The '''Independent Order of Vikings''' is a [[Swedish Americans|Swedish-American]] [[List of civic, fraternal, service, and professional organizations|fraternal organization]] promoting Swedish and culture and language. It was founded in [[Chicago]] the 1890s and has members throughout the [[United States]].
{{Infobox terrorist attack
|title=2006 Tel Aviv shawarma restaurant bombing
|image=
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|coordinates = {{coord|32|3|34.62|N|34|46|42.42|E|display=inline}}
|location="Rosh Ha'ir" shawarma restaurant, [[Tel Aviv]], [[Israel]]
|target=<!--CITE the target otherwise its POV, OR and Synthesis-->
|date=April 17, 2006
|time-begin=
|time-end=
|timezone=
|type=[[suicide attack]]
|fatalities=11 civilians
|injuries=70 civilians
|perps=[[Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine|Islamic Jihad]]
}}
The '''2006 Tel Aviv shawarma restaurant bombing''' was a [[suicide bombing]] which occurred on April 17, 2006 in the "Rosh Ha'ir" [[shawarma]] restaurant in [[Tel Aviv]]. 11 people were killed in the attack and 70 people were injured.
Authorities differ as to the order's date of foundation. [[Alan Axelrod]] states that it was founded on June 2, 1890, in Chicago,<ref>[[Alan Axelrod]] ''International Encyclopedia of Secret Societies and Fraternal Orders'' New York; Facts on File, inc 1997 p.253</ref> while [[Alvin J. Schmidt]] states it was founded in 1896, at the same city.<ref>Schmidt, Alvin J. ''Fraternal Organizations'' Westport, CT; Greenwood Press p.348</ref>
The Palestinian Islamist militant organization [[Islamic Jihad]] claimed responsibility for the attack.
==The attackBenefits ==
On Monday, April 17, 2006, around 1:30 pm, a Palestinian suicide bomber approached a crowded fast food restaurant near the old central bus station of Tel Aviv in the southern part of the Neve Shaanan neighborhood. The suicide bomber blew himself up when the security guard stationed at the entrance to the restaurant asked him to open his bag for inspection.
The group provides insurance benefits, as well as organizing events celebrating Swedish traditions and culture. These activities have included languages classes on Scandinavian languages as well as song and dance programs for traditional Scandinavian music and dance. Lodges have also sponsored bowling and golfing events.<ref>Schmidt p.348</ref>
The blast killed 11 people and injured more than 70. Two of the victims died after they had arrived at [[Ichilov Hospital]] in Tel Aviv. Of the wounded, six were seriously hurt, 12 sustained moderate wounds, while the rest were lightly injured.
Its charitable activities have included participating in blood drives, visiting hospitalized and sick members and sponsoring scholarships.<ref>Schmidt p.348</ref> By 1923 it operated a home for aged members.<ref>Preuss, Arthur ''A Dictionary of Secret and other Societies'' St. Louis: B. Herder Book Co. 1924; republished Detroit: Gale Reference Company 1966; pp.193-4</ref>
=== Fatalities ===
* Philip Balhasan, 45, of Ashdod<ref>[http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-+Obstacle+to+Peace/Memorial/2006/Tel+Aviv+April/Philip+Balhasan.htm Philip Balhasan]</ref>
* Rozalia Beseneyi, 48, of Romania<ref>[http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-+Obstacle+to+Peace/Memorial/2006/Tel+Aviv+April/Rosalia+Basalia.htm Rozalia Beseneyi]</ref>
* Piroşca Boda 50, of Romania<ref>[http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-+Obstacle+to+Peace/Memorial/2006/Tel+Aviv+April/Pirosca+Boda.htm Piroşca Boda]</ref>
* Marcel Cohen, 73, of Nice, France<ref>[http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-+Obstacle+to+Peace/Memorial/2006/Tel+Aviv+April/Marcel+Cohen.htm Marcel Cohen]</ref>
* Ariel Darhi, 31, of Bat Yam<ref>[http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-+Obstacle+to+Peace/Memorial/2006/Tel+Aviv+April/Ariel+Darhi.htm Ariel Darhi]</ref>
* Victor Erez, 60, of Givatayim<ref>[http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-+Obstacle+to+Peace/Memorial/2006/Tel+Aviv+April/Victor+Erez.htm Victor Erez]</ref>
* Binyamin Haputa, 47, of Lod<ref>[http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-+Obstacle+to+Peace/Memorial/2006/Tel+Aviv+April/Binyamin+Haputa.htm Binyamin Haputa]</ref>
* David Shaulov, 29, of Holon<ref>[http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-+Obstacle+to+Peace/Memorial/2006/Tel+Aviv+April/David+Shaulov.htm David Shaulov]</ref>
* Lily Yunes, 43, of Oranit<ref>[http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-+Obstacle+to+Peace/Memorial/2006/Tel+Aviv+April/Lily+Yunes.htm Lily Yunes]</ref>
* Lior Anidzar, 26, of Tel Aviv – died of his wounds on May 13.<ref>[http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-+Obstacle+to+Peace/Memorial/2006/Tel+Aviv+April/Lior+Anidzar.htm Lior Anidzar]</ref>
* Daniel Wultz, 16, of Weston, Florida, USA – died of his wounds on May 14.<ref>[http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-+Obstacle+to+Peace/Memorial/2006/Tel+Aviv+April/Daniel+Wultz.htm Daniel Wultz]</ref>
The group provides [[life insurance]] and other financial products to its members as well as conducting social activities celebrating [[Scandinavia]]n [[culture]].<ref>Schmidt p.348</ref> By 1923 it did business in [[Illinois]], [[Indiana]], [[Michigan]] and [[Nebraska]].<ref>Preuss p.193</ref>
== The perpetrators ==
Palestinian group [[Islamic Jihad]] has claimed responsibility for the attack and identified the bomber as Sami Salim Hamad, an Islamic Jihad activist from the village of [[Qabatiya]] in the [[West Bank]].
== Membership ==
After the attack the [[Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine|Islamic Jihad]] published a video tape in which the militant organization stated that the attack was carried out by the 21-year-old Palestinian Sami Salim Hammad from the village of [[Araqah]], who infiltrated into Israel from the [[West Bank]].
In 1923 the order was open to men of Swedish birth or descent and had 10,643 benefit members and 58 social members.<ref>Preuss p.194</ref>
== Official reactions ==
;Involved parties
{{Flagu|Israel}}
* Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Gideon Meir stated that Israel held [[Hamas]] responsible for the attacks, accusing the Hamas of "giving support to all the other terrorist organizations".<ref>[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12351695/ns/world_news-mideast_n_africa/t/suicide-bomber-kills-nine-tel-aviv/ Bomber kills 9 in Tel Aviv - World news - Mideast/N. Africa - msnbc.com]</ref>
By the 1970s membership was open to Swedes, people of [[Swedish diaspora|Swedish descent]] or a person married to the same. There were 10,500 members in the mid 1960s and 9,500 in 1978.<ref>Schmidt p.348</ref> There were 9,300 members in 1995.<ref>Axelrod p.253</ref>
{{Flagu|Palestinian territories}}:
* [[Hamas]], which [[Palestinian legislative election, 2006|won the Palestinian general elections on 25 January 2006]], refused to condemn the attack, and instead described the attack as an act of this [[self-defense]].<ref>[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article706400.ece Palestinian suicide bomber kills eight in Tel Aviv]</ref>
* Khaled Abu Helal, spokesman for the Hamas-led Interior Ministry, called the attack "a direct result of the policy of the occupation and the brutal aggression and siege committed against our people."<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2006/apr/18/israel Suicide bomber strikes Tel Aviv | World news | The Guardian]</ref>
== Organization ==
;International
* {{Flagu|United States}}: The [[George W. Bush|Bush]] administration has strongly criticized the attacks, calling it "a despicable act of terror for which there is no excuse or justification."<ref>[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12351695/ns/world_news-mideast_n_africa/t/suicide-bomber-kills-nine-tel-aviv/ Bomber kills 9 in Tel Aviv - World news - Mideast/N. Africa - msnbc.com]</ref>
The order is organized on a two-level structure. Local chapters are called "lodges" and the national body is the "grand lodge" which meets biennially. There were 80 lodges in the mid-1960s and 63 in 1978. The head officer is called the grand chief. In 1979, the headquarters of the group were in Chicago, Illinois, though now it appears to be based in [[Springfield, Illinois]].<ref>Schmidt p.348</ref><ref>''[http://www.iovikings.org/Journals/Viking%201st%20Qtr%202013.pdf Viking Journal]'' Vol 113, No 1 March 2013 p.2</ref>
In the early 1920s the order's "Grand Lodge" was located at 80 W. Washington Street, Chicago and there were 58 subordinate lodges.<ref>Preuss p.194</ref>
== See also ==
* [[2002 Herzliya shawarma restaurant bombing]]
Edward Myrbeck, the founder of a Viking Club in [[Braintree, Massachusetts|Braintree]], served as grand chief of the Independent Order of Vikings from 1963 to 1965. He was later knighted by [[Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden]] for "cultivating" relations between Sweden and the United States. Following Myrbeck's death in July 1995, the Independent Order of Vikings held a service in honor of him.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=231911|title=Edward Myrbeck Dies at 83|date=July 21, 1995|work=[[The Harvard Crimson]]|accessdate=2009-06-29}}</ref>
{{Wikinews|Explosion in Tel Aviv injures at least 40, kills at least 8}}
*[http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/MFAArchive/2000_2009/2006/Suicide+bombing+at+Tel+Aviv+shawarma+restaurant+17-Apr-2006.htm Suicide bombing at "Rosh Ha'ir" shawarma restaurant in Tel Aviv] - published at the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs
* [http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2006-04-17-palestinian-bomber_x.htm Palestinian bomber was 21-year-old dropout] - published on [[USA Today]] on April 17, 2006.
* [http://msnbc.msn.com/id/12351695/ Suicide bomber kills nine in Tel Aviv] - published on [[MSNBC]] on April 17, 2006.
* [http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3240687,00.html 9 killed in Tel Aviv blast] - published on [[Ynetnews]] on April 17, 2006.
{{Terrorist attacks against Israelis in the 2000s}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hammad, Sami}}
* [http://www.iovikings.org/ Official website]
[[Category:Terrorist incidents in Israel in 2006]]
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Second Intifada]]
[[Category:Swedish-American culture]]
[[Category:Organizations established in 1896]]
[[fa:سامر مسیح حماد]]
[[Category:Ethnic fraternal orders in the United States]]
[[Category:1890s establishments in Illinois]]
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