<a href="terrorist_organizations_by_country.asp?id=255">Federal Republic of Germany</a>, <a href="terrorist_organizations_by_country.asp?id=265">German Democratic Republic</a>, <a href="terrorist_organizations_by_country.asp?id=GM">Germany</a>

In the 1980s, the German Democratic Republic provided logistical support, training, and safe haven to the Red Army Faction

The Red Army Faction is the name assigned to the terrorist successors of the Baader-Meinhof Group.  In a confusing interplay of names, the Red Army Faction was the original name of the Baader-Meinhof Group.  However, Baader-Meinhof Group became the organization's assigned name for the period 1968-1977.  The Baader-Meinhof Group essentially ceased to exist in 1977 with the multiple suicides of its original leaders.  Following the deaths, the remaining followers of the Baader-Meinhof Group reverted to its original name, the Red Army Faction.  The Red Army Faction would terrorize Germany from 1978 until 1992.  <P> The Red Army Faction loosely followed a Communist ideology.  The group targeted German business and political leaders, as well as U.S. military facilities.  While the group's membership at any given time was estimated at only 10 to 20 people, the Red Army Faction carried out numerous deadly terrorist acts.  The group was never successful in its goal of creating additional socialist states in Europe

By the early 1990s, the Red Army Faction had largely run out of steam.  On April 10, 1992, the group issued a communique that declared a conditional cease-fire.  Six years later, on April 20, 1998, the Red Army Faction officially announced the dissolution of their group.

Lebanese Armed Revolutionary Faction -- Ally
New Red Brigades/Communist Combatant Party -- Splinter Group
Popular Forces of April 25 -- Ally (Suspected)

Armed Communist Combatants, Italian Red Brigade, Red Regiments

The Red Brigades were founded on rigidly Marxist-Leninist principles.  This radical leftist group advocated violence in the pursuit of class warfare.  Concentrated in Italy, the Red Brigades targeted businessmen and politicians and were a notable terrorist threat in Italy during the 1970s and early 1980s.  Due to developments during its existence, the Red Brigades took on some qualities of anarchist groups while still propagating its especially virulent and violent Communist philosophy.  In the end, the Red Brigades' increasingly brutal attacks eroded the support of those sympathetic with the group's Communist ideals.