DISPOSITION OF PERSONS INVOLVED IN INTERNATIONAL TERRORIST INCIDENTS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP86T00608R000200080001-2
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 15
• Document Creation Date: November 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 16, 1999
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: February 1, 1975
• Content Type: REPORT

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No Foreign Dissem
Disposition of Persons Involved
in International Terrorist Incidents
February 1975
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Warning Notice
Sensitive Intelligence Sources and Methods Involved
NATIONAL SECURITY INFORMATION
Unauthorized Disclosure Subject to Criminal Sanctions
Classified by 055664
Exempt from General Declassification Schedule
of E.O. 11652, exemption category:
? 5B(1)i (2), and (3)
Autor.iotical doclossifled on:
date impossible to determine
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DISPOSITION OF PERSONS INVOLVED IN
INTERNATIONAL TERRORIST INCIDENTS
The following is a listing by country of the disposition
of persons who were involved in international terrorist inci-
dents from 1970 through mid-February 1975. At present, 21 per-
sons are being held by the following seven countries: Egypt,
Israel, Lebanon, Mexico, Norway, Paraguay, and the United King-
dom. Among the 140 persons who were released, only 11 are
known to have completed prison sentences. Forty-seven persons
escaped punishment by being granted safe passage during a ter-
rorist operation. Eleven others were released on the demands
of fellow terrorists. In some cases the final disposition of
the terrorist is not known. Each incident has been reported
in detail in the Weekly Situation Report on International Ter-
rorism.
Argentina. On 26 July 1974 Argentina announced that it
was extraditing to Mexico the two hijackers, an American and
a Guatemalan, who diverted a Braniff Airlines jet on 2 July
1971 from the U.S. to Mexico and then to Buenos Aires. The
Mexican government, which had paid the hijackers a ransom for
the release of the passengers, requested their extradition.
The number of Argentinian terrorists imprisoned for attacking
foreigners in Argentina is not known.
Australia. On 6 September 1973 a Fatah official docu-
mented as a Somali businessman was arrested in Melbourne,
Australi.,'., after customs officials discovered his suitcase had
a false bottom capable of holding arms. Under interrogation
lie admitted he was the Fatah representative in Somalia and had
transported arms for terrorists. He was convicted on 18 Sep-
tember on a charge of having false documents and sentenced to
six months in prison. On 25 September lie was deported to
Somalia.
Austria. Two fedayeen teams of three persons each were
arrested in late January 1973 while preparing an operation
against the Schoenau transit camp for Soviet Jewish emigres
in Vienina. One team was given a four-month suspended sentence
and expelled to Syria on 8 March 1973. The other team was
expelled from Austria on the charge of misusing Israeli pass-
ports arnd was flown to Beirut on 29 March 1973.
Two fedaycen terrorist seized four hostages aboard a
train at Marchegg, Austria, on 28 September 1973. After
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receiving a promise that the Austrians would close the Schoe-
nau transit camp, the terrorists released their hostages and
were flown to Libya on 19 September. In Deem ber 1973 Libya
announced that the two terrorists had been released to fight
in the war against Israel.
Brazil. On 15 September 1973 Brazil released a fedayeen
terrorist wwho was involved in an attempt to sabotage an El Al
aircraft in London in August 1.971. and who hued been held by
Brazilian authorities since 3 October 1972 ,or possession of
false documents.
Cyprus. On 9 April 1973 eight fedaye(:n terrorists at-
tacked an El Al aircraft aid the Israeli Ambassador's resi-
dence in Nicosia. One terrorise, died froir wounds, and the
other seven were sentenced to seven years imprisonment. On 6
December 1973 they were released and flown to Cairo, but later
departed for an unspecified Arab country. There is no further
information on their whereabouts.
Dominican Republic. On 27 September 1974 seven members
of the 12th of January Liberation Movement seized the Venezue-
lan Consulate in Santo Domingo and held seven hostages for 13
days. After releasing their hostages the terrorists were
flown to Panama, where a security officer said they will be
treated as exiles.
France. On 14 March 1973 French customs officials ar-
rested two fedayeen 1,"ho had explosives concealed in their car,
to be used in an operation against the Jordanian Embas:-y in
Paris. Two accomplices in Paris also were arrested. All four
were later deported.
Five terrorists seized the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Par.;.s
on 5 September 1.973 and held 13 hostages until tliey were
granted safe conduct out of France. They flew to Kuwait where
they were detained until October, when the press reported that
the five had departed, possibly for Syria, to fight against
Israel.
On 19-20 December 1973, 14 terrorists--mostly members of
'the Turkish Popular Liberation Front who were cooperating with
the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP)--were
arrested in a villa outside Paris. The terrorists had gre-
nades, explosives and equipment to make false documents. Pour
were interrogated and released by the French police without
2
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charge and it is presumed three left France; the fourth is a
Paris restaurant owner. The remaining ten terrorists received
sentences ranging from five to 13 months. The time already
served in prison was deducted from the sentences, and all
presumably are now free.
On 19 January 1975 three terrorists attempted unsuccess-
fully to attack an El Al plane at Orly airport. They held 10
hostages overnight, and demanded a plane and crew to fly them
out of France. French authorities provided an aircraft and
the terrorists eventually landed at Baghdad, where they sur-
rendered to Iraqi authorities. Iraq has refused to turn them
over to the PLO for trial.
Greece. The two members of Ahmad Abd-al-Ghaffur's Libyan-
based group who attacked the passengers in the Athens airport
transit lounge on 5 August 1973 were sentenced to death by a
Greek court on 23 .January 1974. Their sentences were commuted
to life imprisonment on 23 April 1974. Greece expelled them
on 5 May 1.974 to Libya. The two gunmen were apparently freed,
however, since one of them was with Abd-al.-Ghaffur when he was
killed in Beirut on 13 September 1974.
An armed fedayeen terrorist who attempted to break into
the Athens office of the Israeli airline El Al on 19 July 1973
and seized hostages at a nearby hotel was granted safe passage
by Greek authorities, who accompanied him to the Athens air-
port. He boarded a flight for Kuwait and left Kuwait for an
undisclosed destination on 20 July.
Israel. The Israelis are currently holding four persons
involved in international operations. Life sentences were
given to two BSO operatives involved in the hijacking of a
Sabena airlines jet to Tel Aviv on 8 May 1972 and to the lone
Japanese survivor of the 30 May 1972 Lod airport massacre. On
9 December 1974 an Israeli court sentenced the Greek Catholic
Archbishop of Jerusalem to 12 years in prison for smuggling
arms to Fatah guerrillas in Israel.
Three Dutch citizens were arrested in Israel on 29 Septem-
ber 1974 for carrying several false passports and literature
on the manufacture of bombs. It is not known whether they are
still being held or have been expelled from Israel. Israeli
authorities reduced the sentences of two French women saboteurs
who were convicted in April 1971 for possession of explosives,
and deported them from Israel on 20 December 1974. Three other
3
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Europeans who were convicted with the two women had already
been deported. It is assumed that the Israelis are holding
a ':urge number of fedayeen arrested for cross-border or in-
ternal operations or seized during armed clashes on the Is-
raeli-Lebanese border. These incidents are not considered a
part of this report.
Italy. Two Iranian terrorists arrested at Rome airport
on 4 April 1973 for carrying arms were sentenced to four years
and one month and granted provisional liberty. A fedayeen
terrorist who killed a local employee of E1 Al Airlines in
Rome on 27 April 1973 is believed to have been granted provi-
sional liberty. Two Arabs who were inj'tred on 17 June 1973
when a bomb detonated in their car were .lso granted provi-
sional liberty. There is no further information on a PFLP
member arrested on 13 August 1973 for smuggling automobiles.
All terrorists released under provisional liberty status are
believed to have left Italy with the tacit consent of the
authorities.
Two of the five fedayeen arrested by Italian police on
S September 1973 for possession of two Strela missiles were
released on bail in late October 1973 and were flown t,) Libya
in an Italian government plane on about 11 November. The
other three were sentenced in February 1974 to five years and
two months imprisonment but were granted provisional liberty
on 28 February. It is assumed that they quietly left Italy.
Five fedayeen, members of Ahtnad Abd-al-Gha.ffur's group,
firebombed a Pan American jetliner at Rome's Fiumicino Airport
on 17 December 1.973 and than hijacked a Lufthansa aircraft,
taking hostages with then. The terrorists finally surrendered
to Kuwait authorities. On 2 March 1.974 the terrorists were
flown front Kuwait to Cairo where they were to be tried by the
PLO, but Egyptian authorities did not release the group to
the PLO. On the demand of the four fedaycen who hijacked a
British plane from Dubai to Tunis on 22 November 1974, the
live Rome terrorists were flown to Tunis and on 7 December
1974 went to Libya with the hijackers and two other terrorists
released by the Netherlands, Libya reportedly imprisoned all
eleven, but later they appeared to be at liberty in Libya.
Jordan. On 18 September 1973 King I-Iusayn announced a
general amnesty for Palestinians and other persons arrested
during the September 1970 civil war in Jordan and those ac-
cused of political crimes since 1970. Those released included
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the 17 BSO terrorists arrested on 9 February 1973 in connec-
tion with a plot against the U.S. Embassy in Amman. Jordan
probably is holding other persons arrested since the amnesty
for internal or cross-border terrorist operations.
Kuwait. Four terrorists who occupied the Japanese Embas-
sy in Kuwait and seized the Japanese Ambassador and his staff
as hostages on 6 February 1974 were granted safe conduct by
the Kuwaiti government. On 8 February the four commandos flew
to Aden.
Lebanon. In late September 1973, as a gesture of recon-
ciliation toward Syria, Lebanese authorities released two
Sa'iqa terrorists who were arrested at Beirut International
Airport on 30 August when they attempted to board a flight to
Prague with concealed weapons in their luggage ar.d with false
passports.
Two members of the Shibbu gang, also known as the Leba-
nese Socialist Revolutionary Organization, who seized the
Beirut branch of the Bank of America on 18 October 1973 and
killed two hostages, were sentenced by a Lebanese military
court on 9 March..1974, one receiving the death sentence and
the other life imprisonment. Another member of the gang was
apprehended by Lebanese authorities for attempting to bomb the
Pan American Airways office in Beirut on 2 August 1974.
A KLM ground crew employee and five fedayeen were ar-
rested at the Beirut airport on 14 March 1974 for planning to
hijack a KLM plane bound for New Delhi and Tokyo. The dispo-
sition of this case is not known.
Six PFLP terrorists were arrested or, 13-14 November 1974
when they attempted to bomb a Beirut automobile agency spe-
cializing in American cars.
Because of the concentration of fedayeen in Lebanon,
Lebanese authorities may be holding other fedayeen for vari-
ous reasons and also Israelis involved in border clashes or
incursions.
Libya. In early August 1974 Libyan leader Colonel
Mu'ammar Qadhafi dismissed the charges against the three
fedayeen and one Japanese who had hijacked a Japan Airlines
plane and blew it up in Benghazi on 24 July 1973. Reuters
reported that the hijackers had been released and were at
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liberty in Damascus where they arrived on 13 August 1974.
The four apparently have complete liberty, since they were
also reported to have traveled to Aden and Beirut.
Malawi. On 21 May 1974 the Malawi government released
and deported to Zambia two Lebanese hijackers who had seized
a South African airliner on 24 May 1972, on a flight from
Salisbury to Johannesburg, and diverted the plane to Blantyre.
The hijackers were motivated by criminal rather than political
reasons. The hijackers had been sentenced In September 1972
to 11 years imprisonment, the maximum penalty under Malawi
law. They subsequently went to Cairo.
Morocco. In early October 1974 Moroccan authorities
arrested 15 BSO terrorists who were plotting to assassinate
King Husayn and possibly other Arab heads of state at the
Arab Summit Conference in Rabat. The entire group was re-
leased and expelled to Cairo where they were probably turned
over to the PLO.
Netherlands. Two terrorists -ho hijacked a British Air-
ways (BA) plane to Amsterdam on 3 March 1974?were sentenced
to five years imprisonment on 6 June 1974. TT.?y were re-
leased on 24 November 1974 and flown to Tunis as part of an
agreement reached with four terrorists who hijacked a BA
plane at Dubai on 22 November. On 7 December the two terror-
ists went to Libya with the four hijackers who had demanded
their release and five other terrorists released from Egypt.
The two hijackers apparently are at liberty in Libya.
Three members of the Japanese Red Army, who seized the
French Ambassador to the Netherlands and 10 other hostages
in The Hague on 13 September 1974 and demanded the release
of another JRA member from prison, were allowed to leave and
flew to Damascus.
Nicaragua. Ten members of the Sandinist National Libera-
tion Front (FS1.N) , who seized officials and diplomats attend-
ing a party in Managua on 27 December 1974, flew to Havana on
30 December with 14 FSLN members who were freed from prison at
their demand.
Norwa . Two Israelis convicted of espionage in the 21
July 1973 killing of a Moroccan residing in Norway were ex-
pelled to Israel in October 1974 after being quietly released
under a law permitting prisoners to be freed on probation
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after serving half their sentences. Three other persons con-
victed in this case are presumably still in prison.
Pakistan. Three gunmen who seized a Greek freighter and
hostages in Karachi on 2 February 1974 were given safe passage
on 4 February and put aboard a special flight to Cairo. The
next day they were flown to Libya.
Paraguay. The two Palestinians who killed an Israeli
diplomat's wife on 4 May 1970 are still in prison in Asuncion.
Although they once reportedly claimed to be Fatah members, it
is now believed that this was not a fedayeen-inspired incident.
On 4 Febru--iry 1975 a Paraguayan court granted a Colombian
request, initiated in July 1973, to extradite a Paraguayan
citizen who was one of two persons involved in the 30 May 1973
hijacking of a Colombian airliner. Ile is currently under ar-
rest in Paraguay.
Singapore. Four terrorists, two Arabs and two Japanese,
who at temr L nd to destroy oil storage tanks in Singapore on
31 January 1974 and then hijacked a ferry boat, holding three
crewmen hostage, were granted safe passage by the Singapore
government, on the demand of the terrorists who seized the
Japanese Embassy in Ku,iait. The terrorists were flown to
Kuwait on 7 February and flew on to Aden with the terrorists
who had obtained their release.
SS ain. Two Jordanians who were arrested on 17 October
1974 while transiting Spain with concealed weapons destined
for a BSO assassination plot in Rabat were released by Spanish
authorities on 24 October and expelled to France. They even-
tually returned to Beirut.
On 5 December 1974 a Spanish military court sentenced
three Croatian terrorists to 12 years in prison for hijacking
a Scandinavian Airlines aircraft from Sweden to Madrid on
15 September 1972. The hijacking had secured the release of
six other Croatians who were in Swedish custody for two ter-
rorist attacks in 1971 against Yugoslav diplomatic missions.
On 13 February 1975 Generalissimo Francisco Franco granted a
full pardon to the three hijackers. The six who had been
released in Sweden were permitted to leave Spain for Paraguay
on 23 June 1.974. Sweden has requested that three of them be
extradited to Sweden for the 1.971. murder of the Yugoslav Ambas-
sador. Paraguayan authorities have issued w;.rrants for their
arrest but they have not been found. Press stories speculate
that the men may have fled to Uruguay.
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Sudan. After prolonged legal delays the eight BSO ter-
rorists involved in the 2 March 1973 slayings of one Belgian
and two U.S. diplomats in Khartoum were sentenced to life
imprisonment. Two Fatah accomplices were released without
charge. President Numaryi reduced the sentence to seven
years, and the terrorists were flown to Cairo on 25 June 1974
to serve the remainder of their terms. The Egyptian govern-
ment, which has imprisoned the terrorists, has been under
pressure to turn them over to the PLO but has not yet done so.
Tunisia. Four fcdaycen terrorists who hijacked a British
Airways ;jetliner on 22 November 1974 From Dubai and landed at
Tunis agreed to be handed over to PLO custody on 7 December.
They left for Libya the same day with the seven fedaycen
released by Egypt and the Netherlands on their demand. The
four hijackers appeared to have freedom of movement in Libya
in mid-December 1974.
Turkey. On 26 December 1972 Turkish authorities arrested
two members of the BSO for attempting to cross the border into
Greece with arms hidden in their car for possible use against
Israeli installations and personnel in France. On 8 January
the Turkish government expelled the two terrorists to Syria,
their point of origin.
United Arab Emirates. Three hijackers seized a KLM plane
after take-off from Beirut on 25 November 1973 and landed at
Dubai, where they surrendered to UAIE officials on 28 November.
On 8 December the hi. j ackers were taken to Abu Dhabi where they
presumably were turned over to the PLO.
United Kingdom. A fedayeen terrorist allegedly on a mis-
sion to Stockholm was sentenced to 18 months in prison for
attempting to smuggle weapons into London on 24 December 1972.
Ile was released on 31 December 1.973 and put on a fl J.ght to
Baghdad.
A Libyan national arrested in London on 21. January 1.974
For possession of a gasoline bomb, possibly to be used against
the El Al office, was sentenced to two years on 19 July 1974
with a recommendation for deportation at the end of his sen-
tence. lie will be eligible for release on 23 May 1.975 if
maximum remission is granted for good conduct.
West Germany. The three BSO survivors of the Munich
Olympic massacre on 5 September 1972 were jailed to await
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trial, but several weeks later were released by two other
Palestinians who hijacked a West German jetliner. All were
flown to Libya and nothing has been heard of them since.
On 18 October 1973 West Berlin police arrested four
Arabs for possession of 20 pounds of plastic explosives. On
22 April 1974 one terrorist was sentenced to four years im-
prisonment and another to three years in juvenile detention.
Two were acquitted and expelled from West Berli'i. The two
prisoners remained in custody until 10 June 1974 when they
were released and deported to Cairo. West Berlin authori-
ties explained their action by citing intelligence informa-
tion that Palestinian terrorists intended terrorist acts to
force their release. The two left Cairo for Damascus on 12
June 1974. There is no further information on their where-
abouts or on the two previously deported from Germany.
Attached is a statistical summary of the eventual dispo-
sition of terrorists involved in the above incidents. It
shows the number known to have been arrested and indicates
whether they have been released or are still in custody, and
also shows the number of terrorists who escaped without ar-
rest--in most cases.because they were allowed 'ti depart to
another country in exchange for releasing hostages.
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SUMMARY OF ARRESTS AND RELEASES
Country
Arrested
Released
Allowed to Escape
Currently
Without Arrest
Held
Argentina
2
2
(extradited
to Mexico)
Austria
6
6
2
Australia
1 -
1
Brazil
1
1
Cyprus
7
7
Dominican Republic
7
Egypt
5
France
18
1.
8
Greece
2
2
1
Israel
*12
5
Italy
11
11
5
Jordan
17
17
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Country
Arrested
Released
Allowed to Escape
Currently
Without Arrest
Held
Yuwait
LE.hanon
*17
2
Libya
4
4
Malawi
Mexico
2
2
Morocco
15
15
Netherlands
Nicaragua
2
2
Norway
Pakistan
5
2
Paraguay
Singapore
3
Spain
11
11
Sudan
10
10 (8 expelled
to Egypt)
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Country
Turkey
United Arab
Emirates
United Kingdom
West Germany
Arrested Released Allowed to Escape Currently
Without Arrest Held
* i-j?sposition of some is unknown.
** Tht: totals are approximate since the disposition of some of the terrorists is not
known, and a few terrorists have been released by more than one country.
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