In September 1970 , members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine ( PFLP ) hijacked Kidnapping four airliners bound for New York City and one for London .

Two PFLP hijackers who were prevented Preventing_or_letting from boarding the El Al flight , hijacked Committing_crime instead Pan Am Flight 93 , a Boeing 747 , diverting the large plane first to Beirut and then to Cairo , rather than to the small Jordanian airstrip .

On 9 September , a fifth plane , BOAC Flight 775 , a Vickers VC10 coming from Bahrain , was hijacked Kidnapping by a PFLP sympathizer and taken Conquering to Dawson 's Field in order to pressure Convincing the British to free Khaled .

While the majority of the 310 hostages were transferred Sending to Amman and freed Releasing on 11 September , the PFLP segregated the flight crews and Jewish passengers , keeping Temporary_stay the 56 Jewish hostages in custody , while releasing Releasing the non-Jews .

On 12 September , prior to their announced Expressing_publicly deadline , the PFLP used explosives to destroy Destroying the empty planes , as they anticipated a counterstrike .

The PFLP 's exploitation of Jordanian territory was an example of the increasingly autonomous Arab Palestinian activity within the Kingdom of Jordan – a serious challenge Competition to the Hashemite monarchy of King Hussein .

A swift Jordanian victory , however , enabled Preventing_or_letting a 30 September deal in which the remaining Temporary_stay PFLP hostages were released Releasing in exchange Exchange for Khaled and three PFLP members in a Swiss prison .

A swift Jordanian victory , however , enabled Preventing_or_letting a 30 September deal in which the remaining Temporary_stay PFLP hostages were released Releasing in exchange Exchange for Khaled and three PFLP members in a Swiss prison .

A week earlier , on 27 June , an Air France Airbus A300 with 248 passengers had been hijacked Kidnapping by two members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – External Operations ( PFLP-EO ) under orders Arranging of Wadie Haddad ( who had earlier broken Bodily_harm away from the PFLP of George Habash ) , and two members of the German Revolutionary Cells .

Abu Hani ) , head of PFLP External Operations , with some input from Okamoto .

Several initial reports claimed Statement that the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine ( PFLP ) had declared Expressing_publicly responsibility for the attack Attack ; Other sources say declarations Expressing_publicly by PFLP militants were either confused or that the group itself disclaimed responsibility .

Several initial reports claimed Statement that the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine ( PFLP ) had declared Expressing_publicly responsibility for the attack Attack ; Other sources say declarations Expressing_publicly by PFLP militants were either confused or that the group itself disclaimed responsibility .