenya and Tanzania, August 1998.
U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania are bombed, killing 263 and injuring 5,000.

Lebanon, June 1998.
Rocket-propelled grenades explode near the U.S. Embassy in Beirut. No injuries.

Saudi Arabia, June 1996.
A truck bomb kills 19 U.S. troops living at a base near Dhahran.

Scotland, December 1988.
A terrorist bomb destroys a Pan Am 747 over Lockerbie, killing 259 on board and 11 on the ground.

Greece, April 1986.
Four people are killed in an explosion aboard a TWA passenger jet approaching Athens.

Germany, April 1986.
A blast in a West Berlin disco kills two and injures 150.

Rome and Vienna, December 1985.
Airport attacks at U.S. and Israeli airport check-in desks kill 16.

Mediterranean Sea, October 1985.
Terrorists aboard the Achille Lauro cruise ship kill an American and toss his body overboard.

Germany, August 1985.
A car bomb at an American base in Frankfurt kills two and injures 20.

El Salvador, June 1985.
A machine gun attack at a cafe kills 13, including six Americans.

Spain, April 1985.
An explosion at a restaurant near an American air base in Madrid kills 18 Spaniards.

Lebanon, October 1983.
A car bomb kills 241 U.S. troops at the Beirut airport.

Lebanon, April 1983.
A bombing at the U.S. Embassy in Beirut kills 63.