Abu Nidal's ANO, which had moved its operations from Iraq to Syria, and finally Libya, is held responsible for several terrorist attacks against both Arab and Israeli diplomats and government representatives in the Middle East and Europe.

It also is alleged to carry out bombings, commando raids, and hijackings, including that of an Egyptian airliner to Malta on November 23, 1985.

Ninety-eight passengers and crew are held hostage by the terrorists at Luqa, Malta.

The terrorists shoot five passengers, two of whom die.

An ill-planned assault by Egyptian Force 777 commandos results in some fifty-seven passengers being killed when the terrorists set off explosives in the aircraft.

Fathi ash-Shiqaqi, the leader of Islamic Jihad, is killed when five shots are fired into his head at point-blank range.

The assassination, carried out by two gunmen on a motorcycle, takes place in Sliema, a seaside town in Malta.

Shiqaqi, who was traveling home to Syria after holding meetings with Colonel Muammar al-Qaddafi in Libya, is not positively identified until October 29 because he was carrying a Libyan passport and was using an alias.

The Islamic Jihad, which has taken responsibility for terrorist attacks against Israel in the past, accuses the Israeli secret service of plotting the assassination and vows to take revenge.

Slovenia enters the European Union on May 1, 2005, together with ...

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...Estonia.

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