AERIAL TERRORISM (FROM INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM, 1978, BY GILBERT GUILLAUME AND GEORGES LEVASSEUR - SEE NCJ-59932)

• NCJ Number: 59932
• Author(s): G GUILLAUME
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 57 pages
• Corporate Author: Editions A Pedone
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Historical Overview
• Language: French
• Country: France

Annotation

THE TERRORIST THREAT AGAINST THE SECURITY OF CIVIL AVIATION IS EXAMINED, WITH PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO HIJACKING AND INTERNATIONAL AND CIVIL ANTITERRORISM LAWS.

Abstract

'HIJACKING' REFERS TO THE CAPTURE OF AIRCRAFT WHETHER IN FLIGHT OR ON THE GROUND, AND THE SUBSEQUENT DIVERSION OF ITS ORIGINAL DESTINATION TO THAT DESIRED BY THE HIJACKER. THE FIRST HJACKING OCCURRED IN PERU IN 1930, AND BY 1972, THE NUMBER OF HIJACKINGS PER YEAR ROSE TO 69, WITH A CONCENTRATION OF OCCURRENCES FIRST IN CUBA AND THE AMERICAS, THEN SPREADING TO THE MEDITERRANEAN BASIN IN LATER YEARS. THESE HIJACKINGS SERVED PRIMARILY AS AN ESCAPE MECHANISM, A MEANS FOR BLACKMAIL, OR AS A SYMBOL OF POWER WHEREBY THE HIJACKER ACHIEVES A SENSE OF SELF-AFFIRMATION. PREVENTATIVE EFFORTS BEGAN IN 1970 WITH RESOLUTIONS PASSED BY THE O.A.C.I. (INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF CIVIL AVIATION). THESE RESOLUTIONS SUCCEEDED IN RAISING THE FAILURE RATE FOR HIJACKINGS, BETWEEN 1968 AND 1974, FROM 20 TO 80 PERCENT. HOWEVER, AS HIJACKINGS AS A MEAN OF ESCAPE PERSISTED, COUNTRIES BANDED TOGETHER TO REVISE INTERNATIONAL LAWS, ESTABLISHING LEGISLATION FOR PURSUIT AND EXTRADITION AND CREATING A STRONGLY UNFAVORABLE INTERNATIONAL CLIMATE FOR THE HIJACKERS. THE TOKYO CONVENTION OF SEPTEMBER 14, 1963, FOCUSED ON ACTS COMMITTED IN AN AIRCRAFT; THE HAGUE CONVENTION PROPOSED RESOLUTIONS TO COMBAT THE ILLICIT CAPTURE OF AIRCRAFT ON DECEMBER 16, 1970; AND THE MONTREAL CONVENTION OF SEPTEMBER 23, 1971, WAS DEVOTED TO THE REPRESSION OF ALL ILLICIT ACTS DIRECTED AGAINST CIVIL AVIATION. AS COUNTRIES DEVELOPED MORE STRINGENT RULES REGARDING HIJACKINGS, INSURANCE POLICIES FOR AIRCRAFT AND PASSENGERS WERE FORMULATED. AS MORE COUNTRIES REFUSED TO RECEIVE HIJACKED AIRCRAFT AT THEIR AIRPORTS, DIVERTING THESE FLIGHTS TO OTHER TERRITORIES, MORE HIJACKERS IN FEAR OF THEIR OWN SECURITY, SURRENDERED. THE DILEMNA OF HOW TO PROTECT AIRLINE PASSENGERS POINTS TO THE NEED FOR FURTHER INTERNATIONAL ANTIHIJACKING AGREEMENTS. THE TEXT OF THE ARTICLES ADOPTED AT THE CONVENTIONS AND EXTENSIVE FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. --IN FRENCH. (MHP)