WEEKLY TERRORISM HIGHLIGHTS #22

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP87T00434R000300240070-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 6, 2010
• Sequence Number: 70
• Publication Date: June 24, 1985
• Content Type: REPORT

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/05/06: CIA-RDP87T00434R000300240070-2
Bureau of Intelligence and Research
rn Report
June 124, 1985
Weekly Terrorism_Highlighte #22
1. LEBANON: The Hijacking of TWA 847.
Elements of the pro-Iranian radical Lebaruese Shiite group,
Hizballah (Party of God) are involved in the continuing
detention of American passengers from the hijacked TWA 847. it
s still not clear. however, if Hizballah was responsible for
the original takeover of the plane. Many in Beirut now believe
1 Amal was in fact responsible for the hijacking.
One of the original hijackers briefly held by Greek
authorities asserted that he and his accomplices were engaged
n what was essentially a freelance operation to obtain the
release of relatives held in Israel. We note, however, that
their statements made from the plane had a distinct Hizballah
coloration (e.y.'blaming the US for the May 18 explosions in
Riyadh).
In any case it is clear from
statements by Amal strongman Nabin aryl to officials, that
armed Hizballah elements subsequently boarded in Beirut. Barri
e so stated that he placed some of his o owers on a plane
n an attempt to control the situation better.
Amal and Hizballah have been engaged in a cold war in which
each is attempting to gain the allegiance of the Shiite man
with a gun. Much of this battle has centered in South Lebanon,
where both have been seeking to appear as protectors of the
Shiite population against the Israelis. The demand that Israel
release its more than 700 Shiite prisoners is part of this
ongoing campaign. Barri obviously feels that if he is
perceived to t)e abandoning a chance to free the detainees he
will suffer a setback.
SECRET/NOFORN/NOCONTRACT/ORC9N/EXDIS
DECL: OADR
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/05/06: CIA-RDP87T00434R000300240070-2
State Dept. review completed