Hijack warning

Press, 14 June 1978, Page 9

Hijack warning

NZPA-Reuter Tokyo Japanese police agents have gone to Middle East countries to watch out for Japanese Red Army guerrillas who might be planning a hijack, Japanese police sources have said.

They declined to say how many agents had moved to the Middle East to check on any hijack preparations by the Red Army, a violent group which supports efforts by radical Japanese to close Tokyo’s new airport at Narita.

Red Army guerrillas killed 27 people five years ago in a machine-gun and grenade attack at Lod Airport in Israel. Last year they hijacked a Japan Air Lines jet over India.

The police have issued a series of warnings to foreign governments that the Red Army seems ready to either hijack another plane or attack a Japanese airline office or embassy abroad to try to close the airport, still guarded by 9000 riot police three weeks after it was opened. Security has been tightened up at official Japanese buildings abroad and 1500 staff members stationed in 156 embassies have been insured against terrorist attack.

Meanwhile, Japanese newspapers reported that the Government is working on a new crisis management programme which, unlike in the past, would result in point-blank refusals to make concessions to hijackers holding hostages.