FOR weeks, West Germany's government had been uneasily aware that the Black September movement, which struck so viciously in Munich two months ago, would almost certainly strike again. The Arab terrorists' objective this time: freedom for the three young fedayeen who had been confined in separate Bavarian prisons since they were captured during the Olympic massacre of Israeli athletes and coaches. Last week Black September acted—and took the Germans by surprise. In one of the boldest skyjackings so far, two Palestinian terrorists commandeered a Lufthansa 727 with eleven other passengers aboard and forced the release of their three captured brethren.
The reaction in the Arab world was undisguised rejoicing. "Despite Zionist terrorism, the Palestinians are still able to present their cause to the world," crowed the Cairo newspaper Al-Gumhouria. When the Lufthansa jet landed in the Libyan capital of Tripoli, the three rescued Black Septemberists aboard—Sammar Abdullah, Abdul Kader Dannawi and Ibrahim Badran —were welcomed like conquering princes.
Angered by the alacrity with which the West Germans had agreed to turn over the three Arabs, Israel temporarily recalled its ambassador to Bonn. Complained Foreign Minister Abba Eban: "Who knows what people have been condemned to death or injury by their release?" In response, Israeli Phantoms made strikes on four Palestinian camps near Damascus. The Syrian government later said at least 65 people had been killed, few of them fedayeen.
The Israeli jets bombed Syria on the presumption that the skyjackers had come from there. Perhaps they had, since Syria is one of the few Arab states that still provide the fedayeen with camping space and money. Nonetheless, Lufthansa Flight 615 was empty when it left Damascus at 5:35 a.m. last week scheduled to Beirut, Ankara, Munich and Frankfurt. At Beirut, 13 passengers came aboard after a routine handbag and luggage check. Ten miles north of Cyprus, Captain Walter Claussen, 37, felt a gun muzzle at his neck and a soft-spoken Arab behind him on the flight deck. "I am the captain now," said the man, who called himself Abu Ali, a common Arab name. While he kept Claussen under surveillance, a companion dotted the plane with explosive charges the size of cigarette packs.
Abu Ali ordered Claussen to refuel in Cyprus and again at Zagreb; over the plane's intercom he announced the purpose of "Operation Munich": to free the imprisoned Black September trio and fly them to a friendly Arab country. By the time the 727 reached Zagreb, the West Germans were on full alert, and government officials had agreed to release the prisoners in exchange for the passengers and the plane. After taking on fuel, the plane left Zagreb and headed for Germany. Munich's Riem Airport was surrounded by policemen, border troops, armored cars and thousands of Bavarian Sunday drivers lured to the scene by radio reports. But the 727, which flew over the airport at 11 a.m., did not land. When German officials insisted it would take 90 minutes to bring the three prisoners to the airport, the terrorists ordered Claussen to return to Zagreb.