The lessons of Munich
From Mr Ralf Goergens Sir: Simon Reeve (`The German way with terror', 14 September) neglects to mention some important aspects of terrorism. At the time no European government, nor the American one, would have been prepared or been able to deal effectively with this kind of terrorism. Some serious mistakes were also made, but to suggest that antiSemitism, latent or otherwise, was involved on the part of the German police is absurd, if not downright malicious.
This experience led to the founding of the GSG-9 who in 1977 stormed a Lufthansa jet abducted to Somalia. The GSG-9 killed three terrorists and captured the fourth, without any casualties among themselves or the passengers. The Munich debacle also strengthened the general German resolve in dealing with terrorists. Our domestic terrorists were defeated, their demands for negotiation were turned down, at the expense of the lives of some hostages.
Ralf Goergens
Munich
Previous page
