The OPEC taking of hostages took place at the end of of December 1975 in Vienna (Austria). Terrorists attacked OPEC headquarters and capture several oil Ministers and their coworker. Leader that was as arm of the Arab revolution characteristic group Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, also as Carlo, who admits Schakal was. As wire-puller behind the notices Libya is assumed, what is however not proven.

Chronology

The taking of hostages

On 21 December 1975 the terror command entered the OPEC center at the Viennese against noon Karl-lie-achieves, without they had to prove themselves or their bepackten crammed with weapons and explosive bags were controlled. To the Opec center the terrorists had driven from the hotel Hilton, where they had rented rooms, with the streetcar over the struggle race.

The terrorists could bring about 70 persons into their force, to eleven Ministers of the OPEC states as well as further delegation members and their coworker. The Libyan delegated Jusuf aluminium-Azmarly and an Iraqi police officer were killed. In addition a civil servant of the Austrian police died with the attempt to penetrate into the building. A policeman and the terrorist Hans Joachim small shot themselves mutually on. While the official was only easily hurt, the heavily hurt small had to be operated in a Viennese hospital.

Demands

With negotiations with the Austrian Federal Government the terrorists that its demands became to transfer in the ORF radio, on French reached. Their demands and other opinions expressed over the radio were:

• Criticism at the policy of peace of some Arab states opposite Israel
• Explanation of Iran to the agent of the American imperialism
• Demand

the implementation of an Arab unit

the nationalization of the oil

and the use of the incomes resulting from it for the development of the Arab people

The fact that straight Austria became scene of the conflict regretted it.

Negotiations

The negotiations by Federal Chancellor Bruno Kreisky was led, as a mediator to the terrorists arose the representative of the Iraqi message, Riyadh aluminium Assawi. A goal with was protecting human lives. It could be rapidly achieved that all hostages with Austrian nationality were released.

The terrorists an airplane Austrian Airlines was made available, the Austrian pilots had voluntarily announced themselves. With a bus the Geiselnehmer - also the heavily hurt small - and 33 remaining hostages were brought to the airport vienna Schwechat. There Minister of the Interior Otto before the takeoff gave the hand to Carlo, much for the displeasure of the media and the policy. Carlo the hand with the words "thanks had against stretched for it verbindlichst for the smooth dispatching".

Flight

The airplane left Austria with unknown course. Only in air the pilots of the destination Algiers (Algeria) experienced. There the angeschossene, heavily hurt small could be in-supplied to a hospital. In addition hostages were released.

The flight was continued to Tripoli (Libya), where likewise further hostages became released.

The airplane flew afterwards back to Algiers. There against the warranty of free escort for the terrorists the last hostages were released. Carlo and its accomplices could leave the country on 31 December 1975 unhindered to Libya.

Scene

The building, in which 1975 the Opec conference took place, in its fundamentals exists still. After an asbestos disposal however the appearance changed both outside and inside completely. Nothing more reminds of the time of the taking of hostages.

Terrorist

• Ilich Ramirez Sanchez alias Carlo (Venezuela), life imprisonment in Paris
• Hans Joachim small (Germany), 2003 from detention dismisses
• Gabriele Tiedemann (Germany), "† 1995

The identity of the three further terrorists, most probably Palestinians, could be never uncovered.

Related links

• apa.at: The assault on the OPEC 1975

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