The FBI is hoping to generate new leads with the release of new age-progressed images of four alleged hijackers involved in a 1986 attack in Pakistan that killed two Americans.
The attack, which occurred aboard Pan Am Flight 73 during an airport stopover in Karachi, resulted in the murder of 20 passengers and crew, including two Americans, the attempted murder of 379 passengers and crew, and the wounding of more than 100 individuals on board.
The four suspects are as follows:
- Wadoud Muhammad Hafiz al-Turki
- Jamal Saeed Abdul Rahim
- Muhammad Abdullah Khalil Hussain ar-Rahayyal, and
- Muhammad Ahmed al-Munawar
All four suspects believed to have been members of the Abu Nidal Organization, which was designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. Department of State.
Additionally, each of the men is on the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorists List to face a host of indictments which includes:
- Damaging an Aircraft
- Unlawful Placing of a Destructive Device on an Aircraft
- Performing an Act of Violence Against an Individual on an Aircraft
- Hostage Taking
- Murder of United States Nationals Outside of the United States
- Attempted Murder of United States Nationals Outside of the United States
- Causing Serious Bodily Injury to United States Nationals Outside the United States
- Assault on a Passenger
- Malicious Damage to an Aircraft
- Use of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence
- Aircraft Piracy; Aiding and Abetting
- Conspiracy to Commit Offenses Outside the United States
(Sept 5, 1986 Plane Hijacking in Pakistan. Courtesy of ABC News, Amazing Videos and YouTube)
The case is being investigated by the Bureau’s Washington Field Office.
“It’s always been an active case of ours,” said the lead FBI agent on the case.
He said images of the suspects obtained by the FBI in the year 2000 were age-progressed by the FBI Laboratory.
“We’re hoping that with the age-progression photos next to the original photos maybe that will jar some memories or maybe someone has seen these guys walking around.”
This announcement is in coordination with the U.S. Department of State Rewards for Justice Program, which is offering a reward of up to $5 million each for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of the alleged hijackers.
“No matter how much time has passed or the obstacles we encounter,” the case agent said, “we owe it to the victims and their families to never give up on them.”
(Learn More about PAN AM Flight 73 – Another Perspective. Courtesy of Purnima Subhash Hardikar, DZoneWorld and YouTube. Posted on May 25, 2016)
Anyone with information regarding these terrorists is asked to contact the FBI, the nearest American Embassy or Consulate, or submit a tip on https://tips.fbi.gov, which can remain anonymous.
Individuals on the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorists List have been indicted by sitting Federal Grand Juries in various jurisdictions in the United States for the crimes reflected on their wanted posters.
The indictments currently listed on the posters allow them to be arrested and brought to justice.
