Posted on 06/29/2004 3:44:14 PM PDT by Friend of thunder
'German police foil attempted hijack' 11.17PM, Tue Jun 29 2004
German special forces are reported to have stormed a plane in Munich after three men attempted to hijack an Istanbul-bound flight.
The pilot was reportedly able to return the plane, which was carrying 150 passengers, to Munich airport.
A German television station said the pilot hit an alarm button after the plane, run by the company Free Bird, had been in the air for ten minutes.
It said none of the passengers were hurt when special forces overpowered the three kidnappers.
One of the would-be hijackers is said to have jumped from the plane onto the tarmac.
OUch! He might be cut or bruised. The Germans will now award this "militant" theie 'purpurrotes Herz' (purple heart).
Forgive my ignorance but were the German forces on the plane or did they get on after the plane landed?
Do we know when this attempted hijacking took place, i.e. what time of the day?
I'm surprised the passengers didn't beat them to death and throw their bodies out of the plane over the Med.
I don't see a time on any of the reports right now.
"when special forces overpowered the three kidnappers"
It's a good thing there were special forces on board.
This should but probably won't open the eyes of those nations who don't support the Iraq war. Just because they abstain from getting involved does not mean that they are free from terrorists.
Oops -- I missed the first line that special forces stormed the plane after it landed.
I think the SF guys stormed the plane after it returned to the airport.
I'm guessing this was a lame-ass attempt at hijacking, not a pro job. If SF guys stormed it immediately that means the guys were not armed with weapons, bombs, etc. Normally if the hijackers are armed they will wait it out on the tarmac.
Fox News is about to cover this story next.
it is beginning to look that way. The fact that the plane could turn around and land implies that the hijackers were not in full control.
Total speculation: this will be blamed on three immigrants who will be referred to as "asylum seekers" and authorities will deny that there is anything remotely "terroristic" about the incident. There will be some crazy story about the men wanting the plane to take them to Norway or some other non-threatening locale.
Move along, nothing to see.
Google has news going back about 1 hour.
Let's hope this was just one hijacking attempt, and not part of a wider wave.
It explains why one of the hijackers was able to jump from the plane onto the tarmac after being in the air for 10 minutes. Must of had strong legs.
No, he left this morning (EDT).
My first thought was that it was part of more (hijacking is risky business these days) but because it was, apparently, so poorly done I hope – I pray – it is isolated.
What, not Stairway to Heaven?
And no 72 virgins for those three.
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