List of hostage crises

The Balcombe Street Siege was an incident involving members of the Provisional IRA (Irish Republican Army) and the London Metropolitan Police lasting from December 6 to December 12, 1975. It started as a running gun battle through the city as police pursued Hugh Doherty, Joe O'Connell, Eddie Butler and Harry Duggan through the streets of London after they had attacked Scotts Restaurant in Mayfair for the second time. The attack was the latest in a campaign of bombings and shootings throughout London that lasted for more than a ...

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The Achille Lauro was a passenger liner, most remembered for its 1985 hijacking. Ordered in 1938, her keel was laid in 1939 at Vlissingen, Netherlands, for Rotterdamsche Lloyd. Interrupted by World War II and two bombing raids, the ship was not launched until July 1946 as the Willem Ruys. Completed in late 1947, she began her maiden voyage on December 2, 1947. She was 192 metres in length, 25 metres in beam, 8.9 metres high and weighed 21,110 tons fully loaded with 900 passengers and crew. She had 8 Sulzer engines ...

Including:

• Achille Lauro - The hijacking

Read more here: » Achille Lauro: Encyclopedia - Achille Lauro

USS Pueblo, AGER-2 is a United States ship, famous for being boarded and captured by soldiers of North Korea in 1968 in what is known as the Pueblo incident. The USS Pueblo, still held by North Korea today, remains a commissioned vessel of the US Navy. The ship was launched at the Kewaunee Shipbuilding and Engineering Company Kewaunee, Wisconsin on 16 April 1944 as U.S. Army cargo ship FS-344. She was transferred to the US Navy in 1966 and renamed USS Pueblo. Initially, she served as a ...

Including:

• USS Pueblo AGER-2 - Activity and conflict near Korea
• USS Pueblo AGER-2 - Aftermath
• USS Pueblo AGER-2 - Tourist attraction
• USS Pueblo AGER-2 - North Korean offers to repatriate the USS Pueblo

Read more here: » USS Pueblo AGER-2: Encyclopedia - USS Pueblo AGER-2

In January 1968, North Korean forces seized the Pueblo. US Naval authorities insist that before the capture, Pueblo was miles outside North Korean territorial waters. The crew affirms the assertion that the spy ship was operating from international waters. The mission statement allowed her to approach within a nautical mile (1.9 km) of that limit. On January 5, 1968, Pueblo left for Sasebo, Japan. She left Sasebo on January 11 with specific orders to intercept and conduct surveillance of Soviet naval activity in ...

See also:

USS Pueblo AGER-2, USS Pueblo AGER-2 - Activity and conflict near Korea, USS Pueblo AGER-2 - Aftermath, USS Pueblo AGER-2 - Tourist attraction, USS Pueblo AGER-2 - North Korean offers to repatriate the USS Pueblo

Read more here: » USS Pueblo AGER-2: Encyclopedia II - USS Pueblo AGER-2 - Activity and conflict near Korea

On 22 April 1997 a team of 140 commandos, given the name Chavín de Huantar (in reference to a Peruvian archeological site famous for its underground passageways), mounted a dramatic raid on the residence. Fourteen MRTA rebels, one hostage -Dr. Carlos Giusti Acuña member of the Supreme Court- and two soldiers -Lieutenant Colonel Juan Valer Sandoval and Lieutenant Raúl Jiménez Chávez- died in the assault. In preparation for the raid, one of the hostages, Admiral Luis Gianpetri of the Peruvian Navy, who was an expert in intel ...

See also:

Japanese embassy hostage crisis, Japanese embassy hostage crisis - Staging, Japanese embassy hostage crisis - Demands, Japanese embassy hostage crisis - Negotiations, Japanese embassy hostage crisis - The raid, Japanese embassy hostage crisis - International reaction, Japanese embassy hostage crisis - Aftermath, Japanese embassy hostage crisis - Legal proceedings, Japanese embassy hostage crisis - Chronology, Japanese embassy hostage crisis - Footnotes

Read more here: » Japanese embassy hostage crisis: Encyclopedia II - Japanese embassy hostage crisis - The raid

On October 7, 1985, six men representing the Palestine Liberation Front (PLF) took control of the liner off Egypt while she was sailing from Alexandria to Port Said within Egypt. This has been linked to the Israeli bombing of the PLO headquarters in Tunis on October 1. The hijackers had been surprised by a crew member and acted prematurely. Holding the passengers and crew hostage, they directed the vessel to sail to Tartus, Syria, and demanded the release of 50 Palestinians then in Israeli prisons. Refused permission to dock at Tartus ...

See also:

Achille Lauro, Achille Lauro - The hijacking

Read more here: » Achille Lauro: Encyclopedia II - Achille Lauro - The hijacking

On November 1, 1979 Iran's new leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini urged his people to demonstrate against United States and Israeli interests. Ruhollah Khomeini was anti-American in his rhetoric, denouncing the American government as the "Great Satan" and "Enemies of Islam". Thousands of them gathered around the U.S. embassy in Tehran, protesting. The embassy grounds had been briefly occupied before, during the revolution, and protest crowds outside the fence were common. Iranian police were less and less helpful. On November 4, amid ...

See also:

Iran hostage crisis, Iran hostage crisis - Events, Iran hostage crisis - Final months, Iran hostage crisis - Aftermath, Iran hostage crisis - October surprise conspiracy, Iran hostage crisis - Hostages, Iran hostage crisis - 6 Evading Diplomats, Iran hostage crisis - 13 Hostages Released, Iran hostage crisis - Richard I. Queen, Iran hostage crisis - 52 Remaining Hostages Released

Read more here: » Iran hostage crisis: Encyclopedia II - Iran hostage crisis - Events

Efforts to treat victims were complicated because the Russian government refused to tell doctors what type of gas had been used. The head doctor of the Moscow public health department announced that all but one of the hostages that were killed in the raid had died of the effects of the unknown gas, rather than from gunshot wounds. At the time, the gas was surmised to be some sort of surgical anesthetic or chemical weapon. Foreign embassies in Moscow, including the United States Embassy, issued official requests for more information ...

See also:

Moscow theater hostage crisis, Moscow theater hostage crisis - Hostage-taking, Moscow theater hostage crisis - Statement, Moscow theater hostage crisis - Raid, Moscow theater hostage crisis - Aftermath, Moscow theater hostage crisis - Long-term effects

Read more here: » Moscow theater hostage crisis: Encyclopedia II - Moscow theater hostage crisis - Aftermath

The government of Israel refused to negotiate with the hijackers. They instead decided to undertake a military rescue mission to free the remaining hostages. After days of collecting intelligence and careful planning, four Israeli Air Force C-130 Hercules transport aircraft flew secretly from Israel and landed at night at Entebbe Airport without the aid of ground control. They were followed by an air force jet with medical facilities, which landed at Jomo ...

See also:

Operation Entebbe, Operation Entebbe - Hijack, Operation Entebbe - Israeli raid, Operation Entebbe - Analysis, Operation Entebbe - Aftermath, Operation Entebbe - TV and Feature Film dramatizations

Read more here: » Operation Entebbe: Encyclopedia II - Operation Entebbe - Israeli raid

04 November 1979 - 20 January 1981 66 Original Captives - 63 from and held at Embassy, 3 from and held at Foreign Ministry Office. 13 released 19-20 November, 1979 and 1 released 11 July 1980. 52 remaining Hostages endured 444 days of captivity until their release on Inauguration Day, 20 January 1981. On the day of the seizure, 6 American Diplomats evaded capture and remained in hiding at the Swedish and Canadian Embassies, escaping the coun ...

See also:

Iran hostage crisis, Iran hostage crisis - Events, Iran hostage crisis - Final months, Iran hostage crisis - Aftermath, Iran hostage crisis - Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's alleged involvement, Iran hostage crisis - Hostages, Iran hostage crisis - 6 Evading Diplomats, Iran hostage crisis - 13 Women and African-American Personnel were captured held hostage and released on 19-20 November 1979, Iran hostage crisis - 1 hostage captured held and released on 11 July 1980 because of Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis, Iran hostage crisis - 52 Remaining Hostages held captive until 20 January 1981

Read more here: » Iran hostage crisis: Encyclopedia II - Iran hostage crisis - Hostages

At 11:30 on 30 April 1980 a six-man terrorist team calling itself the "Democratic Revolutionary Movement for the Liberation of Arabistan" (DRMLA), sponsored by Saddam Hussein's Iraq, captured the building in Knightsbridge, central London. Initially it emerged they wanted autonomy for an oil-rich region in southern Iran known as Khuzestan; later they demanded the release of 91 of their comrades held in Ayatollah Khomeini's jails. Only after the incident was over did it emerge that Iraq had trained and armed the gunmen to embarrass Iran, ...

See also:

Iranian Embassy Siege, Iranian Embassy Siege - Background, Iranian Embassy Siege - The assault, Iranian Embassy Siege - Aftermath

Read more here: » Iranian Embassy Siege: Encyclopedia II - Iranian Embassy Siege - Background

In January 1968, North Korean forces seized the Pueblo. US Naval authorities insist that before the capture, Pueblo was miles outside North Korean territorial waters. The crew affirms the assertion that the ship was operating from international waters. The mission statement allowed her to approach within a nautical mile (1.9 km) of that limit. On January 5, 1968, Pueblo left for Sasebo, Japan. She left Sasebo on January 11 with specific orders to intercept and conduct surveillance of Soviet naval activi ...

See also:

USS Pueblo AGER-2, USS Pueblo AGER-2 - Activity and conflict near North Korea, USS Pueblo AGER-2 - Aftermath, USS Pueblo AGER-2 - Tourist attraction, USS Pueblo AGER-2 - North Korean offers to repatriate the USS Pueblo

Read more here: » USS Pueblo AGER-2: Encyclopedia II - USS Pueblo AGER-2 - Activity and conflict near North Korea

The attack took place at the House of Culture of the State Ball-Bearing Plant Number 1, a Moscow theatre, in the Dubrovka area, named after its former owner. During Act II of a sold out performance of Nord-Ost, approximately 40 heavily armed terrorists, entered the theatre and took everyone there hostage, both the audience and the performers. The terrorists - led by Movsar Barayev, nephew of a slain Chechen military leader - threatened to kill the hostages unless Russia ...

See also:

Moscow theater hostage crisis, Moscow theater hostage crisis - Hostage-taking, Moscow theater hostage crisis - Statement, Moscow theater hostage crisis - Raid, Moscow theater hostage crisis - Aftermath, Moscow theater hostage crisis - Long-term effects

Read more here: » Moscow theater hostage crisis: Encyclopedia II - Moscow theater hostage crisis - Hostage-taking

Pueblo was taken into port at Wonsan and the crew was moved twice to POW camps, with some of the crew reporting on release they were starved and regularly tortured while in North Korean custody. This treatment was allegedly worsened when the North Koreans realised that crewmen were secretly giving them "the finger" in staged propaganda photos.[1] In fact, one of these photographs-- which at a glance shows the crew relaxed and smiling-- covertly used sign language to convey the message "SNOWJOB" (an American colloquialism for a lie or ...

See also:

USS Pueblo AGER-2, USS Pueblo AGER-2 - Activity and conflict near North Korea, USS Pueblo AGER-2 - Aftermath, USS Pueblo AGER-2 - Tourist attraction, USS Pueblo AGER-2 - North Korean offers to repatriate the USS Pueblo

Read more here: » USS Pueblo AGER-2: Encyclopedia II - USS Pueblo AGER-2 - Aftermath

The videotaped statement contained the following text: "Every nation has the right to their fate. Russia has taken away this right from the Chechens and today we want to reclaim these rights, which God has given us, in the same way he has given it to other nations. God has given us the right of freedom and the right to choose our destiny. And the Russian occupiers have flooded our land with our children's blood. And we have longed for a just solution. People are unaware of the innocent who are dying in Chechnya: the sheikhs, the women ...

See also:

Moscow theater hostage crisis, Moscow theater hostage crisis - Hostage-taking, Moscow theater hostage crisis - Statement, Moscow theater hostage crisis - Raid, Moscow theater hostage crisis - Aftermath, Moscow theater hostage crisis - Long-term effects

Read more here: » Moscow theater hostage crisis: Encyclopedia II - Moscow theater hostage crisis - Statement

During an August 2005 diplomatic session in North Korea, former US Ambassador to South Korea Donald Gregg received verbal indications from high-ranking North Korean officials that the communist state would be willing to repatriate the USS Pueblo to United States authorities, on the condition that a prominent US Government official, such as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, come to Pyongyang for high-level talks. While the US Government has publicly stated on several occasions that the return of the still-commissioned Navy vessel is ...

See also:

USS Pueblo AGER-2, USS Pueblo AGER-2 - Activity and conflict near North Korea, USS Pueblo AGER-2 - Aftermath, USS Pueblo AGER-2 - Tourist attraction, USS Pueblo AGER-2 - North Korean offers to repatriate the USS Pueblo

Read more here: » USS Pueblo AGER-2: Encyclopedia II - USS Pueblo AGER-2 - North Korean offers to repatriate the USS Pueblo

In the days immediately following the takeover, the Red Cross acted as an intermediary between the government and the guerrillas. Among the hostages were high officials of Peru's security forces, including Máximo Rivera, the chief of Peru's anti-terrorist police, DINCOTE, and former chief Carlos Domínguez. Other hostages included Alejandro Toledo, the current president of Peru, and Javier Diez Canseco, a prominent Peruvian congressman. The 24 Japanese hostages included president Fujimori's younger brother. The leader of the ...

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Japanese embassy hostage crisis, Japanese embassy hostage crisis - Staging, Japanese embassy hostage crisis - Demands, Japanese embassy hostage crisis - Negotiations, Japanese embassy hostage crisis - The raid, Japanese embassy hostage crisis - International reaction, Japanese embassy hostage crisis - Aftermath, Japanese embassy hostage crisis - Legal proceedings, Japanese embassy hostage crisis - Chronology, Japanese embassy hostage crisis - Footnotes

Read more here: » Japanese embassy hostage crisis: Encyclopedia II - Japanese embassy hostage crisis - Demands

On 22 December Fujimori made his first public announcement on the hostage-taking. In a televised four-minute speech he condemned the assailants, calling the MRTA assault "repugnant" and rejecting the terrorists' demands on their totality. He did not rule out an armed rescue attempt, but said that he was willing to explore a peaceful solution to the situation. Fujimori made his speech shortly after MRTA leader Néstor Cerpa announced that he would gradually release any hostages who were not connected to the Peruvian government [5]. During the months that followed, th ...

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Japanese embassy hostage crisis, Japanese embassy hostage crisis - Staging, Japanese embassy hostage crisis - Demands, Japanese embassy hostage crisis - Negotiations, Japanese embassy hostage crisis - The raid, Japanese embassy hostage crisis - International reaction, Japanese embassy hostage crisis - Aftermath, Japanese embassy hostage crisis - Legal proceedings, Japanese embassy hostage crisis - Chronology, Japanese embassy hostage crisis - Footnotes

Read more here: » Japanese embassy hostage crisis: Encyclopedia II - Japanese embassy hostage crisis - Negotiations

In the days following the assault, there were demonstrations in several countries in protest the MRTA deaths. On 25 April hundreds protested at the Peruvian Embassy in Santiago, Chile. Riot police tear gassed demonstrators and pushed them to the ground outside the embassy. Protesters told television reporters, "We absolutely reject these acts of such cruelty, which should never happen again." In Mexico City on 23 April, scores of people gathered at the Peruvian Embassy to protest. Demonstrators hurled red paint and tomatoes at the ...

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Japanese embassy hostage crisis, Japanese embassy hostage crisis - Staging, Japanese embassy hostage crisis - Demands, Japanese embassy hostage crisis - Negotiations, Japanese embassy hostage crisis - The raid, Japanese embassy hostage crisis - International reaction, Japanese embassy hostage crisis - Aftermath, Japanese embassy hostage crisis - Legal proceedings, Japanese embassy hostage crisis - Chronology, Japanese embassy hostage crisis - Footnotes

Read more here: » Japanese embassy hostage crisis: Encyclopedia II - Japanese embassy hostage crisis - International reaction

Doubts about the official version of events soon began to arise, however. One Japanese hostage, Hidetaka Ogura, former first secretary of the Japanese Embassy, who published a book in 2000 on the ordeal, stated that he saw one rebel, Eduardo Cruz (aka "Tito"), tied up in the garden shortly after the commandos stormed the building. Cruz was handed over alive to Colonel Jesús Zamudio Aliaga, but along with the others he was later reported as having died during the assault. Another witness, former agriculture minister Rodolfo Muñante, declare ...

See also:

Japanese embassy hostage crisis, Japanese embassy hostage crisis - Staging, Japanese embassy hostage crisis - Demands, Japanese embassy hostage crisis - Negotiations, Japanese embassy hostage crisis - The raid, Japanese embassy hostage crisis - International reaction, Japanese embassy hostage crisis - Aftermath, Japanese embassy hostage crisis - Legal proceedings, Japanese embassy hostage crisis - Chronology, Japanese embassy hostage crisis - Footnotes

Read more here: » Japanese embassy hostage crisis: Encyclopedia II - Japanese embassy hostage crisis - Aftermath