(http://law.jrank.org/pages/11981/Terrorism.html)
Such organized terrorism often takes the form of hijacking. It is piracy in the sky; lives of innocent men, women and children in the captured airplane are thus endangered. Hijacking has become a world-wide phenomenon. Today it is not restricted to any one country or organization.
(http://www.ssrsi.org/ta1/hijack.htm)
Hijacking is a complex phenomenon. No action or organization can attempt to deal with it alone. Nations of the world should co-operate in tackling this problem. There should be mutual as well as multinational agreements in this matter as there are in other matters. Nations and organization having truck with the hijackers should be strongly denounced. There should be no security lapses at the airport. All loopholes should be plugged. Full use should be made of metal detectors and other electronic devices. Luggage should be carefully scrutinized, and in this respect no differentiation should be made between ordinary persons and V.I.P’s.
(http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1579)
The terrorist attack of September 11, 2001 in the United States led to a great increase in concern about airline safety and security with regard to terrorism. Airport security seemed to be the most visible site for implementing new security measures post 9/11. Moreover, in the case of airport security, the additional measures were both too late, and necessary. However, in the 1970s, hijackers were content to simply threaten passengers and pilots and kill off one or two while sitting on the tarmac in some developing nation until their demands were met. Without the free and easy access that had returned to aircraft after the heyday of 1970s hijackings had passed, perhaps the hijackers on 9/11 might have returned to the modus operandi of those earlier days.
(http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~surette/hijacking.html)
Although there have been hijackings from 1931 to the present, their peak period was 1968-72. During that period there were 326 hijacking attempts worldwide, or one every 5.6 days. These included 137 attempts by individuals who boarded flights in the United States, or one such attempt every 13.3 days. Newspapers, television, and other mass media constantly carried stories about aircraft hijackings, and it was often suggested that the motivation to hijack planes spread from individual to individual as a result of the media coverage.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_hijacking)
Hijackers are desperate terrorists and great tact is needed in dealing with them. In the beginning skilled negotiators should negotiate with them. Negotiations should be long lasting till the atmosphere begins to tell on their nerves, as it does with the passengers. When the right time is ready, some minor concessions may be made as face saving devices. Usually there is surrender after that. In this way many innocent lives are saved and the guilty are also punished.
(http://www.fortfreedom.org/w06.htm)
Alternatively, well-trained commandos may storm the airplane, but they should do so with lightning speed so that the hijackers are taken completely by surprise. Then they can be easily arrested. But this technique is full of dangers. Terrorists can go to any extent. They may even blow up the airplane or shoot innocent men, women and children. Hence full safety measures must be taken in dealing with them.
( http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/3030629-commandos-end-hijacking-in-montego-bay-jamaica)
References :
http://law.jrank.org/pages/11981/Terrorism.html
http://www.ssrsi.org/ta1/hijack.htm
http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1579
http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~surette/hijacking.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_hijacking
http://www.fortfreedom.org/w06.htm
http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/3030629-commandos-end-hijacking-in-montego-bay-jamaica
