NCJ Number
43712
Journal
Newsweek Volume: 90 Issue: 18 Dated: (OCTOBER 31, 1977) Pages: 48-50,52-56
Date Published
1977
Length
8 pages
Annotation
WEST GERMANY'S HANDLING OF THE HIJACKING OF A LUFTHANSA AIRCRAFT IN OCTOBER 1977 IS RECOUNTED IN AN ARTICLE FOCUSING ON THE INCREASED USE OF FORCE IN ANTITERRORIST ACTIVITIES.
Abstract
IN THE LUFTHANSA INCIDENT, 29 GERMAN COMMANDOS SUCCESSFULLY USED 'NUMB' GRENADES TO RELEASE 86 HOSTAGES THREATENED WITH EXECUTION BY 3 TERRORISTS. THE NIGHTIME RAID TOOK PLACE AT THE AIRPORT AT MOGADISHU, SOMALIA, AFTER THE HIJACKED PLANE'S 4-DAY, 6,000-MILE JOURNEY, DURING WHICH HIJACKERS EXECUTED THE PILOT OF THE PLANE IN FULL VIEW OF THE PASSENGERS. AFTER THE RAID, 3 OF THE 13 TERRORISTS WHOSE RELEASE WAS DEMANDED BY THE HIJACKERS WERE FOUND DEAD IN THEIR PRISON CELLS IN STUTTGART. LEFT-WING DEMONSTRATIONS AND ANTI-GERMAN FIRE-BOMBINGS IN A DOZEN EUROPEAN CITIES FOLLOWED, AS DID DISCOVERY OF THE BODY OF A GERMAN INDUSTRIALIST WHOSE KIDNAPPERS HAD DEMANDED THE RELEASE OF THE SAME TERRORISTS NAMED BY THE HIJACKERS. DETAILS OF THE HIJACKING AND OF THE COMMANDO RAID ARE PRESENTED. A CHART SUMMARIZING ACTS OF TERRORISM THROUGHOUT THE WORLD IS INCLUDED, TOGETHER WITH A REVIEW OF ANTITERRORIST ACTIVITIES IN ISRAEL, WEST GERMANY, FRANCE, THE UNITED STATES, AND ELSEWHERE. PARTICULAR ATTENTION IS DRAWN TO THE GROWING TENDENCY TO MEET FORCE WITH FORCE IN ANTITERRORIST EFFORTS. COUNTRIES IN WHICH AIRPORT SECURITY IS PARTICULARLY LAX ARE CITED. PHOTOGRAPHS ILLUSTRATE THE ARTICLE.