An Israeli passenger on the hijacked El Al Boeing on its way to Lydda Airport, who was among those flown to Paris from the Algiers airport because he had kept an Austrian passport, described here today how he had quietly eaten piecemeal during the flight to Algiers a picture of him and Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Dayan which he feared would cause his detention.
Dr. Jacob Low of Zichron Yaacov had been on his way home from Tokyo where he had attended an international conference. After the Arab terrorists took control of the airliner over Italy, Dr. Low began eating the photograph and managed to finish the “meal” before the plane was landed at Algiers airport. Because of the Austrian passport, Algerian officials considered Dr. Low a foreign national and released him. He flew back to Israel this morning.
Dr. Low related that the passengers who were flown to Paris saw the crew of the Boeing 707 for the last time when the crew members passed by near a window of the room in which the departing passengers were held. He asked one of the crew whether Israel knew about the hijacking and added that one of the hostesses nodded. He also reported that the passengers and crew had been divided into three groups by their Algerian captors – the crew, Israelis and holders of foreign passports.
Israeli officials said an examination of the Boeing’s manifest and passenger list indicated that three of the passengers were unaccounted for and that they presumably were the hijackers.
One was named Fazal, who had an India passport. Another was named Shimiyoun, with an Iranian passport, and the third was named Gachkoob with an India or Iranian passport. Officials said that it appeared that at least one of the three was a former resident of Jaffa. The terrorist who captured the plane’s cockpit was reportedly a Syrian Air Force officer.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
