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===Landing in Amritsar, India ===
===Landing in Amritsar, India ===
At Amritsar, Captain Sharan requested refueling the aircraft. But the Crisis Management Group in Delhi directed Amritsar Airport authorities to ensure that the plane was immobilised. Even though the armed personnel of the Punjab Police were already in position to try and force the issue, New Delhi did not approve. Finally, a tanker was dispatched with the idea of blocking the approach of the aircraft. The driver, however, drove a trifle too fast and was told by ATC over the walkie-talkie to slow down. Rather than decelerate gradually, the driver screeched to a dead halt and this aroused the hijackers' suspicion. Without waiting for ATC clearance, the hijackers forced the pilot to take off, the aircraft narrowly missing the tanker by only a few feet<ref>http://www.india-today.com/itoday/20000110/cover2.html</ref>.
At Amritsar, Captain Sharan requested refueling the aircraft. But the Crisis Management Group in Delhi directed Amritsar Airport authorities to ensure that the plane was immobilised. Even though the armed personnel of the Punjab Police were already in position to try and force the issue, New Delhi did not approve. Finally, a tanker was dispatched with the idea of blocking the approach of the aircraft. The driver, however, drove a trifle too fast and was told by ATC over the walkie-talkie to slow down. Rather than decelerate gradually, the driver screeched to a dead halt and this aroused the hijackers' suspicion. Without waiting for ATC clearance, the hijackers forced the pilot to take off, the aircraft narrowly missing the tanker by only a few feet<ref>http://www.india-today.com/itoday/20000110/cover2.html</ref>.

The departure of the A300 from Amritsar was key since it was after this that the situation went out of India's control. The then Prime Minister Atal Behari and his Minister for Internal Security, [[Lal Krishna Advani]], were widely criticized for poor handling of the hijack situation. The failure of the government to stop the plane from taking off and the lack of a coherent and cohesive response showed up to spectacular effect when the plane took off for the next phase of its tragic journey.


===Landing in Lahore, Pakistan ===
===Landing in Lahore, Pakistan ===

Revision as of 13:24, 27 March 2010

Indian Airlines Flight 814
Taliban Militia in front of the hijacked plane
Hijacking
Date24 December 1999
SummaryHijacking
SiteHijacked between Kathmandu and Delhi in Indian airspace, landed at Amritsar, Lahore, Dubai and Kandahar by 5 Pakistanis
Aircraft typeAirbus Airbus A300
OperatorIndian Airlines
RegistrationVT-EDW
Flight originTribhuvan International Airport
DestinationIndira Gandhi International Airport
Passengers178
Crew15
Fatalities1
Injuries17
Survivors192

Indian Airlines Flight 814 (call sign IC-814) was an Indian Airlines Airbus A300 en route from Tribhuvan International Airport (Kathmandu, Nepal) to Indira Gandhi International Airport (Delhi, India) when it was hijacked by five Pakistani nationals[1] on 24 December 1999. Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, a Pakistan-based terrorist group, was held responsible for the hijacking.

The aircraft was hijacked by armed gunmen shortly after it entered Indian airspace at about 17:30 hours IST. After touching down in Amritsar, Lahore and Dubai, the hijackers forced the aircraft to land in Kandahar, Afghanistan. The hijackers released 27 of 176 passengers in Dubai but fatally stabbed one and wounded several others.

India's lack of recognition of the Taliban-regime in Afghanistan complicated negotiations between Indian authorities and the hijackers. Taliban moved its well-armed fighters near the hijacked aircraft in an attempt to prevent Indian special forces from storming the aircraft. The hijacking lasted for seven days and ended after India released three Islamic militants — Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar, Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh (who was later arrested for the murder of Daniel Pearl) and Maulana Masood Azhar (who later founded Jaish-e-Mohammed).

Indian and U.S. intelligence agencies reported of credible links between the hijackers, the al-Qaida and the Taliban. The five hijackers and the three released militants were provided a safe passage by the Taliban. The dubious role played by the Taliban was widely condemned and led to further deterioration of relations between India and the Taliban.

Passengers

The flight had 178 passengers most of whom were Indian nationals who were coming back to India after vacationing in Nepal.[2]

Hijacking

The Indian Airlines flight 814 (VT-EDW) was hijacked on Friday, 24 December 1999, shortly after the aircraft entered Indian airspace at about 5:30 P.M. Indian Standard Time.[3] The identities of the hijackers according to the Indian Government were:[1]

  1. Ibrahim Athar, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
  2. Shahid Akhtar Sayed, Karachi, Pakistan
  3. Sunny Ahmed Qazi, Karachi, Pakistan
  4. Mistri Zahoor Ibrahim, Karachi, Pakistan
  5. Shakir, Sukkur, Pakistan

Anil Sharma, the chief flight attendant on IC-814, later recalled that a masked, bespectacled man threatened to blow up the plane with a bomb and ordered Captain Devi Sharan to "fly West".[4] The hijackers wanted Captain Sharan to divert the aircraft over Lucknow and head towards Lahore, but Pakistani authorities quickly refused permission as they were wary of being linked with the terrorists. Also, the fuel was not sufficient. Captain Sharan told the hijackers that they have to land in Amritsar, India.[4]

Landing in Amritsar, India

At Amritsar, Captain Sharan requested refueling the aircraft. But the Crisis Management Group in Delhi directed Amritsar Airport authorities to ensure that the plane was immobilised. Even though the armed personnel of the Punjab Police were already in position to try and force the issue, New Delhi did not approve. Finally, a tanker was dispatched with the idea of blocking the approach of the aircraft. The driver, however, drove a trifle too fast and was told by ATC over the walkie-talkie to slow down. Rather than decelerate gradually, the driver screeched to a dead halt and this aroused the hijackers' suspicion. Without waiting for ATC clearance, the hijackers forced the pilot to take off, the aircraft narrowly missing the tanker by only a few feet[5].

The departure of the A300 from Amritsar was key since it was after this that the situation went out of India's control. The then Prime Minister Atal Behari and his Minister for Internal Security, Lal Krishna Advani, were widely criticized for poor handling of the hijack situation. The failure of the government to stop the plane from taking off and the lack of a coherent and cohesive response showed up to spectacular effect when the plane took off for the next phase of its tragic journey.

Landing in Lahore, Pakistan

Due to extremely low fuel level, the aircraft requested emergency landing in Lahore, Pakistan. Pakistan denied the request fearing that their country might be linked with the terrorists. Pakistan also shut down their Air traffic services, thus effectively blackening the whole of Pakistan airspace for the Indian Airlines flight, and switched off all lights at Lahore Airport[6]. With no help from ATC, Captain Sharan banked on his visual instincts and began descending on what he thought was a runway, only to find out that it was a well lit road, and ascended the aircraft in time[7]. On understanding that the only other option for the aircraft was to crash land, Lahore Airport switched on its lights and allowed the aircraft to land. Lahore airport officials refueled the aircraft and allowed it to leave Lahore at 22:32 hours IST. Moreover, Pakistani officials rejected IC-814 pilot's request to offload some women and children passengers.[8]

Landing in Dubai, UAE

The aircraft took off for Dubai where 27 passengers aboard the ill-fated flight were released.[8] The hijackers also released critically injured 25 year old Indian male, Rupin Katyal, who was stabbed by the hijackers multiple times. Rupin later succumbed to his injuries, becoming the first and only casualty of the hijacking.[9]

Soon after the release of these passengers, the hijacked plane left for Kandahar International Airport.[3]

Landing in Kandahar, Afghanistan

After the aircraft landed in Kandahar, Taliban authorities, in an attempt to gain international recognition, agreed to cooperate with Indian authorities and took the role of mediators between the hijackers and the Indian government.[10] Since India did not recognize the Taliban-regime, it dispatched an official from its High Commission in Islamabad to Kandahar.[8] India's lack of previous contact with the Taliban-regime complicated the negotiating process.[11]

However, the intention of Taliban came under doubt when its armed fighters surrounded the hijacked aircraft.[12] The Taliban maintained that the forces were deployed in an attempt to dissuade the hijackers from killing or injuring the hostages but analysts believe it was done to prevent Indian military operation against the hijackers.[13][14]

Release of militants

The hijackers initially demanded the release of 35 Islamic militants in Indian jails and US$200 million in cash[13] but Indian negotiators succeeded in persuading the hijackers in reducing their demand to the release of three prisoners. These were:[15]

Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, who had been imprisoned in connection with 1994 Kidnappings of Western tourists in India, went on to murder Daniel Pearl and also allegedly played a significant role in planning the September 11 attacks in the United States.[21]

After the three militants landed in Kandahar, the hostages aboard the flight were freed. On 31 December 1999, the freed hostages of the Indian Airlines Flight 814 were flown back to India on a special plane.

Involvement of Taliban, Al-Qaida and ISI

Indian investigations established credible evidence that all five hijackers were Pakistani nationals and this information was shared with Pakistan, United States and Interpol.[1] The cooperation between the hijackers, the released militants and the Taliban was evident from the fact that the Taliban provided a safe passage to the hijackers and militants once the hostages were freed, contrary to Indian government expectations.[22][23] Later investigations revealed that one of the militants released as per the demand of the hijackers, Maulana Masood Azhar, had close links with the Taliban.[24] Maulana later founded Jaish-e-Muhammed, a terrorist organization which has received extensive aid from Taliban and pro-Taliban groups in Pakistan.[25]

Additionally, Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, the primary suspect behind the hijacking,[26] has in the past recruited foreign fighters for the Taliban.[27] India also believes that Pakistan's intelligence agency (ISI) played a part in the hijacking.[28] U.S. intelligence agency (CIA) has also established credible links between Omar Sheikh, one of the released militants who went on to kidnap and murder Daniel Pearl, and the ISI.[29] During Operation Enduring Freedom, U.S. Special Forces recovered IC-814 boarding passes from abandoned Taliban camps near Kandahar indicating that the hijackers had collaborated with local Taliban militia.[13] Several other links between the hijackers, Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, Al-Qaida and the Taliban were also established.[13] Indian investigations also established credible links between Mullah Omar, Taliban leader, and the hijackers.[22]

The Hindi movie Zameen is a Bollywood adaptation of the Flight IC 814 hijacking. In the movie, a flight by Indian Airways is hijacked to Pakistan-administered Kashmir by terrorists.

Bollywood movie Hijack is also based on IC 814.[citation needed]

Miditech of Gurgaon, Haryana created Air Hijack, a documentary with re-enactments; the documentary appeared on National Geographic Channel.[30][31]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Indian Embassy: Identity of the hijackers.
  2. ^ "Air Hijack." [Documentary TV show] Miditech.
  3. ^ a b Vohra, Ranbir. The making of India.
  4. ^ a b "How Govt lost the IC-814 hijack deal". 2006-09-07. Retrieved 2006-09-07.
  5. ^ http://www.india-today.com/itoday/20000110/cover2.html
  6. ^ http://www.india-today.com/itoday/20000110/cover3.html
  7. ^ http://www.indiarightsonline.com/Sabrang/ethnic2.nsf/38b852a8345861dd65256a980059289d/d2a5602660dc9ade65256dd400236ede?OpenDocument
  8. ^ a b c [http://books.google.com/books?id=XnzRttnqExUC&pg=PA24&dq=taliban+hijacking+india&as_brr=3&client=firefox-a India-Pakistan in war & peace By Jyotindra Nath Dixit]
  9. ^ An eight-day ordeal
  10. ^ [http://books.google.com/books?id=d1dGQBDrGxYC&pg=PA184&dq=india+taliban+relations+hijacking&lr=&client=firefox-a#PPA185,M1 Pakistan's ISI By Srikanta Ghosh]
  11. ^ [http://books.google.com/books?id=kCI4492cHTEC&pg=PA405&dq=indian+airlines+hijacking+taliban&as_brr=3&client=firefox-a The greater game By David Van Praagh]
  12. ^ [http://books.google.com/books?id=G7vLJpEDztYC&pg=PA105&dq=indian+airlines+hijacking+taliban&as_brr=3&client=firefox-a Hijacking and Terror in Sky By Giriraj Shah]
  13. ^ a b c d [http://books.google.com/books?id=rO2HY8unF_sC&pg=PA214&dq=indian+airlines+hijacking+taliban&as_brr=3&client=firefox-a Inside Al Qaeda By Rohan Gunaratna]
  14. ^ [http://books.google.com/books?id=FOWlnOXhdLkC&pg=PA188&dq=indian+airlines+hijacking+taliban&as_brr=3&client=firefox-a Hijacking and hostages By J. Paul de B. Taillon]
  15. ^ Indian Embassy
  16. ^ The Independent: Pakistan blamed by India for raid on parliament
  17. ^ [http://books.google.com/books?id=A9eqvc-Ru3cC&pg=PA242&dq=indian+airlines+hijacking+taliban&as_brr=3&client=firefox-a How we missed the story By Roy Gutman]
  18. ^ BBC NEWS | UK | Profile: Omar Saeed Sheikh
  19. ^ Online NewsHour Update: Pakistan Convicts Four Men in Pearl Murder - July 15, 2002
  20. ^ Abhinandan Mishra (2008-07-27). "India's Response To Terrorism - Are We Losing The War?". Archived from [8126110902http://desicritics.org/2008/07/27/132626.php the original] on 2008-08-04. Retrieved 2008-08-04. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  21. ^ CNN Transcript ""Suspected Mastermind of Pearl Killing Arrested"". Retrieved 2006-06-29. February 12, 2002.
  22. ^ a b [http://books.google.com/books?id=13iAVXvu6jQC&pg=PA193&dq=indian+airlines+hijacking+taliban&as_brr=3&client=firefox-a Terror in the Name of God By Jessica Stern]
  23. ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=7OIcYibR7pUC&pg=PA344&dq=indian+airlines+hijacking+taliban&lr=&as_brr=3&client=firefox-a Afghan Frontier By Victoria Schofield
  24. ^ Kashmir Crisis - Guardian
  25. ^ [http://books.google.com/books?id=ZOfkAoDb_2IC&pg=PA189&lpg=PA189&dq=taliban+hijackers+indian+airlines+connection&source=bl&ots=-r_vZtyV_m&sig=iHQGDzNs_99uGGECmu4u2aE61Sw&hl=en&ei=GVYaSuOtF4ieMqmKvY8P&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3 Encyclopedia of terrorism By Harvey W. Kushner]
  26. ^ Analysis: A high profile militant group
  27. ^ [http://www.cacianalyst.org/?q=node/366 ARIANA AND INDIAN HIJACKINGS: THE TALIBAN CONNECTION By Julie Sirrs]
  28. ^ Afghanistan, Taliban and Bush Oil Team -By Wayne Madsen
  29. ^ Jane Mayer (2007-08-13). "The Black Sites: A rare look inside the C.I.A.'s secret interrogation program". New Yorker.
  30. ^ IC 814 Hijack
  31. ^ The Hindu : New Delhi News : Inside the world of terror

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