In both the 1970’s and the 1980’s, airline terrorism and hijacking became a top threat worldwide. On June 17, 1976, Operation Entebbe began at the Entebbe Airport in Uganda. Air France Flight 139, carrying 238 passengers and 12 crew members, departed from Athens heading for Paris. Shortly after the 12:30 pm take off, two Palestinian members of the PFLP and two Germans hijacked the plane and redirected it to Benghazi, Libya. At 3:15 pm the plane arrived at the Entebbe Airport where four other hijackers waited and demanded the release of 40 Palestinians on the flight from Israel, Kenya, France, Switzerland, and West Germany. If these orders were not followed, the hostages would be killed on July 1st. Jews were further separated from the group. If one was non-Jewish, the hijackers allowed them to depart for their intended destination, however Captain Mical Bacos stated that everyone was his responsibility and he would not leave. Despite this statement, they were forced to divide, leaving 83 hostages in Entebbe. The Israeli government ultimately became involved and approved a rescue plan on July 3rd. By midnight the following day, Israeli forces were in the terminal and shot the four hijackers. The hostages were now free to board the plane, but when doing so, Ugandan soldiers started to shoot. Fire was returned and the hostages flew to Paris on July 4, 1976. Along with hijacking, bombing was a severe concern for air transp
ortation. On December 21, 1988, the Pan American Flight 103 bombing occurred over Lockerbie, Scotland. Thirty-one minutes after the flight took off from London’s Hearthrow International Airport, the plane exploded. All 259 passengers and crew were killed, along with 11 residents of Lockerbie. Because the plane originated in Frankfurt, Germany, investigators know that the explosives were packed into luggage in Frankfurt. It is not fully known why the bombing of Lockerbie occurred and who was responsible. It is suspected however that either Iran or Libya formulated the incident. These suspicions are not random, there are specific reasons for why these two countries may have placed the explosive on the flight. In 1986, an Iranian passenger jet was bombed by an American aircraft carrier the USS Vincennes. It is said that this was an error, but it does not change the fact that all of 290 people on board were killed. It is also an idea that Iran paid the Palestinian Front for the Liberation of Palestine to perform the Pan American 103 bombing. Beginning in 1985, Libya and the United States have had a series of aircraft attacks. When the Abu Nidal group striked Rome’s and Vienna’s airport on December 27, 1985, the United States sank two Libyan ships. Multiple bombings continued until 1986, therefore it is theoretical that Libya may be responsible for the Pan American bombing. Nonetheless, both airplane hijacking and bombing are precautions that flyers had to be aware of in the 1970’s and 1980’s due to the numerous attacks occurring globally.
ortation. On December 21, 1988, the Pan American Flight 103 bombing occurred over Lockerbie, Scotland. Thirty-one minutes after the flight took off from London’s Hearthrow International Airport, the plane exploded. All 259 passengers and crew were killed, along with 11 residents of Lockerbie. Because the plane originated in Frankfurt, Germany, investigators know that the explosives were packed into luggage in Frankfurt. It is not fully known why the bombing of Lockerbie occurred and who was responsible. It is suspected however that either Iran or Libya formulated the incident. These suspicions are not random, there are specific reasons for why these two countries may have placed the explosive on the flight. In 1986, an Iranian passenger jet was bombed by an American aircraft carrier the USS Vincennes. It is said that this was an error, but it does not change the fact that all of 290 people on board were killed. It is also an idea that Iran paid the Palestinian Front for the Liberation of Palestine to perform the Pan American 103 bombing. Beginning in 1985, Libya and the United States have had a series of aircraft attacks. When the Abu Nidal group striked Rome’s and Vienna’s airport on December 27, 1985, the United States sank two Libyan ships. Multiple bombings continued until 1986, therefore it is theoretical that Libya may be responsible for the Pan American bombing. Nonetheless, both airplane hijacking and bombing are precautions that flyers had to be aware of in the 1970’s and 1980’s due to the numerous attacks occurring globally. Operation Entebbe. 26 May 2009
"Pan Am Flight 103 Bombing over Lockerbie, Scotland." About.com. 28 May 2009
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