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TWA Hijacker Released From German Prison

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Joo Rip Gwa Rhhee

Joined: 25 May 2003

Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2005 12:55 pm Post subject: TWA Hijacker Released From German Prison

Quote:

Associated Press
Update 2: TWA Hijacker Released From German Prison
By ZEINA KARAM , 12.20.2005, 03:15 PM

A hijacker in a terrorist act that riveted America - the 1985 seizure of a TWA jet in which a U.S. Navy diver was killed - has returned home to Lebanon, paroled by Germany after serving 19 years of a life sentence.

The United States said Tuesday it wants Lebanon to turn over Mohammed Ali Hamadi for trial in the killing of the diver, Robert Dean Stethem.

"We have demonstrated over the years that when we believe an individual is responsible for the murder of innocent American civilians, that we will track them down and that we will bring them to justice in the United States," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said.

He said the United States is talking with the Lebanese government about Hamadi, but the U.S. does not have an extradition treaty with Lebanon.

Hamadi was in temporary Lebanese custody, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the negotiations with the Lebanese are confidential. A senior Lebanese judicial official contacted by The Associated Press declined to comment.

Trans World Airlines Flight 847, with 145 passengers and nine crew members, was flying from Athens to Rome on June 14, 1985, when it was hijacked by Shiite Muslim militants demanding the release of hundreds of Lebanese from Israeli jails.

During a 17-day ordeal, the plane was forced to crisscross the Mediterranean from Lebanon to Algeria, landing in Beirut three times before it was finally allowed to remain there.

An urgent radio transmission from the unflappable TWA pilot, John Testrake, to the Beirut control tower was broadcast around the world: "We must, I repeat, we must land repeat, at Beirut. ... Ground, TWA 847, they are threatening to kill the passengers, they are threatening to kill the passengers. We must have fuel, we must get fuel. ... They are beating the passengers, they are beating the passengers."

The ordeal produced one of the most enduring images of terrorism: a picture of Testrake leaning out of the cockpit window as a hijacker clamped a hand over his mouth and waved a pistol.

On the second day of the seizure, the hijackers beat and shot to death Stethem, 23, of Waldorf, Md., and dumped his body onto the runway in Beirut.

Witnesses later identified Hamadi as having beaten the tied-up Stethem. According to testimony at Hamadi's trial, when Stethem complained about his bonds, Hamadi responded: "Let the pig suffer."

The plane's flight engineer testified at the 1989 trial that Hamadi bragged he had killed Stethem.

On Tuesday, the prosecutor's office in Frankfurt, Germany, announced Hamadi's release, saying he had been freed and left the country several days earlier after his case came up for a regular legally mandated review by a parole court.

Hamadi arrived Saturday in his homeland, Lebanon, on a commercial flight from Germany, a Lebanese security official said. An official with the Shiite Hezbollah guerrilla group confirmed his return. Neither would give details and both spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press.

It was not known where Hamadi went after arriving in Lebanon and efforts to locate him Tuesday were unsuccessful.

The United States had sought Hamadi's extradition when he was caught in January 1987 as he went through customs at Frankfurt Airport with liquid explosives in his luggage. The Germans, who have no death penalty, insisted on prosecuting him.

McCormack said the U.S. was disappointed with Germany's decision to release Hamadi before he served his full sentence. He said the United States sought jurisdiction over Hamadi after he was arrested and over the years has repeatedly sought to have him tried in the United States.

German Justice Ministry spokeswoman Eva Schmierer said the matter was handled by the state prosecutor in Frankfurt. "The Justice Ministry does not have an extradition request" from the United States, she said.

Stethem's brother called the release "absolutely disturbing," and blamed the U.S. government for not doing enough to prevent Hamadi from being set free.

"Rob gave his life. He gave his full measure and I haven't seen anybody give as much to securing his killer as he did in life defending his country," Kenneth Stethem said.

The family hopes the Bush administration will pressure Lebanon to turn Hamadi over for trial.

"We'll be after him," said Stethem's mother, Patricia. "We won't let it rest."

Still at large are Hamadi's three accomplices - Hassan Izz-Al-Din, Ali Atwa and Imad Mughniyeh, the former Hezbollah security chief who is also accused in the kidnappings of Americans in Beirut - who each were indicted in the United States and have a $5 million U.S. bounty on their heads.

Stethem was the only passenger aboard Flight 847 to die, although others were beaten. The other passengers were freed in stages, either in Beirut or Algiers.

A final group of 39 passengers were taken off the plane June 16 and held in locations in Beirut, where they would remain captive until June 30. The siege ended after Israel announced the release of 31 Lebanese prisoners - although Israel and the United States insisted the release was not connected to the hijacking.

Former hostages have recounted their terror during the hours trapped on the flight as the hijackers collected passports, trying to determine which passengers were Jewish.

Flight attendant Uli Derickson, who acted as a translator for the hijackers, reportedly hid the passports of some passengers with Jewish names and stepped in when hijackers began beating a second U.S. sailor. She died this year at age 60; Testrake died in 1996 at age 68.

The hijacking was a dramatic standoff in a tumultuous period for Lebanon, which was torn by a civil war that saw the Israeli and Syrian militaries and Shiite, Christian and Palestinian militias battling on its soil.

Militants had already repeatedly targeted the United States. Suicide bombers hit U.S. Embassy buildings and Marine barracks in Beirut in 1983 and 1984, killing 328 people, and militants kidnapped several Americans in Lebanon.

The ordeal did not end with the release of the hostages. Shortly after Hamadi was arrested, his brother, Abbas Ali Hamadi, and other kidnappers snatched a German engineer from his Beirut hotel room, threatening to kill him if Hamadi was extradited to the U.S.

Abbas Ali Hamadi was arrested in Frankfurt and was sentenced in 1988 to 13 years in prison for the kidnapping.

Hezbollah denies involvement in the hijacking. The group is on a State Department list of terrorist organizations.
Associated Press reporters Stephen Manning in College Park, Md. and David McHugh in Berlin contributed to this report.

Copyright 2005 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed

igotthisguitar

Joined: 08 Apr 2003
Location: South Korea (Permanent Vacation)

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 1:06 am Post subject: Re: TWA Hijacker Released From German Prison

Joo Rip Gwa Rhhee wrote:

Quote:

Ah yes, the War on Terror Twisted Evil

Maybe when they have this bad little dude extradited they'll put him in the same cell as one of the
Bush klan's reliable old terrorist friends: Wink

http://jfkmurdersolved.com/bush2.htm

Veteran of the Bay of Pigs, member of Operation 40, anti-Castro Cuban exile, CIA asset, trained assassin and operative for Iran Contra.

Terrorist Cuban Exile Luis Posada Carriles

Luis Posada Carriles (born February 15, 1928) is an anti-Castro Cuban emigre who is alleged to have been involved in numerous violent terrorist plots, including hotel bombings and the 1976 bombing of a Cubana Flight 455 in which seventy-three people were killed. He has also been involved in Operation Condor, namely in Orlando Letelier's murder in Washington, D.C., a few weeks before Cubana de Aviacion's explosion.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luis_Posada_Carriles

Monday, May 9th, 2005
Terrorist Cuban Exile Luis Posada Carriles
Seeking Political Asylum in U.S.
http://www.archive.org/download/dn2005-0509/dn2005-0509-1_64kb.mp3

WHO HAS WHAT TO HIDE ABOUT LUIS POSADA CARRILES?
http://baltimorechronicle.com/072205Crumpacker.shtml

Joo Rip Gwa Rhhee

Joined: 25 May 2003

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 7:36 pm Post subject:

Luis entered the US illegally. Was the US behind his actions?

Quote:

Seeking asylum in U.S.
On April 13, 2005, Posada requested political asylum in the United States through his attorney. He had entered the country illegally across the Mexican border. On May 3, the Venezuelan Supreme Court approved an extradition request for him. Speaking the same day in Washington, D.C., State Department Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs Roger Noriega stated that Posada might not have been in the United States. Noriega added that charges against him "may be a completely manufactured issue." However declassified FBI and CIA reports show that the agencies suspected his involvement in the airline bombing within days of its occurrence.

As for the JFK article above it is more conspiracy nonsense. At any rate Castro was out to destroy the US during the cold war.

9-11 conspiracy theorists support the terrorists and anyone who is against the US cause they need confusion and disorder in the US so they so they can gain power.

Jeff Rense is a fascist bigot and he supports the terrorists just like his supporters . Keep his supporters out of the US.

Hater Depot

Joined: 29 Mar 2005

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 9:21 pm Post subject:

So you want to say the US didn't support him, yet you also want to be able to copout by saying he was against Cuba. I suppose our support for Orlando Bosch was also as palatable as it was non-existent. You can't have it both ways mate. Blowing up airliners is blowing up airliners no matter what cause you do it for.

bucheon bum

Joined: 16 Jan 2003

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 9:33 pm Post subject:

Joo and igotthisguitar, at it again. assa.

Joo Rip Gwa Rhhee

Joined: 25 May 2003

Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2005 7:21 pm Post subject:

Hater Depot wrote:

So you want to say the US didn't support him, yet you also want to be able to copout by saying he was against Cuba.

I suppose our support for Orlando Bosch was also as palatable as it was non-existent. You can't have it both ways mate.

Blowing up airliners is blowing up airliners no matter what cause you do it for.

You got it wrong US did not support him and as for me I would not support he US supporting someone like him - assuming he is guilty of what Cuba says.

However something like the Bay of Pigs and other actions against Cuba were understandable or even justified since Castro was out to destroy the US during the cold war.

Hater Depot

Joined: 29 Mar 2005

Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2005 8:39 pm Post subject:

It is thanks to the US that was freed in 1987 and is able to live comfortably in the States, having been fully pardoned by George H. W. Bush. Posada was receiving several hundred dollars a month from the CIA in the 70s and today also lives in freedom in the US.

igotthisguitar

Joined: 08 Apr 2003
Location: South Korea (Permanent Vacation)

Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2005 8:40 pm Post subject:

bucheon bum wrote:

Joo and igotthisguitar, at it again. assa.

Yah sure ... the sock is back !!!

Hater Depot wrote:

It is thanks to the US that was freed in 1987 and is able to live comfortably in the States, having been fully pardoned by George H. W. Bush. Posada was receiving several hundred dollars a month from the CIA in the 70s and today also lives in freedom in the US.

I'd heard ( yet to confirm ) that old man Bush in fact recently pardoned him in an effort to shelter him from any prosecution. A terrorist with a long track record of "intimate" relations with AmeriKa's #1 crime family. No surprise here really.

As for the ever obfuscating Joo, he once again seeks to explain away, downplay, or simply rationalize "certain" terrorist goons & their murderous militant actions; all depending on whose political agenda their covert campaign stands to promote. It's one of the main ways in drawing the crude distinction between "US" ( the "good" guys ), and "THEM" the "bad" guys.

From the standpoint of such people "The ends will always justify WHATEVER means are deemed necessary".

Whether in the hundreds, thousands, or millions, casualties to these people mean very little. And not just the murdering, intimidating & terrorizing OTHER "sovereign" entities citizens either. They're on the record as having conspired to kill Americans as well.

One classic example is in fact OPERATION NORTHWOODS.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Northwood

For his part JFK is believed to have vetoed it. Likely one of the contributing factors they conspired to finally assassinate him.

Hmmmmmmm ... speaking of such diabolical plans Twisted Evil

, one cannot help but wonder whether good ol' "Skull & Bonesman" GW would ever dare to endorse something like Northwoods?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skull_%26_Bones
Strengthened by tears, not weakened. Faceless cowards constituting & "cult of evil" indeed.

Joo Rip Gwa Rhhee

Joined: 25 May 2003

Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2005 9:18 pm Post subject:

Quote:

[

Yah sure ... the sock is back !!!

kick over some grave stones, you neo nazi filth

Quote:

guy who supports Rense and the rest of those fascists compares the US to the Klan.

Quote:

As for the ever obfuscating Joo, he once again seeks to explain away, downplay, or simply rationalize "certain" terrorist goons & their murderous militant actions; all depending on whose political agenda their covert campaign stands to promote. It's one of the main ways in drawing the crude distinction between "US" ( the "good" guys ), and "THEM" the "bad" guys.

what are you talking about? give examples pls.

Quote:

From the standpoint of such people "The ends will always justify WHATEVER means are deemed necessary".

yes often the ends justfiy the means

Quote:

Whether in the hundreds, thousands, or millions, casualties to these people mean very little. And not just the murdering, intimidating & terrorizing OTHER "sovereign" entities citizens either. They're on the record as having conspired to kill Americans as well.

the other side ought to give up their war.

Quote:

One classic example is in fact OPERATION NORTHWOODS.

never was put into practice, and no one was to die.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Northwood

Quote:

For his part JFK is believed to have vetoed it. Likely one of the contributing factors they conspired to finally assassinate him.

prove it.

Quote:

Hmmmmmmm ... speaking of such diabolical plans Twisted Evil

, one cannot help but wonder whether good ol' "Skull & Bonesman" GW would ever dare to endorse something like Northwoods?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skull_%26_Bones
Strengthened by tears, not weakened. Faceless cowards constituting & "cult of evil" indeed.

[/quote]

never was put into practice, and no one was to die.

Joo Rip Gwa Rhhee

Joined: 25 May 2003

Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2005 9:25 pm Post subject:

Hater Depot wrote:

you have a link for that? I did not see that info here.

http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/Luis_Posada_Carriles

Quote:

Luis Posada Carriles
Luis Posada Carriles (born February 15, 1928) is an anti-Castro Cuban ?igr?who is alleged to have been involved in numerous violent terrorist plots, including hotel bombings and the 1976 bombing of a Cuban jetliner in which seventy-three people killed. Posada has lived in in Venezuela, where he became a naturalized citizen and served in its political police; and the United States, where he served in the army and developed a relationship with the CIA. In April 2005, Posada sought political asylum in the United States. Cuba has formally requested Posada's extradition, as has Venezuela.
Militant career
Posada was born in Cienfuegos, in southern Cuba, in 1928. According to declassified FBI memos regarding Posada and other Cuban militants, Posada worked as a supervisor for the Firestone Rubber Company in Cuba. He immigrated to the United States in 1961, served one year in the US Army, then continued separate military training with anti-Castro exiles in Florida. He was also on the CIA payroll from the 1960s until 1974. During that time, Posada was involved in numerous covert international anti-communist operations, many of them in his role as an explosives expert. For example, Posada was involved in a heavily-armed conspiracy to overthrow the government of Guatemala, , and a plan to blow up Soviet or Cuban ships in Mexico.
Posada immigrated to Venezuela, becoming a naturalized Venezuelan citizen and joined DISIP, the Venezuelan secret police, where he was an explosives expert and eventually a senior official.

On October 6, 1976, a Cubana Airlines plane travelling from Barbados to Cuba was blown up, killing all 73 passengers aboard. Two employees of Posada's private security firm in Venezuela were found guilty of having planted the bombs and served 20 years in a Venezuelan jail. Posada himself, along with Orlando Bosch, were indicted and acquited of treason. The prosecution's appeal was upheld by a higher military court, which determined that the men should have been tried in a civilian court, rather than the military tribunal, thereby nullifying the acquittal.

The Miami Herald has reported that a United States Federal Prosecutor who prosecuted the assassination of Orlando Letelier, a Chilean diplomat killed by a booby-trapped car in Washington, D.C., placed Posada at a planning meeting where both the Cubana bombing and the Letelier assassination were decided upon. According to the Herald, Posada denies attending the meeting, while Bosch states that Posada was there, but neither the bombing nor the assassination were discussed.

In 1985, Posada escaped from a Venezuelan jail where he was being held pending a new trial in the Cubana bombing, becoming an international fugitive. He found work supplying arms to the CIA-backed Nicaraguan Contras.

In 1990, Posada survived an assassination attempt while in Guatemala, the New York Times has reported, leaving him with a shattered jaw. He recuperated in El Salvador, he told the Times, on the budget of the Cuban-American National Foundation (CANF). The CANF denies any connection to Posada.

Posada organized a string of bombings at luxury hotels in Cuba in 1997 in order to discourage the growth of the tourism industry there. One Italian tourist died in the bombings. Dissatisfied with world press coverage regarding the incidents, Posada gave a long and candid interview to the New York Times in 1998, discussing his methods and associations at length.

In 2000, he was convicted with Gaspar Jim?ez, Pedro Rem? and Guillermo Novo Sampol of conspiring to assassinate Fidel Castro during a regional summit in Panama. The four were subsequently pardoned by Panamanian President Mireya Moscoso in the final days of her administration in 2004. Jim?ez, Rem?, and Novo were admitted into the United States.

Seeking asylum in U.S.
On April 13, 2005, Posada requested political asylum in the United States through his attorney. He had snuck into the country across the Mexican border. On May 3, the Venezuelan Supreme Court approved an extradition request for him. Speaking the same day in Washington, D.C., State Department Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs Roger Noriega stated that Posada might not have been in the United States. Noriega added that charges against him "may be a completely manufactured issue." However declassified FBI and CIA reports show that the agencies suspected his involvement in the airline bombing within days of its occurrence.

On May 17, 2005 the Miami Herald conducted an interview with Posada in South Florida; later that day, the Herald and the Associated Press reported that he had been detained by the Department of Homeland Security. He had withdrawn his asylum appeal and was moving to sneak out of the country when arrested. His arrest presents diplomatic problems as his extradition is sought by both Cuba and Venezuela, neither of which are close U.S. allies. His arrest coincided with large anti-Carriles protests in Havana - organizers estimated that hundreds of thousands of Cubans participated in the rally. At this time, Carriles is being held by U.S. immigration authorities in El Paso, Texas, on charges of entering the country illegally.

The Venezuelan Government wants to retry Carriles for his role in the 1976 airline bombing. The Cuban government wants to try him for the hotel bombings, but has agreed that extraditing him to Cuba's ally Venezuela would be acceptable, not least because Venezuela has had an extradition treaty with the US since 1922, but Cuba does not. The United States denied Venezuela's extradition request, citing a lack of evidence. The world has questioned this decision since then as a clear evidence of double standard policy by the United States.http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,1505793,00.html Moreover, many people have suspicions that all Posada's terrorist actions may be backed and organized by the CIA.

Personal life
According to declassified FBI documents, Posada has been married at least twice and has a son, Jorge.

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