Political Terrorism: National and International Responses Since 1972

The year 1972 was significant for many reasons. As one reviews the top news stories for that year, several items are remembered for both their immediate and far-reaching impact: the summit meeting between the United States and the Soviet Union, Watergate, and Vietnam. In Germany national teams gathered to compete in the Olympics, war and violence far from the minds of the young athletes who gathered for the time-honored event. Two other incidents were significant in 1972. On May 31, three Japanese men arrived at Lod Airport in Tel Aviv on the Air France flight. They are recalled as being very courteous and polite. The men left the aircraft and proceeded to the baggage claim section where they quietly opened their suitcases, withdrew submachine guns and hand grenades and open fired on the people in the area. When the shooting ended, there were twenty-five dead and seventy-two wounded. Two of the gunmen were killed and the third captured. Victims included eleven Puerto Rican citizens going to the Holy Land. As a result of this act of terrorism, the world was quick to conclude the obvious: terrorism has international implications and terrorists have worldwide capabilities