Three armed Arab terrorists continued to hold 90 passengers and 10 crew members of a hijacked Belgian Sabena air-liner hostage at Lydda Airport tonight as they bargained with Israeli officials over the radio for the release of Arab terrorists imprisoned In Israel. The terrorists threatened to blow up the plane and all aboard unless their demands were met. About 45 of the passengers are believed to be Israelis and other Jews.
Defense Minister Moshe Dayan and Army Chief of Staff David Elazar arrived at the airport shortly after the plane landed at 7 p.m. local time. The Belgian Ambassador was also present as a Sabena official communicated with the terrorists via radio in the Lydda Airport control tower.
Israel’s Transport Minister Shimon Peres was at the airport. He said the terrorists presented a “long list” of names of prisoners they want released. The number was not disclosed. Efforts were being made to persuade the hijackers to release the passengers. But by 11 p.m. local time apparently no progress was made.
WAS ON BRUSSELS-TEL AVIV FLIGHT
The plane was hijacked this afternoon after it took off from Vienna on the second stage of a Brussels-Tel Aviv flight. It was not certain whether the terrorists, who claimed to be members of the Palestinian Black September organization, boarded the Boeing 707 Jet at Brussels or Vienna. There was no armed guard on the plane.
The airliner was shunted to a side runway where it was bathed in floodlights and surrounded by police, security forces, ambulances and fire-fighting equipment. Israeli troop re-enforcements were rushed to the scene this evening. They blocked all roads leading to Lydda Airport, letting through only ticket-holding passengers. But traffic at the airport was reported normal. During the evening hours most flights are incoming. The Black September organization is an offshoot of Dr. George Habash’s Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. It has claimed responsibility for several hijacks, most recently that of a Lufthansa Jumbo jet which it held for ransom.
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