By José Carlos Palma *
Carlos the Jackal, whose real name is Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, had close ties with the Soviet Union’s intelligence agency, the KGB, throughout his career as a terrorist.
Ramírez Sánchez received training from the KGB in the late 1960s and early 1970s, which helped him to develop his skills in espionage, sabotage, and terrorism. The KGB saw him as a valuable asset and provided him with financial and logistical support for his activities.
Ramírez Sánchez also had a personal relationship with several KGB officers, including Yuri Andropov, who later became the head of the Soviet Union’s Communist Party. Andropov is said to have admired Ramírez Sánchez’s dedication to the cause of anti-imperialism and viewed him as a valuable ally in the struggle against Western capitalism.
Ramírez Sánchez’s close ties with the KGB allowed him to travel freely throughout the Soviet bloc and to receive support from communist governments and organizations around the world. He carried out attacks on behalf of various left-wing and anti-imperialist groups, including the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and the Organization of Arab Armed Struggle, which were both closely aligned with the Soviet Union.
However, it is important to note that Ramírez Sánchez was not a direct agent of the KGB, but rather a freelance operative who was able to capitalize on his connections to the agency and other communist organizations to carry out his attacks. In fact, the KGB distanced itself from Ramírez Sánchez after his capture, and denied any direct involvement in his terrorist activities.
Despite this, Ramírez Sánchez’s ties to the KGB have contributed to his legacy as a figure who embodied the Cold War-era struggle between East and West, and his story serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of allowing ideology to justify violence and terrorism.
There are several examples of Ilich Ramírez Sánchez’s ties to the KGB, including:
- Training: Ramírez Sánchez received training from the KGB in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was trained in espionage, sabotage, and terrorism, which helped him to develop his skills as a terrorist.
- Funding: The KGB provided financial support to Ramírez Sánchez for his activities. He received regular payments from the agency, which helped him to finance his operations.
- Logistics: The KGB provided logistical support to Ramírez Sánchez, helping him to travel freely throughout the Soviet bloc and to receive support from communist governments and organizations around the world.
- Personal relationships: Ramírez Sánchez had a personal relationship with several KGB officers, including Yuri Andropov, who later became the head of the Soviet Union’s Communist Party. Andropov is said to have admired Ramírez Sánchez’s dedication to the cause of anti-imperialism and viewed him as a valuable ally in the struggle against Western capitalism.
- Intelligence sharing: The KGB and Ramírez Sánchez exchanged intelligence information on a regular basis. The KGB provided him with information about potential targets and vulnerabilities, while Ramírez Sánchez provided the agency with information about his activities and contacts.
While Ramírez Sánchez was not a direct agent of the KGB, his close ties to the agency and other communist organizations allowed him to carry out his attacks with impunity and to receive support from governments and organizations around the world. These ties helped to shape his legacy as a figure who embodied the Cold War-era struggle between East and West, and serve as a reminder of the dangers of allowing ideology to justify violence and terrorism.
* Expert in international relations, such as foreign policy, international trade, domestic security, international security, developing nations, and domestic security, intelligence, and military.