Being a leader in the modern world comes with a whole lot of responsibility and with responsibility comes scrutiny. A high profile job, heading a state or a government is always going to be risky as there would be many security issues that will arrive. Be it the most powerful post in the world, the seat of the American presidency, or a common political position in a third world country, being in the public eye and making important decisions always entails security risks. Assassinating important people for personal or political enmity has been going on for centuries. Even in the modern world, with up-top safety measures, leaders are still not safe. From Abraham Lincoln to Mahatma Gandhi, here are 10 world leaders who were assassinated:
1. Abraham Lincoln: The 16th President of the United States of America, Abraham Lincoln was assassinated on April 14, 1865. Lincoln in 1862 issued the Emancipation Proclamation which sought to abolish slavery. His killer John Wilkes Booth was an outspoken advocate of slavery. On April 26, 1865, Booth was shot dead by Federal troops after he refused to surrender.
2. Martin Luther King Jr: Martin Luther King Jr was a social activist who led the civil rights movement during the 1950s until he was assassinated in 1968. His contribution was paramount in removing the legal segregation of African-American people in parts of the USA. His killer James Earl Ray was a small-time crook and robber who had served prison time. Ray shot King, who was standing on the balcony of a motel room.
3. Marie Francois Sadi Carnot: President of France from 1887 to 1894, Marie-Francois Sadi Carnot was assassinated on June 25. His presidency tenure came at an uncertain time for France and yet, Carnot managed to maintain his popularity throughout. However, he was killed by Sante Geronimo Caserio – an Italian anarchist – by stabbing Carnot in the liver while he was giving a speech at Lyon.
4. Mahatma Gandhi: One of the most famous leaders in the world, Mahatma Gandhi was a lawyer and social activist, who was killed on 30 January 1948. Gandhi was the main perpetrator of the Indian Independence Movement against the Britishers during the early and mid 20th centuries. He was shot 3 times in the chest by a young fanatic called Nathuram Godse while Gandhi was going to attend a prayer ceremony in New Delhi.
5. Aldo Moro: Aldo Moro was the 38th President of Italy from 1963 to 1968 and was killed on May 9, 1978. He was abducted by a left-wing fanatic group who demanded the release of their imprisoned comrades. The Italian government refused to set them free and thus Moro was kept detained for 2 months by the group. He was later shot more than 10 times and killed.
6. John F Kennedy: John F Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States from 1961 to 1963 was killed on November 22nd, 1963. He served during the Cold War and spent much of his time looking after his countries’ relations with Russia. His death, infamously recalled by many people in the government at that time, came in front of a huge crowd as he was riding in an open-top vehicle. His killer, Lee Harvey Oswald sniped him aiming for his head and killed him on the spot. Oswald was later arrested.
7. Yitzhak Rabin: Yitzhak Rabin was an Israeli politician who served as the Prime Minister of Israel for two terms, first from 1974 to 1977 and then from 1992 until his death on 4 November 1995. He was an advocate of peace and independent Palestine and was working for the same. However, his killer Yigal Amir—a right-wing Jewish law student – shot Rabin as he left a peace rally.
8. Benazir Bhutto: Prime Minister of Pakistan from 1988 to 1990 and again from 1993 to 1996, Benazir Bhutto was the woman leader in the world to head a Muslim majority country. However, after 9 years of exile, she returned in 2007 to contest elections once more. Two weeks before the elections, she was shot at a rally, and subsequently, an explosive went off resulting in her death soon after and killing 20 others.
9. Indira Gandhi: Daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru and India’s first woman Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi served for 15 years – from 1969 to 1984 – until her death. Indira had carried out a military attack in Punjab for clearing out separatists that were demanding Khalistan. She was shot by two of her own bodyguards, Satwant Singh and Beant Singh, on the morning of 31st October 1984.
10. Rajiv Gandhi: Former Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi, who served as the President from 1984 to 1989 was killed in May, 1991. The assassination was carried out by Thenmozhi Rajaratnam, a member of the Sri Lankan separatist organization. Rajaratnam strapped a bomb around him and blew it up, killing Rajiv Gandhi and at least 14 others.
