Abu Nidal Organization:

The Abu Nidal Organization is also known by several other names, such as: Fatah Revolutionary Council, Arab Revolutionary Brigades, Black September, or Revolutionary Organization of Socialist Muslims. It is an international terrorist organization that was founded by Sabri al-Banna, otherwise known as Abu Nidal. The organization split from PLO in 1974 and is made up of various functional committees. These include: political, military and financial committees. Founder Abu Nidal died in Baghdad in November 2002 and it is now unclear who the new leader of the organization is ("Abu Nidal," 2004).

The Abu Nidal Organization has carried out terrorist attacks in 20 countries and has killed or injured nearly 1,000 people in those attacks. Primary targets include the United States, United Kingdom, France, Israel, moderate Palestinians, the PLO, and a variety of Arab countries. They were responsible for the attacks on the Rome and Vienna airports in December of 1985, the Neve Shalom synagogue in Istanbul, and the Pan Am Flight 73 hijacking in Karachi, in September of 1986. They have not staged a major attack against Western targets since the late 1980s ("Abu Nidal," 2004).

Abu Nidal has a few hundred members with limited overseas support. The group has had a presence in Iraq since December of 1998. The organization has demonstrated the ability to operate in multiple areas, however, financial problems and disorganization have reduced their activities and abilities ("Abu Nidal," 2004).

Hizballah:

Hizballah in Arabic means Party of God. They are a terrorist organization based in Lebanon, with the primary objective of fighting Israel in south Lebanon. While many Western governments consider Hizballah an Islamic terrorist organization, some European countries, Arab and Muslim nations consider the organization a legitimate, militant, Shia political party ("Hizballah").

Hizballah was founded in 1982 as a guerilla group, by Lebanese clerics, with financial backing from Iran. Their mission was to oppose the 1982 Iraeli invasion of Lebanon, and has since been working...

They were responsible for the attack on the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut in 1983, killing 241 people, and the attack on the U.S. Embassy in 1983, which killed 63 people ("Hizballah," 2005).
Similarities and Dissimilarities Between the Groups:

There are several similarities within the three groups that are clearly apparent. First, all three groups are Islamic organizations. Second, they all three have chosen paths of violence as means to their desired ends. And, third, they have common enemies, primarily Israel and other countries such as the United States, which they feel by supporting Israel oppresses Muslims.

Their dissimilarities are not as pronounced. Al Qaeda has become the most visible group with their attacks on September 11th that have forever changed the was America handles terrorist organizations. Abu Nidal is currently not as active as the other two organizations. And, Hizballah operates primarily within Lebanon, as opposed to the multi-national attacks seen in the other two organizations. However, despite these differences, the common radical belief system that condones the killing of innocents as an acceptable solution to a religious and political dispute is something that will never escape America's attention again.