Libya and the United States had endured constant tensions throughout the mid- to late-twentieth century because of their conflicting ideas on terrorism. The United States was involved in a bombing on Libya that had an effect towards the Libyan leader. These tensions built up until someone took drastic measures. On December 21, 1988, the Pan American flight 103 was bombed as a result of these long standing tensions between the United States and Libya.
On this day in the month of December, the Pan Am flight 103 was bombed mid flight, during its trip from London to New York. According to the British Broadcasting Corporation, this act would become “the worst single act of terrorism ever witnessed in the UK” (BBC,1). Prior to the Pan Am leaving London's Heathrow airport, someone had sent a bag containing a hand held radio to the plane. Unfortunately, for the 270 people that died that day in the air and on the ground in the Lockerbie, Scotland, this was no regular radio. This Toshiba radio had been rigged with an explosive inside of it that took down the Pan Am flight 103 Boeing 747. As stated in an article by Donna E. Artz and Bruce J. Evensen, “The Pan Am was destroyed by a plastic explosive hidden inside a Toshiba radio cassette player that was inside an unaccompanied suit case apparently transferred from another airline” (1). By working together, the United States and Scotland sought justice for the 270 deceased. Initially, the leader of Libya, Muammar Gaddafi, refused to release the prime suspects in the bombing to be tried in court. However, in 1991, after much negotiation and UN sanctions, Artz and Evensen write, “the United States and Scotland indicted two libyans, Abdel Baset Ali al-Megrahi and Lamen Khalifa Fhimah, for th...
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...Gaddafi admitted that it was responsible for the bombing”(NY Times). Finally, Libya has taken blame after the substantial evidence against them. This solves the question of who has to pay for all of the financial loss. “Libya also agrees to pay a total of 2.7 billion dollars to the families of the 250 victims on board the aircraft and eleven by falling debris.” (John Heartson)
The effect of this woe was big worldwide and settled the argument of who bombed the Pan American flight 103 and why. Colonel Gaddafi was a cruel leader who did not forgive the United States after the bombing that killed his child. The long lasting tensions between the United States and Libya was the biggest part of why this happened. Political ideas and general ideas about life were differentiated between the two nations. This will forever be remembered just like many other disasters.
The investigators were able to figure out fairly quickly that what brought down Flight 103 was a bomb, as it had all of the tell-tale signs, including no emergency or distress calls prior to the crash. The bomb had been concealed inside a Toshiba radio, which was placed inside a hard-sided Samsonite suitcase that had been designated as an unaccompanied bag. The suitcase had been transferred from an Air Malta feeder flight out of Valletta.
Embar-Seddon, A., & Pass, A. D. (2009). World Trade Center Bombing. In Forensic science (3rd ed., pp. 1028-1031). Pasadena, California: Salem Press.
Whether we would like to admit it or not there was a time, prior to September 11, 2001 when airline terrorism was a very real danger and it seemed as thought we averaged a hijacking or terrorist event every thirty days somewhere in the world. Gladly this wasn’t the case, in an online article I read there was a interview held with a person who spoke to my thoughts, he said “One example was a study I conducted on media coverage by the New York Times during a 17 -year, pre-9/11 period of 1978 to 1994. Among other things, I found that fatal airline events that involved jet aircraft that were hijacked, sabotaged, or destroyed by military action, which represented about 8% of the fatal airline accidents reported by the Times during that period, accounted for about 48% of all the airline accident articles in that period“ (T. Curtis, personal interview, September 11, 2009). Back then, it was easy to visualize a small suitcase being carried aboard an aircraft with a explosive inside, capable of ending the lives of everyone onboard men, women, and children; with no regard to age, sex, and religion.
On June 23, 1985, a bomb was planted on Air India Flight 182 that exploded and killed the 329 passengers and crew while airborne (Commission of Inquiry into the Investigation of the Bombing of Air India Flight 182: Final report, 2010). A second bomb at Tokyo’s Narita Airport killed two baggage handlers that were unloading luggage from a Canadian Pacific Airlines flight, the baggage was also prepared to be on the Air India flight. Sikh terrorists were responsible for planting the two bombs. In total 331 people were killed (CIIBAIF 182, 2010).
The attacks that occurred on 9/11 took place on September 11th, 2001. In this devastating event, four different attacks had taken place. Each of the attacks were carried out by terrorists. The group responsible for the attack was Al-Qaeda, a militant Islamist organization that is known to be global in present day. The group itself has a network consisting of a Sunni Muslim movement that aims to make global Jihad happen. Furthermore, a stateless, multinational army that is ready to move at any given time. This terrorist group focuses on attacking non-Sunni Muslims, those who are not Muslim, and individuals who the group deems to be kafir. Ever since the late 1980s, Al-Qaeda has been wreaking havoc all around the world. The leader of the group once being Osama bin Laden. Three planes were bound for New York City while another plane headed towards Washington, D.C. which was supposed to take out the U.S. Capitol. Two of the airplanes crashed into the World Trade Center. One plane hitting the North Tower and the other hitting the South Tower. The third plane had crashed into the Pentagon taking out the western side of the building. The last and final plane was focused solely on taking out the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C. but failed due to passengers of the plane coming hijacking it from the hijackers. The passengers attempted to take out the hijackers but sadly failed, crashing it into a field in Pennsylvania. Throughout the content of this paper, we will be focusing on the role of media when it comes to 9/11; more specifically: how the media's coverage of 9/11 manipulated our feelings towards 9/11, how it affected Islamophobia in America, and the lasting effects of 9/11.
France-Presse, Agence. “Osama Bin Laden claimed responsibility for 9/11 Attacks, Says Son-in-Law.” Inquirer News. Inquirer.net 20 Mar. 2014. Web. 21 May 2014.
the Libyan leader. If not for that decision Libya could have retaliated in a more violent way, but the bombing gave them the message to not attack the United States.
...sador to Libya, as well as, three other Americans. It is believed that Al-Qaeda was responsible ("Osama Bin Laden Fast Facts").
It’s a normal day at work when suddenly there is an explosion, trapping hundreds of people inside collapsing buildings covered in rubble. Coworkers, friends, and family are gone, never to be seen again, lost to senseless acts of terrorism. In 1993, 1998, and 2000, these events came to pass in the form of terrorist bombings on U.S. targets across the globe. The World Trade Center complex was a symbol of wealth and prosperity, but quickly became the target for radical Muslims and was attacked early in 1993. Despite this attack, the American people did not think that the terrorist organization behind the attack, al-Qaeda, was much of a threat, failing to properly respond to the attack and prepare for the future. Five years later and across the globe, another bombing occurred. This attack targeted the U.S. embassies in the African countries of Kenya and Tanzania. Again, the U.S. was distracted from the incident and did not react in a proper manner. Finally, in 2000, the U.S. was again subjected to a terrorist attack, this time on a naval warship docked in Yemen. The country again looked on in horror as the unthinkable happened, leaving people to again question their safety. Although these attacks on American targets were devastating, the United States should have learned from its mistakes to better prepare and defend against the September 11th attacks.
...ter found the guys one week later as they tried to take the deposit on the retail van that was responsible for the bomb. When one of the men was arrested he said that the next time they attack they would bring both of them down which came on 9/11 which shook the whole world in an event nobody will ever forget (“Woog”).
McCarthy, Andrew A. "First, Let’s Get the Facts on Saudis and Iranian Involvement in 9/11." National Review Online. National Review, 23 Apr. 2016. Web. 25 Apr. 2016
The most obvious criticism, most of the public protests, is the foreign policy of the United States. America has become very well known as the “Police Force of the World.” A debate still rages on, in today's society, about America's involvement in the Middle East. Both sides of the argument give noteworthy points according to what they believe would benefit America. However, this post will not be studying the foreign policy of America. This post will be going in depth about what caused the deaths of four innocent Americans in Benghazi. Firstly, we must take a look at what happened, in Libya, that caused America to be involved in the first place.
The action, drama, suspense and war movie “13 Hours in Benghazi” highlights the true story of the event of September 11, 2012 from an eye witness perspective. It is directed by Michael Bay. The agitation for America’s democracy met violent opposition which pioneered a huge public protest against Gaddafi’s regime that consequently warranted air strikes in October 2011 by the British, United State and French forces on Libyan soil. Eventually the revolution (TURF war) led to the fall of Muammar Gaddafi dictatorship (Tyranny rule) after 42year and bears an unprecedented effect. The aftermaths, brought unintended consequences the following year 2012 as militia gang access and stole armories which were sold freely on the street. In a remark the
First shock, then terror, followed by sorrow and lastly rage were my emotions on September 11th, 2001 when a hijacked airliner crashed into the Twin Towers in New York City. Tunh! Tunh! Tunh! All circuits are busy; please try again at a later time. This message kept repeating as I tried to call my cousin in New York, who was working in the South Tower. At the time the American Airlines flight 11 just moments earlier crashed into the North Tower. I sat in my house in shock and terror. Then at 9:05 am, about twenty minutes after the first collision, United Airlines flight 175 crashed into the South Tower. I began to feel the knot in my throat getting tighter and tighter until I just finally began crying. I still didn’t have any word from my cousin and when both of the buildings plummeted to the streets below, I thought for sure he was dead. When I returned home, my mother informed me that he had gotten out before the buildings went down. Turning on the television was another ordeal in itself. All of the news stations repeatedly exhibited the buildings plunging to the ground. I felt extreme sorrow for the families of those who had not made it out alive. They had to relive that horrible moment over and over again. I was also outraged. How could such an act be committed on American soil? The only way we can answer this question is to look at the terrorists who could do such an act and what possible reasons they have for doing it.
Historical Significance: The September 11th, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, orchestrated by Al-Qaeda and Bin Laden, were the events that launched the U.S. War on Terrorism. Al-Qaeda’s attack on the United States was carried out by members of radicalized Islamic groups, whose objective was to spread jihad against the secular influence of the West. This tragic event provided the historical b...