Hijacking and Hostages

Terrorism and its manifestations continue to evolve, becoming deadlier and more menacing. This study considers the evolution of terrorism since 1968 and how airlines and governments have attempted to deal with this form of violence through a series of nonforce strategies. Using historical examples, we see how governments, particularly the United States, attempted to counter politically motivated aerial hijacking with metal detectors, legal means, and, finally, in frustration, counterviolence operations to subdue terrorists. As nations witnessed aerial hijacking and sieges, the requirement for paramilitary and military counterterrorist forces became a necessity.Through use of examples from Israel (Entebbe 1976), West Germany (Mogadishu 1977), and Egypt (Malta 1985), Taillon concludes that cooperation—ranging from shared intelligence to forward base access and observers—can provide significant advantages in dealing with low-intensity operations. He hopes to highlight those key aspects of cooperation at an international level which have, at least in part, been vital to successful counterterrorist operations in the past and, as we witnessed again in the campaign in Afghanistan, are destined to remain so in the future.

.,."thorough and well documented....The case studies have value for graduate students, researchers, and specialized readers."-Choice, ?...thorough and well documented....The case studies have value for graduate students, researchers, and specialized readers.?-Choice, ?[w]hat to do and what not to do when confronting a complex terrorist situation that involves the rescue of innocent civilians.?-Political Science Quarterly, ?[P]olicy makers, commentators and those who simply wish to gain a deeper and informed understanding of dealing with terrorism ought to examine what has worked, what hasn't and why. Taillon's book makes a timely and highly effective contribution to this cause....[i]t is written in a restrained and incisive style yet it holds the reader's interest from beginning to end.?-Western Centennial, ?This book is recommended to anyone concerned with issues of counterterroism, from policymaker to practitioner to student, any of whom will find this book interesting and caluable insight into the present and future war against terrorism. It is also a good primer to Taillon's first book, The Evolution of Special Forces in Counter-Terrorism: The British and American Experiences, that promotes the value of special forces as an effective tool for governments in hostage and other terrorist situations. While this book is a subsequent publication, it provides the broader international framework in which the discussion on the British and American experiences in the earlier book can be better appreciated.?-Marine Corps Gazette

J. PAUL de B. TAILLON is Adjunct Professor at the Royal Military College of Canada. He is the author of The Evolution of Special Forces in Counter-Terrorism: The British and American Experiences (Praeger, 2001).