Assassination

Assassination can be defined as murder for a political end, often by an non-interested agent. It has been justified, sometimes even urged, as a revolutionary means, especially when no other way of overthrowing the establishment seems viable. As assassinations are stealthily carried out, the intended victim can never fully protect himself. Contract murders (by paid assassins) of people's spouses and other relatives, rivals and personal enemies are also well reported.

The 'Golden Age' of political assassinations began in 1865 with the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and continued with an assassination virtually every year until 1901 when another USA President, William McKinley, was killed. Recent assassinations include Anwar Sadat, president of Egypt, in 1981; Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1984; and the attempts on Pope John Paul II and President Ronald Reagan (USA), both in 1981; and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (UK), 1984.

In 1995, Moscow's police chief revealed that contract killings are one of Russia's growth industries -- up from 102 in 1992 to 289 in 1993 and 562 in 1994. The killers are increasingly professional and cold about killing; many are former employees of the army, police or KGB. Many of the contract murders are part of an all-round protection service that private security companies are offering their clients; between 1992 and 1995, over 8,000 such companies had appeared in Russia, involving an estimated 1.3 million people. In one in three cases where a weapon is used, the criminals claim to be employees of a private security company.