October 17: On This Day in World History … briefly
After being refused permission by the Syrian government to dock at Tartus, the hijackers singled out Klinghoffer, a Jew, for death, shooting him in the forehead and chest as he sat in his wheelchair.
1985: Italy’s Achille’s heel
The Italian government under Socialist Bettino Craxi fell from power as a consequence of it’s inept handling of the ‘Achille Lauro’ affair. The cruise ship, carrying 454 passengers, was hijacked by Palestinian terrorists on October 7, 1985. They threatened to blow it up if 50 Arab prisoners held in Israeli prisons were not released. After tortuous negotiations, the release of the ship and its passengers, minus elderly man Leon Klinghoffer whom the terrorists had murdered, was secured and the Palestinians promised its safe passage to Tunis.
On the orders of President Ronald Reagan, US jet fighters intercepted the terrorists’ plane, forcing it to land in Sicily. The US were keen to apprehend Mohammad Abbas, the mastermind of the hijack, suspected of many other terrorist attacks. US forces and the Italian carabinieri then clashed over who had the right to arrest the hijackers. The US bowed to Italian sensitivities. Abbas was arrested and allowed into neighbouring Yugoslavia by Italian authorities.
Most notable historic snippets or facts extracted from the book ‘On This Day’ first published in 1992 by Octopus Publishing Group Ltd, London, as well as additional supplementary information extracted from Wikipedia.
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