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the world over have oow escalated
tbeir violence in the skíes to the
point that no passenger from any
nation is safe from auack.
For example,
1
recently inter–
viewed an American college co-ed
who was nearly the victim of an air–
port massacre in another country.
Last summer, she arrived at Lod
airport , en route to Jerusalem, only
hours after 26 people, many of
whom were from Puerto Rico, had
been gunned down in a bloody
shoot-out. She had tried to get on an
earlier ftight - the one involved in
the tragedy. Fortunately for her, she
was unsuccessful.
Air terrorism is the major thrust
of tlús oew forro of intemational
conflict which threatens to spread
out of control. Aircraft have been
commandeered from every part of
the world - from Mexico, Turkey,
Czechoslovakia, Japan, the Middle
East, and Russia, as well as from the
United States. Skyjackings, airline
bombings, and airport assassina–
tions have become chief weapons in
the terrorist's political arsenal.
Política! groups everywhere now
employ airborne terror as a "legiti–
mate instrument of war." Their dar–
ing escapades have transformed
airports in major parts of the world
into virtual armed camps. Armored
cars often line airport runways
where arriving ftights land. The
planes are then sometimes accom–
panied by armed outriders as they
taxi to their terminals.
Airborne desperados have cost
the world's airlines millions, jeopar–
dized the lives of thousands, and
cost the üves of hundreds. They've
outraged whole govemments by the
6
audacity of their bold demands.
How the Terrorists See lt
Most people find it difficult to un–
derstand why air pirates skyjack,
bomb, and
kili.
Such acts to them
seem to accomplish little or nothing
and only result in the loss of lives.
But terrorists themselves don't
view it this way. To them, their acts
are vitaL Política! skyjackers hold
strong grievances against govern–
ments they regard as corrupt and
oppressive. Yet, lacking the military
or political means to carry out their
objectives through conventional
routes, they feel they must resort to
skyjacking and aerial terrorism as
their main tools. They view itas any
other military operation.
Terrorists and skyjackers have
found that one of the most vulner–
able points in man's technological
world is the jetliner cruising at
35,000 feet. The unguarded airport
and parked airliner have also
proved vulnerable.
The seizure of an aircraft in ftight
publicizes the terrorist's own cause
in a way no other military activity
can.
It
often forces the release of po–
litical prisoners or the banding over
of huge sums of ransom money.
Terrorists even resort to the
slaughter of hapless civilians if,
in
their eyes, it becomes necessary.
They will not spare passengers, even
women and children, if they feel
their own women and children have
not been spared eitber in violent at–
tacks against tbem or the groups
they represent.
Most terrorists will stop at noth–
ing to further their misguided goals.
Many are prone to suicide, murder,
or other manifestations of erratic
behavior.
It
only follows that eacb
act of air piracy presents, in the
words of one official, "a combat sit–
uation. You never know what is go–
ing to happen."
Far More Dangerous Today
Airbome terrorism could precipi–
tate a chain reactioo among nations
which could lead to grave military
consequences. Terrorism, before the
age of air travel , has started wars.
Tbe assassination of Archduke Fer–
dinaod in 1914 sparked World War
l.
This act was the final culmination
of a whole series of terrorist out–
bursts which led up to the first glo–
bal conflagration.
In the generation or so before
1914, globa l terror bad begun to
skyrocket. Dozens of intluential
world leaders were cut down in cold
blood. That incredible list included
the President of the Unüed States,
the Czar of Russia, the President of
France, the King of ltaly, the Prime
Minister of Spain, and the Empress
of Austria. Terrorists also blew up a
worker's cafe in París, bombed reli–
gious demonstrations in Italy, and
attacked the French National As–
sembly. Then carne the killing of the
Archduke and World War
l.
Today, we are witnessing a ftare–
up in global violence which poses a
far more dangerous problem than
anything in the past. The sophis–
ticated weaponry currently in the
hands of both govemments and pro–
testing groups alike is a much
greater tbreat lo world peace than
were tbe weapons in the hands of
terrorists and govemmenls before
World War
l.
One U.N. delegate has gone so
far as to warn that future terrorists
might procure biological agents or
stolen nuclear weapons lo blackmail
govemments.
A Vicious Cycle
The effecls of airborne terror con–
cero everyone. But have we ever
stopped to consider the
real causes
of tbis growing dilemma?
Most often cited are two surface
causes which are held directly re–
sponsible. The
first
concerns the fact
that each act tends to foster other,
more dangerous incidents.
For example, one roan decides to
divert a plane to Cuba, and soon af–
terward others begin to foUow suit.
Another threatens to bomb a jet-
PLAIN TRUTH April 1973