The terrorist attack at Beirut Airport 41 years ago refers to the June 14, 1985 flight 847 of the American Global Airlines Boeing 727, carrying 153 crew members and passengers, from Athens, Greece to Rome, Italy, was abducted by two terrorists over the Mediterranean Sea, demanding the release of more than 700 Shiites and other prisoners held in Israeli prisons.
The incident was a high-profile terrorist incident. Here's a closer look at the incident:
1. Overview of the event
On June 14, 1985, TWA Flight 847 was hijacked by terrorists en route from Athens, Greece to Rome, Italy. The terrorists, who have ties to Allah, first flew their planes to Beirut, Lebanon, where they exchanged several hostages for gasoline.
Second, the course of the incident
First hijacking: After the plane was hijacked, the terrorists who hijacked the plane were later identified as the Lebanese Allah terrorist group (Lebanon established an Islamic political and military organization "Allah" with the help of Iran to resist Israel), and the terrorists each carried grenades and 9 cm pistols and demanded that the plane fly to Beirut, the capital of Lebanon.
Hostage exchange: In Beirut, terrorists exchanged several hostages for gasoline needed for the plane.
Flight to Algiers: After that, the plane flew to Algiers, Algeria, where more passengers were released.
Killing of Robert Stethem: In Beirut, terrorists recognized Robert Stethem, a diver in the US Navy, who beat and shot him before dumping his body on the tarmac. The flight then returned to Algiers, released some of the hostages, and then returned to Beirut on the 16th.
Return to Beirut again: Seventeen days later, on June 30, after negotiations between the Syrian authorities, the remaining hostages were released and sent by the American Red Cross to Damascus, the Syrian capital, where they flew to West Germany on a U.S. Air Force transport plane, ending a long and severe hijacking with impunity for the rioters (Lebanon was in the midst of a civil war and Allah controlled part of the situation). Two years later, Mohammed Ali Hammadi, the mastermind of the hijacking, was arrested in the bombing of Frankfurt Airport in Germany. Two days later, two Germans were kidnapped in Lebanon, and the gangsters tried to exchange the German government for Hamady not to be extradited by the United States for trial.
Final release of passengers: The remaining passengers were driven to Syria in Beirut, where they were put on a US Air Force plane and flown to West Germany.
3. Impact of the incident
The hijacking of TWA Flight 847 not only shocked the international community, but also raised fears about terrorist activities. The incident shows how terrorists can use civil aircraft as a tool to achieve their political or religious ends, while also exposing the fragility of the international aviation security system.
Fourth, follow-up development
Since this incident, the international community has intensified its crackdown on terrorist activities, and countries have also strengthened aviation security measures to ensure the safety of civil aircraft. In addition, the incident has prompted the international community to pay more attention to and intervene in the situation in Lebanon in order to maintain peace and stability in the region.
Overall, the Beirut hijacking was a serious terrorist incident that not only caused great harm to the victims and their families, but also had a profound impact on the international aviation security system and international counter-terrorism cooperation.