KARACHI Reuters: The death toll in the Pan Am hijack rose to 19 today as controversy continued over the handling of the situation by Pakistani Commandos Meanwhile police launched an investigation for any accomplices of the hijackers.

Hospital spokesman said another three people have died of wounds

They listed the dead as 13 Indians two Americans and two Pakistanis with two of the bodies still unidentified. The government controlled APP news agency said more than 100 injured were still being treated in four hospitals here.

Those in hospital were 14 Indian eight Pakistanis five Americans two Canadians a Briton an Italian and a Mexican. APP said three of the Americans two Pakistanis and the Mexican was in serious condition. Some of the injured were flown to Frankfurt.

Federal Isskhqion Agency (FIA) officers said they raided several houses in Karachi in search of accomplices who might have given the hijackers arms and shelter or master mined the plane seizure At least five members of the airport security force (ASF) have been detained and are being interrogated sources in the unit said.

The gunmen who were disguised in ASF uniforms drove in a small truck from a cargo bay to the Pan Am Boeing 747.

Investigators went to houses in two districts of Karachi and raided student hostels in search of Arabs named by the hijackers under interrogation.

The four Palestinians were remanded in FIA custody for 14 days by a local court. One of them who gave his name as Hassan was seriously wounded when Pakistani commandos recaptured the plane and was being treated in hospital.

The other three named by police as Fahad Abdullah and Mansoor are still under interrogation President Zia ul Haq said last night the four would stand trial in Pakistan and warned that hijacking carried the death penalty here

He described the hijackers as youngster but highly motivated and volatile and said their Palestinian origin would not affect Pakistan’s support for the Palestinian cause

Zia was full of praise for the way his men handled the hijack and shrugged off criticism from Rajiv Gandhi Prime Minister of Pakistan’s perennial rival India who accused Pakistani security forces of bungling the operation.

Several passengers have complained that when they escaped down emergency chutes after the gunmen suddenly opened fire the commandos were nowhere to be seen.

Provincial Governor Jebandad Khan said the men were waiting in the dark 200 yards away to avoid alarming the hijackers and reached the plane within two minutes of the firing began.

The confusion was increased by conflicting versions issued by civil aviation Chief Khurshid Anwer Khan He said first that the commandos stormed 747 in a preplanned operation but later said they did not reach it for at least 15 minutes after the shooting started.

Zia speaking on his return from the nonaligned movement conference in Harare said the discrepancy would be investigated but he was sure there had been no 15 minute delay.

 

Article extracted from this publication >> September 12, 1986