US RESPONSE TO TERRORISM AGAINST INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION (FROM CONTEMPORARY TERRORISM - SELECTED READINGS, 1978, BY JOHN D ELLIOTT AND LESLIE K GIBSON SEE NCJ-48724)

• NCJ Number: 48735
• Author(s): R G BELL
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 15 pages
• Corporate Author: International Assoc of Chiefs of Police
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: REPRINTED FROM ORBIS, V 19, N 4 (WINTER 1976)

Annotation

VARIOUS UNITED STATES ATTEMPTS TO DEVISE DETERRENTS TO AIRPLANE HIJACKING AT AN INTERNATIONAL LEVEL ARE REVIEWED AND UNILATERIAL ACTIONS ARE DESCRIBED, WITH THEIR EFFECTIVENESS ANALYZED.

Abstract

THE INITIAL U.S. RESPONSE TO HIJACKING COMBINED LEGAL AND TECHNICAL (PHYSICAL SECURITY) COUNTERMEASURES. PUBLIC LAW 87-197, APPROVED IN 1961, MADE 'AIRCRAFT PIRACY' A FEDERAL CRIME PUNISHABLE BY DEATH OR NOT LESS THAN 20 YEARS IMPRISONMENT. THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) DEPUTIZED 20 OF ITS FLIGHT STANDARDS BRANCH EMPLOYEES AS U.S. MARSHALS AND ASSIGNED THEM TO HIGH-RISK FLIGHTS. ATTEMPTS TO GAIN INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION WITH DETERRENT MEASURES ADMINISTERED THROUGH THE INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION ORGANIZATION PROVED INEFFECTIVE. IN 1968, 18 AIRCRAFT WERE HIJACKED, AND THE FAA CONSIDERED PHYSICAL SECURITY MEASURES TO KEEP HIJACKERS OFF PLANES; HOWEVER, CONSIDERATIONS OF PASSENGER CONVENIENCE POSTPONED THE USE OF PHYSICAL OR ELECTRONIC SCREENING UNTIL 1972, UNDER THE IMPETUS OF A WAVE OF HIJACKINGS. NATIONAL LAWS HAD LITTLE DETERRENT EFFECT DUE TO THE SANCTUARIES PROVIDED TO HIJACKERS BY SOME COUNTRIES. EFFORTS TO CHANGE THIS CONDITION THROUGH VARIOUS INTERNATIONAL PRESSURES FAILED. THE 1972 IMPLEMENTATION OF PASSENGER SCREENING DEVICES MARKED THE END OF HIJACKING OF AMERICAN AIRLINERS. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE PRICE OF FUTURE AVIATION SECURITY IS CONSTANT VIGILANCE. NOTES AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB) ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)