Netherlands: South Moluccan Extremists Take Hostages

Record ID: 2522

  • Title: Netherlands: South Moluccan Extremists Take Hostages
  • Date: 11th June 1977
  • Summary: The lives of nearly 200 hostages were at stake in Holland when South Moluccan extremists, seeking independence for their former home in Indonesia, hijacked a train at Glimmen and took over a school building at nearby Bovensmilde in simultaneous incidents. Police and troops kept a heavy guard on both areas and were eventually permitted to send food to both the train hostages & school children. The extremists held out for 4 days, until a mystery sickness suddenly swept the imprisoned children, their captors released them unharmed. In a surprise early morning raid, Dutch fighter aircraft made low-level high-speed runs over the train and troops with heavy armoured support moved in, and in the shoot-out which followed, six Moluccans and two hostages were killed.
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  • Location: NETHERLANDS HOLLAND BOVENSMILDE GLIMMEN
  • Reuters ID: LDL0010YCNIJR
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
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  • Copyright Holder: Reuters Archive
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2014. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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