Achille Lauro hijacker dies in jail

[Iain Stuart Yardley]

Abu Abbas, the PLF terrorist leader behind the hijacking of the Italian liner Achille Lauro, has died in prison in Baghdad, apparently of natural causes.

Abbas had been on the run for 17 years and was arrested by the U.S. in Baghdad last year.

The 1985 hijacking of the liner in Egyptian waters led to the murder of wheelchair-bound passenger Leon Klinghoffer.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3548461.stm

 

[Alex McLean]

Thanks for posting, Boz. Was there any reason as to why there was lack of evidence to support the imprisonment of Abu Abbas? The article is a little bare in that aspect.
My best,

Alex

 

[Martin Owen Cahill]

I remember when that was in the news. In the same year we had a terrorist attack in Auckland Harbour
when the RAINBOW WARRIOR was sunk at the wharf by a cell of French DGSE agents killing the photographer Fernando Pereira.

We caught two of them and had them tried. Upon conviction we put the inside. New Zealand came under pressure from France to release them.

to think two generations of good men from NZ Australia and America and other places died in France believing they fought for Freedom.

Martin

 

[Alex McLean]

What some people do to others is unspeakable, Martin. Sadly, it is happening more and more now. The wars past seem not to have taught lessons of the horrors as much as provoked more of them. Let us hope that growing turmoil in the world does not spark the real war to end all wars - and life itself.

 

[Andrew Johnston]

War is simply wrong. There has been no 'WAR ON TERRORISM'.... there has only been a 'WAR ON PEOPLE'...

It IS too bad that people have to hurt others... I am worried about future cruises... ships could be in danger... let's hope not...

 

[Nicolas Roughol]

>to think two generations of good men from NZ Australia and America and other places died in France believing they fought for Freedom

Would you care to explain that phrase a little bit? Or am I just under the impression that it's just a France-hating kind of remark?

I don't want to start any argument, but this kind of statement has no place on this board, and being a French myself I don't appreciate it much...

I can only agree about the Rainbow Warrior, it wasn't exactly the finest moment of French intelligence, but it certainly was not a terrorist action: terrorists aim at killing people, and the death of that photographer was of course not intended. It was a secret service operation that just got out of control. And my country is not the only one doing this kind of underground actions, you'd be surprised to hear what your own country does.

Back to the subject: Abu Amas surely won't be missed, except maybe by a few of his "companions"...

 

[Martin Owen Cahill]

Dear Mr Rhoughol,

I have no quarrel with France. Once they tried to help my ancestors achieve freedom in County Mayo Ireland. My Grand Parents came out in the year the Lusitania was sent to the bottom.

My history teaches me of the Enlightenment when a change of thinking took place. France was occupied twice last century. Both times many around the world stopped their lives and leave home to defend people many had never met. Many of us never came home. In New Zealand most of our men volunteered to march off into 1939. We saw in Hitler an evil to be stopped. Many of our men went to war honestly believing that they were defending the freedom of Europe. My father believed in it and still does at 82 years of age.

he also taught me you cannot right one wrong with another. I accept and appreciate your thoughts on the Rainbow Warrior. As a history graduate I am quite familiar with own country's history and I accept that our colonizing Samoa was cause for criticism.

My grievance is not with the French people, Too much good has come out of France, things we value greatly. No mine is with War and those who wage it. I have seen too many History Channel docos that show WWII through the documents of those who were there and often died.

I hope this helps explain what was behind my post that caused such a change in discussion.
For any felt offence please accept my unreserved apology as offense was not my intent.

your sincerely

Martin Owen Cahill (BA Hist.)

Wellington
New Zealand

 

[Nicolas Roughol]

Martin,

Thanks for clarifying your post. Sorry if I felt a little too sensitive over what you posted, I guess I misinterpreted it. It's just that in recent history, especially because of the Iraqi situation, I've heard so many unjustified negative comments on my country, I just thought this was another one.

Regarding the supposed freedom that needed to be restored in Europe during those two world wars, I can only but understand your father's feelings. My late grand-greatfather fought during WWI and believed in it as well. I still have childhood memories of his war tales and it certainly was the feeling among most of his fellow companions. My greatfather fought hardly in the Resistance against the Nazis and their French supporters, and the idea of freedom certainly was behind his engagement.

Your statement, the way I understood it, could be interpreted as a denial of existence of freedom in Europe and particularly in France, something I've heard countlessly from some (especially from some Americans, and again I insist, just some of them) who think that their country is the only possible depository of freedom, whether of speech or of any other aspect bound to it.

Now if, as an history graduate yourself and as such having a little more perspective on these subjects, you implied that defending freedom was just a small part of foreign involvement in those two wars, then I agree 100%.

This concludes this misunderstanding as far as I'm concerned, on the public side at least. Let's get back to discussing ships, which is the sole and only purpose of this board.

Best regards,
Nicolas Roughol

 

[Martin Owen Cahill]

As to the Achille Lauro we knew her as the Dutch immigrant liner Willem Ruys.
A friend of mine came out on her before that era yielded to air travel.

Martin

 

[Michael H. Standart]

From The Star Tribune:

Hijacker of Achille Lauro ship, who killed US passenger, is freed after 23 years in jail

quote:

ROME - One of the Palestinians who hijacked the Achille Lauro cruise ship and killed an American passenger in 1985 has been released after more than 23 years in jail, officials said Thursday.

Youssef Magied al-Molqui left prison in Palermo, Sicily, on Wednesday and was transferred to a holding center for immigrants in nearby Trapani while officials work to expel him, police in the Sicilian capital said.

Two page story begins at http://www.startribune.com/world/44047947.html?elr=KArksCiUBcy7hUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUU​

 

[Michael H. Standart]

From The Star Tribune:

Italy expels Palestinian in 1985 hijacking of Achille Lauro cruise ship to Syria

quote:

ROME - A lawyer says Italian authorities are set to expel to Syria one of the Palestinians who hijacked the Achille Lauro cruise ship and killed an American passenger in 1985.

More at http://www.startribune.com/world/49340812.html?elr=KArksCiUBcy7hUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUU​