TWA Flight 355
Encyclopedia
TWA Flight 355 was a domestic Trans World Airlines
flight which was hijack
ed by five terrorists, all members of the Croatian National Resistance
("Hrvatski narodni odpor") which was a terrorist Croatian Ustaše emigrant organization, on September 10, 1976.
plane took off from New York
's LaGuardia Airport
and was headed to O'Hare International Airport
in Chicago
. The hijackers were Slobodan Vlašić, Zvonko Bušić
, his wife Julienne Bušić
, Petar Matanić and Frane Pešut. The hijackers claimed to have a bomb as they seized control of the plane in the 95th minute of its flight; the alleged bomb was actually a pressure cooker.
The group redirected the plane to Montreal
's Mirabel International Airport where they refueled and told officials that they had planted a bomb in a locker at Grand Central Station and gave them instructions on finding it. They demanded that an appeal to the American people concerning Croatia's independence be printed in the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Chicago Tribune
, the Los Angeles Times
and the International Herald Tribune
. The plane was then flown to Gander
, Newfoundland (now Newfoundland and Labrador
), where 35 of its passengers were released. From there the plane was accompanied by a larger TWA plane which guided it to Reykjavík
, Iceland
. The terrorists' initial European destination was London, but the British government refused them permission to land.
During the hijacking the device at Grand Central Station was found and taken to Rodman's Neck Firing Range
where police attempted to dismantle it rather than detonate it. After setting a cutting instrument on the two wires attached to the device, the officers retreated from the pit for several minutes. They then returned to the pit to continue dismantling the device when it exploded and killed an officer, Brian Murray.
The plane landed in Paris where the hijackers surrendered after direct talks with U.S. ambassador Kenneth Rush and their explosives were revealed to be fakes. As the police took Julienne Bušić away the plane's pilot gave her a hug in gratitude for her calming of the passengers during the hijacking.
The last remaining hijacker in prison was Zvonko Bušić. On several occasions after Croatian independence, Croatian president Franjo Tudjman appealed to American president Bill Clinton
for Bušić's release or transfer to Croatia. In 2003, the Croatian Parliament passed a resolution that Bušić should be transferred to Croatia, which it submitted to the Council of Europe
. The liberal Croatian Helsinki Committee
also took up the cause of Bušić's release.
On June 7, 2008 Bušić was granted parole after 32 years of imprisonment. Bušić was paroled and deported to Croatia where he was greeted by approximately five hundred people at Zagreb
's Pleso airport
. Among those in the crowd were Dražen Budiša
, Anto Kovačević
and Marko Perković
as well as all four of the other hijackers.
Trans World Airlines
Trans World Airlines was an American airline that existed from 1925 until it was bought out by and merged with American Airlines in 2001. It was a major domestic airline in the United States and the main U.S.-based competitor of Pan American World Airways on intercontinental routes from 1946...
flight which was hijack
Aircraft hijacking
Aircraft hijacking is the unlawful seizure of an aircraft by an individual or a group. In most cases, the pilot is forced to fly according to the orders of the hijackers. Occasionally, however, the hijackers have flown the aircraft themselves, such as the September 11 attacks of 2001...
ed by five terrorists, all members of the Croatian National Resistance
Croatian National Resistance
The Croatian National Resistance was a terrorist Croatian Ustaše emigrant organization which sought to destroy Yugoslavia and to establish an independent Croatia, according to the vision of Ustaše leader Ante Pavelić and ideology of Mile Budak...
("Hrvatski narodni odpor") which was a terrorist Croatian Ustaše emigrant organization, on September 10, 1976.
Hijacking
The Boeing 727Boeing 727
The Boeing 727 is a mid-size, narrow-body, three-engine, T-tailed commercial jet airliner, manufactured by Boeing. The Boeing 727 first flew in 1963, and for over a decade more were built per year than any other jet airliner. When production ended in 1984 a total of 1,832 aircraft had been produced...
plane took off from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
's LaGuardia Airport
LaGuardia Airport
LaGuardia Airport is an airport located in the northern part of Queens County on Long Island in the City of New York. The airport is located on the waterfront of Flushing Bay and Bowery Bay, and borders the neighborhoods of Astoria, Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst. The airport was originally...
and was headed to O'Hare International Airport
O'Hare International Airport
Chicago O'Hare International Airport , also known as O'Hare Airport, O'Hare Field, Chicago Airport, Chicago International Airport, or simply O'Hare, is a major airport located in the northwestern-most corner of Chicago, Illinois, United States, northwest of the Chicago Loop...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. The hijackers were Slobodan Vlašić, Zvonko Bušić
Zvonko Bušić
Zvonko Bušić is a Croatian emigrant known for hijacking TWA Flight 355 in September 1976. He was subsequently convicted of air piracy, spending 32 years in prison before being released on parole in July 2008.-Background:...
, his wife Julienne Bušić
Julienne Busic
Julienne Bušić is an American terrorist and the wife of Zvonko Bušić. She was arrested in 1976 after hijacking TWA Flight 355 and sentenced to life in prison, with early parole.-Biography:...
, Petar Matanić and Frane Pešut. The hijackers claimed to have a bomb as they seized control of the plane in the 95th minute of its flight; the alleged bomb was actually a pressure cooker.
The group redirected the plane to Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
's Mirabel International Airport where they refueled and told officials that they had planted a bomb in a locker at Grand Central Station and gave them instructions on finding it. They demanded that an appeal to the American people concerning Croatia's independence be printed in the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
, the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
and the International Herald Tribune
International Herald Tribune
The International Herald Tribune is a widely read English language international newspaper. It combines the resources of its own correspondents with those of The New York Times and is printed at 38 sites throughout the world, for sale in more than 160 countries and territories...
. The plane was then flown to Gander
Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador
Gander is a Canadian town located in the northeastern part of the island of Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, approximately south of Gander Bay, south of Twillingate and east of Grand Falls-Windsor...
, Newfoundland (now Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
), where 35 of its passengers were released. From there the plane was accompanied by a larger TWA plane which guided it to Reykjavík
Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
, Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
. The terrorists' initial European destination was London, but the British government refused them permission to land.
During the hijacking the device at Grand Central Station was found and taken to Rodman's Neck Firing Range
NYPD Rodman's Neck Firing Range
The NYPD Rodman's Neck Firing Range is a 54 Acre police training facility operated by The NYPD Firearms and Tactics Section on Rodman's Neck in the Bronx, New York City...
where police attempted to dismantle it rather than detonate it. After setting a cutting instrument on the two wires attached to the device, the officers retreated from the pit for several minutes. They then returned to the pit to continue dismantling the device when it exploded and killed an officer, Brian Murray.
The plane landed in Paris where the hijackers surrendered after direct talks with U.S. ambassador Kenneth Rush and their explosives were revealed to be fakes. As the police took Julienne Bušić away the plane's pilot gave her a hug in gratitude for her calming of the passengers during the hijacking.
Imprisonment
Frane Pešut served 12 years in prison. He was deported to Croatia in 2007. Petar Matanić and Slobodan Vlašić were released along with Pešut in 1988. Julienne Bušić was released in 1989.The last remaining hijacker in prison was Zvonko Bušić. On several occasions after Croatian independence, Croatian president Franjo Tudjman appealed to American president Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
for Bušić's release or transfer to Croatia. In 2003, the Croatian Parliament passed a resolution that Bušić should be transferred to Croatia, which it submitted to the Council of Europe
Council of Europe
The Council of Europe is an international organisation promoting co-operation between all countries of Europe in the areas of legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation...
. The liberal Croatian Helsinki Committee
Croatian Helsinki Committee
Croatian Helsinki Committee for Human Rights is the leading organisation for protection and promotion of human rights in Croatia...
also took up the cause of Bušić's release.
On June 7, 2008 Bušić was granted parole after 32 years of imprisonment. Bušić was paroled and deported to Croatia where he was greeted by approximately five hundred people at Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
's Pleso airport
Zagreb Airport
Zagreb Airport , also known as Pleso Airport after the nearby suburb of Pleso, is the main international airport of Croatia and also a Croatian Air Force and Defense major fighter jet base. Located 10 km from the central railway station in Zagreb, it served 2,071,561 passengers in 2010 and is the...
. Among those in the crowd were Dražen Budiša
Dražen Budiša
Dražen Budiša is a Croatian politician who used to be leading opposition figure in the 1990s and a two-time presidential candidate.-During Yugoslavia:...
, Anto Kovačević
Anto Kovacevic
Anto Kovačević is a Croatian right-wing politician.He has obtained a PhD degree at University of Vienna.A native of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Anto Kovačević entered Croatian politics in early 1990s as one of the most prominent members of Croatian Christian Democratic Union...
and Marko Perković
Marko Perkovic
Marko Perković is a Croatian musician and is the lead singer of the band Thompson since 1991....
as well as all four of the other hijackers.
External links
- Your Blood and Mine Official Website
- Green Light Interview with Julienne Bušić, October 2004
- Zvonko and Julienne Busic's official website