The Seizure of the Saudi Embassy in
Khartoum
(June 15, 2006)
In the early evening hours of 1 March 1973,
eight Black September Organization (BSO) terrorists
seized the Saudi
Arabian Embassy in Khartoum as a diplomatic
reception honoring the departing United
States Deputy
Chief of Mission (DCM) was ending. After slightly wounding
the United States Ambassador and the Belgian Charge
d’'Affaires, the terrorists took these officials plus
the United States DCM, the Saudi Arabian Ambassador
and the Jordanian Charge d'Affaires hostage. In return
for the freedom of the hostages, the captors demanded
the release of various individuals, mostly Palestinian guerrillas, imprisoned in Jordan, Israel and the United
States.
The Khartoum operation was planned and carried out
with the full knowledge and personal approval of Yasir
Arafat, Chairman of the Palestine
Liberation Organization (PLO), and the head of Fatah. Fatah representatives
based in Khartoum participated in the attack, using
a Fatah vehicle to transport the terrorists to the
Saudi Arabian Embassy.
Initially, the main objective of the attack appeared
to be to secure the release of Fatah/BSO leader Muhammed
Awadh (Abu Da’ud) from Jordanian captivity. Information
acquired subsequently reveals that the Fatah/BSO leaders
did not expect Awadh to be freed, and indicates that
one of the primary goals of the operation was to strike
at the United States because of its efforts to achieve
a Middle East peace settlement which many Arabs believe
would be inimical to Palestinian interests.
Negotiations with the BSO
terrorist team were conducted primarily by
the Sudanese Ministers of Interior and of
Health. No effort was spared, within the
capabilities of the Sudanese Government,
to secure the freedom of the hostages. The
terrorists extended their deadlines three
times, but when they became convinced that
their demands would not be met and after
they reportedly had received orders from
Fatah headquarters in Beirut,
they killed the two United States officials
[Ambassador Cleo Noel and DCM George Moore]
and the Belgian Charge. Thirty-four hours
later, upon receipt of orders from Yasir
Arafat in Beirut to surrender, the terrorists
released their other hostages unharmed and
surrendered to Sudanese authorities.
The Khartoum operation again demonstrated the ability
of the BSO to strike where least expected. The open
participation of Fatah representatives in Khartoum
in the attack provides further evidence of the Fatah/BSO
relationship. The emergence of the United States as
a primary fedayeen target indicates a serious threat
of further incidents similar to that which occurred
in Khartoum.
Sources: Office
of the Historian, U.S. State Department |