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5/31/1986 - Terror: Greece by Paul A. Rahe

NOT FOR PUBLICATION WITHOUT WRITER S CONSENT INSTITUTE OF CURRENTWORLD AFFAIRS PAR American Research Institute Terror IBre Turkey Serencebey Yokuu Beikta Istanbul TURKEY May Mr Peter Bird Martin Institute Current World Affairs Wheelock House West Wheelock Street Hanover New Hampshire 03755 USA Dear Peter Had searching diligently about L Wednesday April would found restaurant second Ioor Athens International Airpot inhaling plate spaghetti I arrived couple hours beore I quickly arrangements evening Kalamata whence I would Kardamyli Mani visit riends In meantime there little point going Athens I called fiends acquaintances meetings I capital I settled thinking I could without lunch Had overcome inhibitions I might missed seeing Trans World Airlines Flight sizeable gaping aircraft right No alarms wentono announcements I spoke airport seemed anything about But there tarmac evidence clear something dreadful transpired The driver domestic terminal hours later heard radio there explosion little reason thought airline involved British Air It until later I hands newspaper account A apparently placed under IO F Had while airliner altitude doubt intended probably would resulted crash death everyone nearly everyone aboard As orked passengers three Greek Americans Colombian resident Connecticut sitting immediate vicinity explosion unscheduled aircraft 15000 above Agolid They needless heard agair Ater sucked Paul A Rahe ellow Institute Current WoId Aairs studying contemporary culture social development politics Eastern Mediterranean earlier history region PAR aircraft pilot managed landing stricken plane without anyone being killed seriously The event brought unpleasant memories In July early August I Athens airport Izmir coast Asia Minor spend touring ancient Lydian Greek sites Smyrna Erythrae Sardis Ephesus Priene Didyma stretched along Turkeyes Aegean coast miles inland Just hours after I departure lounge flight group PLO gunmen sprayed automatic weapons It reasonably close shave This December after I Larnaca airport Cyprus Budapest ourneyed train Vienna spend Christmas former Institute Fellow Dennison Rusino Mary their spunky young daughters platoon terrorists similar assault fragmentation grenades automatic weapons travellers standing E1 A1 counter airport Vienna In years I ample reminders those stumbling about world unwanted surprises I feared Greek particularly those elements riendly Papandeou government prove sympathetic victims bombing I regret report I disappointed There usual pieties ustifying murder innocent women children until Palestinian problem solved would expect these attacks continue The press showed acute sensitivity suggestion security inadequate Athens airport This clearly summer TWA airliner hijacked Beirut Shieite gunmen Well before event April number airlines using Athens airport telex Andreas Papandreou We express deepest concern total inadequacy security Athens The Greek authorities responded charge ultra nationalist bombast typifies rhetoric current regime suggestion airport security inadequate Athens taken Greek national honor those authority actually ordered airlines which installed electronic screening devices their remove forthwith Not surprisingly summer President Reagan Shi hijacking TWA Flight issued public warning American travellers should avoid Athens airport because security Greek press reacted cries anguish outrage The response press incident April distant heard before This predictable surprising article I across virtually gloated recent disaster The author piece denied predicted coming American tourists would Europe summer He suggested instead unconcealed Greece would usual complement wandering Americans would Olympic Airlines Greek national PAR rather TWA Pan Am For however press reported story quickly By terrorism eastern Mediterranean though Greek airspace three Greek Americans killed event considered Greek matter The morning I Mani Athens I called riend Bruce Clarke Reuters arrange together evening He phone briefly because typing major story moment while strolling earlier through Kolonaki Square Reuters nearby happened crowd grouped about Dimitris Angelopalos owner Greece largest steel making concern Angelopoulos before Bruce arrived gunman early thirties dressed trenchcoat carrying small pumped shots aging steel magnate chest stomach point blank range chaos ensued gunmn managed escape motorcycle driven accomplice The murder might given short shrift Athens police statement evolutionary Organization November trumpeting responsibility This terrorist group takes letist student uprising Athens Polytechnic University against Greek Colonels operating impunity years It began decade murdering CIA Station Chie Athens In years since first appeared November claimed responsibility assassinating Greek American US Navy Captain shooting owner reece important conservative newspapers November midst riots occasioned Andreas Papandreou imposition economic austerity program police killing policeman injuring others The reappearance November particularly newsworthy chiefly because political racas doubted leaders Ne Democracy which never catch anyone November would inevitably event occasion charge government incompetence maintenance security No surprised rightwing columnists pointed rhetoric November leaflet virtually indistinguishable capitalist diatribe Ethnos Avriani other publications supportive Andreas Papandreou Panhellenic Socialist Union PASOK Nor anyone shocked rightwing hints November might actually allies within PASOK regime The Dimitris Angelopoulos interesting crafty politician could PAR One measure event importance simple Greek Prime Minister Andreas PaPandreou China thought matter sufficient moment short immediately II Shortly after Papandreou returned Peking I Istanbul Tiirk Hava Yollar THY I gratified security tables where luggage inspected I extremely pleased assigned hanging I checking point going through every pocket thoroughly When I I avoid Olympic Airlines which poorly often strike I I THY because threat posed Armenian terrorists caused Turkey national airlines precautions scale exceeded E1 A1 As happened other airlines serving Athens airport taking great I return while I satisfied THY But I passed through customs departure lounge I appalled luggage merely through machines Greek authorities never opened searched Had I possessed plastic explosive pistols almost irely plastic Austrians producing I pretty I slipped right through Those claim security Athens airport tight using security fashion Don surprised another hijacking bombing possible absence serious precautions Athens airport jrely Paul A Rahe Received Hanover